Questions you want answered.

iaintgotnopants wrote:

The wrinkle that you can only weigh even numbers invalidates every solution I've found online.

Good call. That sounds like an tough change for only three tries.

Stengah wrote:

You can isolate the different one in only 3 uses, and in 11 of the 12 possibilities you'll know whether it's heavier or lighter than the others, but there's one possibility where you isolate it but never weigh it. You'd need a fourth use of the scale in that case.

Our boss assures us there's a solution that will give you both pieces of information in three weighs. I think he's a liar, but I'm still working on it.

trichy wrote:
Stengah wrote:

You can isolate the different one in only 3 uses, and in 11 of the 12 possibilities you'll know whether it's heavier or lighter than the others, but there's one possibility where you isolate it but never weigh it. You'd need a fourth use of the scale in that case.

Our boss assures us there's a solution that will give you both pieces of information in three weighs. I think he's a liar, but I'm still working on it.

The link lunchbox12682 posted has that solution. The one I posted was only concerned about finding the different one, not whether it was lighter or heavier, so it takes a different approach when the different one is in the group not weighed in the first use.

Spoiler:

Four coins are put on each side. There are two possibilities:
1. One side is heavier than the other. If this is the case, remove three coins from the heavier side, move three coins from the lighter side to the heavier side, and place three coins that were not weighed the first time on the lighter side. (Remember which coins are which.) There are three possibilities:
1.a) The same side that was heavier the first time is still heavier. This means that either the coin that stayed there is heavier or that the coin that stayed on the lighter side is lighter. Balancing one of these against one of the other ten coins reveals which of these is true, thus solving the puzzle.
1.b) The side that was heavier the first time is lighter the second time. This means that one of the three coins that went from the lighter side to the heavier side is the light coin. For the third attempt, weigh two of these coins against each other: if one is lighter, it is the unique coin; if they balance, the third coin is the light one.
1.c) Both sides are even. This means that one of the three coins that was removed from the heavier side is the heavy coin. For the third attempt, weigh two of these coins against each other: if one is heavier, it is the unique coin; if they balance, the third coin is the heavy one.
2. Both sides are even. If this is the case, all eight coins are identical and can be set aside. Take the four remaining coins and place three on one side of the balance. Place 3 of the 8 identical coins on the other side. There are three possibilities:
2.a) The three remaining coins are lighter. In this case you now know that one of those three coins is the odd one out and that it is lighter. Take two of those three coins and weigh them against each other. If the balance tips then the lighter coin is the odd one out. If the two coins balance then the third coin not on the balance is the odd one out and it is lighter.
2.b) The three remaining coins are heavier. In this case you now know that one of those three coins is the odd one out and that it is heavier. Take two of those three coins and weigh them against each other. If the balance tips then the heavier coin is the odd one out. If the two coins balance then the third coin not on the balance is the odd one out and it is heavier.
2.c) The three remaining coins balance. In this case you just need to weigh the remaining coin against any of the other 11 coins and this tells you whether it is heavier, lighter, or the same.

lunchbox12682 wrote:
iaintgotnopants wrote:

The wrinkle that you can only weigh even numbers invalidates every solution I've found online.

Good call. That sounds like an tough change for only three tries.

The "even numbers" doesn't change the problem AFAICT. After the first weighing you have at least 4 indifferent balls, so you can always add an one to each side of an odd weighing to make it even.

Side note: I love puzzles like this, have they mostly been done in this forum? Is there a thread for it?

EDIT: Ah yes, this solution was for heavier only.

The odd ball out is either heavier or lighter, you don't know which until you weigh them.

I had misread and thought you had to have multiples of two on each side. I think it's just an equivalent number if balls on each side, which duh.

fenomas wrote:
lunchbox12682 wrote:
iaintgotnopants wrote:

The wrinkle that you can only weigh even numbers invalidates every solution I've found online.

Good call. That sounds like an tough change for only three tries.

The "even numbers" doesn't change the problem AFAICT. After the first weighing you have at least 4 indifferent balls, so you can always add an one to each side of an odd weighing to make it even.

Side note: I love puzzles like this, have they mostly been done in this forum? Is there a thread for it?

If not, I can start one. I love these things, even if they drive me insane.

Is there any place on the forum collecting tips/suggestions/etiquette for creating a new thread for a game? I was considering creating a new thread for an upcoming release that doesn't currently have a thread, but I realized I don't think I've ever created a new thread here, and became anxious about doing it in a bad/dumb way that would annoy people. Any pointers, or (as seems likely) am I overthinking it?

mrlogical wrote:

Is there any place on the forum collecting tips/suggestions/etiquette for creating a new thread for a game? I was considering creating a new thread for an upcoming release that doesn't currently have a thread, but I realized I don't think I've ever created a new thread here, and became anxious about doing it in a bad/dumb way that would annoy people. Any pointers, or (as seems likely) am I overthinking it?

You're probably overthinking it.

But if you want to go above and beyond, consider doing the following:

- It's okay to be fun with the thread title, but be sure it still concisely communicates the name of the game to be discussed, and that it's meant to be a catch all discussion thread. If appropriate, maybe also indicate whether it's okay to openly discuss spoilers.

- Put together a small summary explaining why you're excited to talk about the game -- possibly also including some of the boilerplate marketing fluff the developer/publisher provides if it feels like a game where that might help people understand what it's all about.

- Include a well selected video or two -- probably an official trailer, and if available, maybe some nice preview coverage from a well respected media outlet.

- Pick a good hero image for the header! You don't have to go crazy with photoshop, though -- just pick something that will read well when cropped to the short, wide format of the banner area.

- Be a good custodian of the original post as the thread develops, occasionally editing it to include relevant new information. Most importantly, it's always nice for the original post to have current info and links about how to interact with other GWJers playing the game, if it's that sort of game. Also, links to well constructed FAQs or other info sheets either within the thread or externally, if appropriate.

Helpful, thanks!

You can edit your OP when you create a thread anyway, and folks will give you constructive criticism

For the music streaming services do any allow you to block or instant skip a artist? Spotify use to have this but it looks like they removed it.

I think Pandora does, at least when I lasted used it a few years ago.

Yep, Pandora allows you to skip tracks. Not sure about blocking, but it does have slightly different features on different platforms, and I usually use it in the car, from my phone.

Thanks for the tips on making a good OP. So far it seems like no one cares about Man of Medan, but I'm glad I'll have a dedicated place to post my impressions for no one to read

I don't like horror games, so I have nothing to contribute there. I thought the post was good though.

Baron Of Hell wrote:

For the music streaming services do any allow you to block or instant skip a artist? Spotify use to have this but it looks like they removed it.

This was a long time ago, so I’m betting that they’ve fixed their algorithm by now, but Pandora thought that I absolutely loved a particular genre of music based on my thumbing up of one artist who does that genre. I actually hated every song they kept pushing on me. I eventually had to thumb down that one artist that I liked and about thirty other artists to get it to stop playing those songs.

At around that same time I thumbed up ONE Creed song. That’s exactly how many Creed songs I like. It played Creed and similar artists non stop until I did a crap ton more thumbs down on all of those artists.

That was a long time ago though.

-

Oh. This one is recent. I love the Pixies and really all of the different musical projects that Frank Black / Black Francis has done. I’ve informed Apple Music about my love of all things Frank Black. Now there’s a young trap rapper named Frank Black and Apple Music thinks they’re the same person. The rap songs are ok, but not at all what I’m into. I feel like an old man shaking a stick at young hooligans telling them to get away from my G-funk.

Baron Of Hell wrote:

For the music streaming services do any allow you to block or instant skip a artist? Spotify use to have this but it looks like they removed it.

You can block songs and/or artists in the Spotify mobile app. Go to artists page and click the top right three dots, and then "don't play this" to block the artist. According to articles about it, it seems to have been implemented earlier this year. I haven't tested to see if it sticks, but the option is there since I almost never use the mobile app.

On the desktop app, it appears to only be individual songs, and only in the "Made For You" auto-generated playlists. Then again, on desktop, you can tell it what songs / albums / artists you want to play, and in what order with the free account.

mrtomaytohead wrote:
Baron Of Hell wrote:

For the music streaming services do any allow you to block or instant skip a artist? Spotify use to have this but it looks like they removed it.

You can block songs and/or artists in the Spotify mobile app. Go to artists page and click the top right three dots, and then "don't play this". I haven't tested to see if it sticks, but the option is there.

On the desktop app, it appears to only be individual songs, and only in the "Made For You" auto-generated playlists. Then again, on desktop, you can tell it what songs / albums / artists you want to play, and in what order with the free account.

I'm not seeing the option. Below is a picture of what I see on the artist page in the mobile app.
IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/CEZI1oU.jpg)

So I’m watching the last episode of Ugly Delicious where they're debating who does filled pasta better, Italians or Asians. (For the record, I'm Italian and asian dumplings blow Italian food away any day. Sorry!)

But while they were discussing xiaolongbao I think I had a revelation. Has anyone ever put Italian tomato sauce inside a ravioli?!

Did I just invent something?!!!

I would think the liquid would blow out the ravioli as it heated and turned to steam, it would have to go somewhere right?

Also I agree with you, Asian filled pasta > Italian filled pasta.

What's the protocol when the childhood friends you grew up across the street from, but are now on the other side of the world to you, lose their mum to cancer? I don't know what adults do in this situation.

Condolence card?
Send flowers to the funeral?

Jonman wrote:

What's the protocol when the childhood friends you grew up across the street from, but are now on the other side of the world to you, lose their mum to cancer? I don't know what adults do in this situation.

Condolence card?
Send flowers to the funeral?

A card can be nice especially if you can maybe include a nice memory of their mum. I wouldn't send flowers unless they were in to that as many people these days will say in lieu of flowers send a donation to a charity. Sometimes if their is an obituary notice it may include that information.

Only issue with a card is if they are really the other side of the world is mail transit time. You may want to send something electronic if the card would not arrive for weeks.
As long as you can show in some way you care, I think that's the main thing.

Question unrelated to my previous one...

Can anyone recommend an online book binding service? I tried BookBaby, but got defeated by the complexity of the service.

Jonman wrote:

Question unrelated to my previous one...

Can anyone recommend an online book binding service? I tried BookBaby, but got defeated by the complexity of the service.

Amazon CreateSpace / Kindle Direct ? Anything you publish through there you should be able to order as a regular paperback. (It's probably much the same as BookBaby, though).

If you really just need a one-off, and spiral bound/coil-bound is OK, Staples printing service is pretty easy to navigate.

Jonman wrote:

Question unrelated to my previous one...

Can anyone recommend an online book binding service? I tried BookBaby, but got defeated by the complexity of the service.

https://www.blurb.ca/

Dakuna wrote:
Jonman wrote:

Question unrelated to my previous one...

Can anyone recommend an online book binding service? I tried BookBaby, but got defeated by the complexity of the service.

https://www.blurb.ca/

I second this!

I am trying to provide a solution for a coworker. They want to be able to generate a daily report from Excel data in the form of a map. The map needs to show the location of various staff members in the United States, as well as the location of various clients. The staff members need to be color coded based on rank. The purpose is to provide a visualization for staff members and client locations for company employees in other countries unfamiliar with US geography, so they don't request that an employee from Portland be sent to work a job in Florida. However, the tool needs to follow these requirements:

- It can't use PowerMap in Excel, or the map chart feature. The version of Excel that our company uses is incompatible with that.
- It can't be web based, such as Google Maps or the like. First, not everyone around the world has access to those tools, and second, this report will include information that needs to remain secure.
- It has to allow for users to filter based on various categories, such as job title, performance level, etc. All this information will be provided via Excel files.

Any thoughts? This is a pet project that no one else is particularly interested in, so there's not really much support inside my company, but it could really help some of my people out.