Oh! I thought it's going to be about some interesting topology of nut shell...
Likewise, I'd assumed sphere eversion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphere_eversion
That's ... concerning.
Two ways to crack a walnut, per Grothendieck (2025)
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Re: Two ways to crack a walnut, per Grothendieck (2025)
#12I get the point of the story but does the soaking method for opening walnuts actually work? Seems to me that you'd likely end up with a rotten nut.
Re: Two ways to crack a walnut, per Grothendieck (2025)
#13On the topic literally: I found this holiday that a flat head screwdriver works best. There’s always a small gap and just prying the nut open is far better than crunching it and making a mess.
Re: Two ways to crack a walnut, per Grothendieck (2025)
#14I get the point of the story but does the soaking method for opening walnuts actually work? Seems to me that you'd likely end up with a rotten nut.
Though I was confident this was just a metaphor, I did try cracking a walnut using this method. I submerged three walnuts in a jar with some tap water, and let them sit for three years before trying to open them.
It was a let-down: they were easier to open, but certainly not by hand, I still had to use a nutcracker. They smelled bad, too. I did not try eating them.
Re: Two ways to crack a walnut, per Grothendieck (2025)
#15The Grothendieck method can be applied to implementing a new feature in a software system. You just refactor the existing code until the implementation of the new feature becomes trivial.
Re: Two ways to crack a walnut, per Grothendieck (2025)
#16The Grothendieck method can be applied to implementing a new feature in a software system. You just refactor the existing code until the implementation of the new feature becomes trivial.
When reading code you don't really understand, that approach looks a lot like magic. I have a few code bases I try to follow, one is a large Java application, and some of the features added seemingly come out of nowhere. The commit message will just say "Add support for XYZ" and then a few lines added to seemingly random files to setup of condition and then the feature manifests itself.
Re: Two ways to crack a walnut, per Grothendieck (2025)
#17I get the point of the story but does the soaking method for opening walnuts actually work? Seems to me that you'd likely end up with a rotten nut.
It is a mixed metaphor, he refers to the problem as a "nut" but says after soaking the nut should open "like a ripe avocado"
Re: Two ways to crack a walnut, per Grothendieck (2025)
#18I wonder how the actual way of opening a walnut fits into this metaphor: apply pressure to the gap line of the two halves. You can even do it with your bare hands a few times. Do not use a chisel, the nut will slip easily, duh.
Re: Two ways to crack a walnut, per Grothendieck (2025)
#19I get the point of the story but does the soaking method for opening walnuts actually work? Seems to me that you'd likely end up with a rotten nut.
I saw someone on You-Tube that soaked them overnight and then used Grandpa's Goody Getter nutcracker to open them. The shells shattered less, he got much bigger pieces, and it wasn't as messy. I have tried both with and without soaking them overnight and I agree that soaking overnight is better than not soaking. You still need a very good nutcracker. https://www.grandpasgoodygetter.com/products/black-walnut-nu...
Re: Two ways to crack a walnut, per Grothendieck (2025)
#20I get the point of the story but does the soaking method for opening walnuts actually work? Seems to me that you'd likely end up with a rotten nut.
I saw someone on You-Tube that soaked them overnight and then used Grandpa's Goody Getter nutcracker to open them. The shells shattered less, he got much bigger pieces, and it wasn't as messy. I have tried both with and without soaking them overnight and I agree that soaking overnight is better than not soaking. You still need a very good nutcracker. https://www.grandpasgoodygetter.com/products/black-walnut-nu...