Comments:

Ypsidixit - 2007-10-26 09:33:27
[Kind paint man, I am putting your comment here since I deleted the "paint" entry before noticing you'd commented: my apologies!]

Thanks for taking the paint off our hands. It's good to know that it went to a good home!


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Stolen from Egbert - 2007-10-26 09:54:13


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srah - 2007-10-26 10:12:03
Four?
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Ypsidixit - 2007-10-26 10:18:49
Srah: Well, that is lower than my first guess, but I am sorry to tell you it is a different answer, unfortunately.

This a very devilish puzzle, and I could not figure it out. I just couldn't! I had the candy bar in mind and a knife and I was mentally cutting it this way...that way...phooey. I thought I was so good at spatial-type puzzles. Guess not!

At least I can comfort myself with Laura Ingalls' favorite candy...
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srah - 2007-10-26 12:59:53
I'm terrible at spatial puzzles. I was just glad to bring it down lower than 6! Now does this candy bar exist in reality as we know it? Because I would like to FOLD it. Maybe if it were a Bit O' Honey.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-10-26 13:04:19
Yep, this candy bar is a regular one, like a Snickers. I think your question about folding is an excellent one. But in this case it is not folded (or melted, or otherwise distorted).

Hint: to do this successfully, the kid cannot eat any of it till the end of the week.

I feel a bit guilty 'cause I'm withholding info about a puzzle I myself did not get! But I'll be VERY impressed if someone else figgers it out.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-10-26 13:07:32
More info: This puzzle originally involved a gold bar, with the guy being paid 1/7 of it per day. I changed it to a candy bar to make it halloweeny, but that also makes it trickier, 'cause you imagine he eats it--which he doesn't.
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Jim Karnopp - 2007-10-26 14:22:55
Do the pieces have to be equal size? if not you could create 7 pieces by making 3 cuts. The first two would cross to make an X the cutting horizontally below the center would give you 7 pieces, but they would be of varying sizes.
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trusty getto - 2007-10-26 14:25:42
Zero cuts. I'd just melt it down and then let it harden in equal size pieces.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-10-26 14:44:48
Jim: Yes, the pieces of gold/candy bar are all precisely equal in size (dramatic chord on pipe organ).

(Shakes finger) Ah, ah, ah, Trusty G! See above please. No melty! :D
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trusty getto - 2007-10-26 15:01:37
Ah, I missed that comment. Dang - it's definitely a teaser . . . . Can you stack the pieces on top of each other once they are cut, and then cut through the stack, counting that as only only one cut? If so, I could do it in three: Cut once at the 3/7 mark. Put the smaller piece on top of the larger piece, lining up the left edges, and cut at the halfway mark of the larger piece. Remove the 1/7 piece from the smaller one just cut, and put the remaining pieces on top of one another, and cut them in half. 3 cuts, 7 equal pieces.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-10-26 15:20:22
Ooooooooh, Trusty G you are SO CLOSE!

Using the same *sort of* plan, can you...do it in 2?!


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trusty getto - 2007-10-26 15:54:07
Sorry, you've got me stumped, and I'm leaving the proximity of my computer. If I come up with something, I'll leave a comment later :)
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Ypsidixit - 2007-10-26 15:57:49
(guilt!) One more hint: the young'un receives an additional 1/7 worth of chocolate every day...one way or the other.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-10-26 15:58:50
Remember the old puzzle about the chicken, the corn, the fox, and the bridge? You know, how do they all get across without eating each other?......it's sorta like that.
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meredith and karen - 2007-10-26 17:17:51
hallo - isn't it just one cut? because it's one seventh per day, so the minimum number she should make to give him one seventh is one cut.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-10-26 18:28:57
Meredith and Karen, yes, you are right-it could be one cut per day--but then that would make 7 cuts for the whole week, unfortunately.

Might it be possible to make it in 2 cuts? And maybe a little creative shuffling...?
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Jim Karnopp - 2007-10-26 19:02:39
Cut off a 1/7 piece a 2/7 piece which would leave a 4/7 piece. day 1 1/7 day 2 2/7 take back 1/7 day 3 give 2/7 Day 4 give 4/7 take back 1/7 and 2/7 Day 5 give 1/7 Day 6 give 2/7 and take back 1/7 Day 7 give 1/7
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Ypsidixit - 2007-10-26 21:40:55
OH MY GOODNESS THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT!!!!!!!

Wow! I'm very impressed! I sure didn't get this one, and I really didn't know anyone else would either!

Yep. That's it exactly. I find it wasy to picture with a mental image of a 7-square chocolate bar, broken into 3 pieces thus:

1. IIII II I
give I = I

2. IIII II / I
give II retrieve I = II

3. IIII I / II
give II to existing I = III

4. IIII / III
give IIII retrieve I & II = IIII

5. III / IIII
give I to existing IIII = IIIII

6. II / IIIII
give II, retrieve I = IIIIII
7. I / IIIIII
aaaaaand.....give I = IIIIIII!

Wow. Great, Jim!
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