Setup and Rule Diagrams

[mattnj]

What inferences could be made for this game?

[Luke Haqq]

Hi mattnj,

This one actually does not have many inferences. Rather, there are only a relatively small number of possibilities of how the variables could be arranged.

To answer your question, it appears the only inference one can make at the outset is that both G and H must be with either R/S.

We know that all of the variables (Witnesses: F, G, H, I; Interviewers: Q, R, S) are used. Since there are 3 interviewers to 4 witnesses, this means that 1, and only 1, interviewer will interview 2 people. Since we have a rule that both G and H will be interviewed by the same person, we can infer that the 1 interviewer who interviews 2 people interviews both G and H. We can then consider who this 1 interviewer is--Q, R, or S. We know from the rules that Q interviews F, so we can eliminate Q (if Q interviewed F, G, and H, that means all of the interviewers couldn't interview, which violates the rules). That leaves us with only possibility left--that G and H must both be interviewed by R, or instead must both be interviewed by S.

Given that there are only relatively few options of the possibilities, this might initially seem like a game where you could diagram all the possibilities at the outset. However, in the end, it appears that there are too few rules, and too few connections between the variables, for that to be useful. Rather, this is a type of game that will require you to work from not many inferences and rather take each question on an individual basis, applying the game's rules to the new information given in the question.

[mattnj]

Thank you, Luke.

[momgoingbacktoschool]

What would be the best way to set this game up? I did one set up with FGHI as the base to group QRS and then to the side I numbered 1234 to then work on the order. I wasn't sure what the best way was to approach this game.

[momgoingbacktoschool]

What would be the best way to set this game up? I did one set up with FGHI as the base to group QRS and then to the side I numbered 1234 to then work on the order. I wasn't sure what the best way was to approach this game.

Figured it out.

W
I
1 2 3 4

R is in spot 3 in the investigators row

For me, it was actually faster to diagram the possibilities. Attacking the questions on their own took me way too much time. You end up realizing that when I is interviewed by R, it becomes pretty restricted. I did one template with I interviewed by R in spot 3. Then I did other possibilities for when H is interviewed by R in spot 3. You end up getting 4 different possible templates from that. Then I did possibilities with G interviewed by R in spot 3. You end up getting 2 different possible templates from that.

Once you have all those possibilities, you'll fly through the questions. Hope that helps someone!

[CodeyD29]

What would be the best way to set this game up? I did one set up with FGHI as the base to group QRS and then to the side I numbered 1234 to then work on the order. I wasn't sure what the best way was to approach this game.

Figured it out.

W
I
1 2 3 4

R is in spot 3 in the investigators row

For me, it was actually faster to diagram the possibilities. Attacking the questions on their own took me way too much time. You end up realizing that when I is interviewed by R, it becomes pretty restricted. I did one template with I interviewed by R in spot 3. Then I did other possibilities for when H is interviewed by R in spot 3. You end up getting 4 different possible templates from that. Then I did possibilities with G interviewed by R in spot 3. You end up getting 2 different possible templates from that.

Once you have all those possibilities, you'll fly through the questions. Hope that helps someone!

Sure did!:)

[menkenj]

What would be the best way to set this game up? I did one set up with FGHI as the base to group QRS and then to the side I numbered 1234 to then work on the order. I wasn't sure what the best way was to approach this game.

Figured it out.

W
I
1 2 3 4

R is in spot 3 in the investigators row

For me, it was actually faster to diagram the possibilities. Attacking the questions on their own took me way too much time. You end up realizing that when I is interviewed by R, it becomes pretty restricted. I did one template with I interviewed by R in spot 3. Then I did other possibilities for when H is interviewed by R in spot 3. You end up getting 4 different possible templates from that. Then I did possibilities with G interviewed by R in spot 3. You end up getting 2 different possible templates from that.

Once you have all those possibilities, you'll fly through the questions. Hope that helps someone!

I simplified this even further with three worlds with each world containing two possibilities for where G/I can go. I found this was the most efficient use of time in terms of diagramming. It seems a bit subjective how much to diagram here but thought I would add that it's not necessary to fully write out all determined scenarios to approach the problem with worlds.

[Adam Tyson]

Glad you were able to work that out, and help some others, momgoingbacktoschool! Your approach is a good one. So is yours, menkenj - doing a few limited "worlds" (what we at Powerscore call Templates) can really simplify this game. I chose to do that, too, but I based mine on where the QF block could go. When it is first, then H has to be third to keep G and I away from each other, and wherever G is it must go with R. When the QF block is second I got a lot less info, just that either G or I had to go first. The QF block can never go third, because R is third, but when I put it 4th I got that H has to go second to keep the G and I away from each other again. From there, every local question was easily attacked based on which template(s) worked with the local restrictions, and the global questions were answered just by reference to what could or could not happen in the three templates.

Nice to see so many students trying, and succeeding, with the Templates approach! It really is powerful when used correctly. Good job!