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Two distances among Four Points

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  Two distances among Four Points James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-03-17 19:14 +0000
    Re: Two distances among Four Points Charlie Roberts <croberts@gmail.com> - 2026-03-18 16:36 -0400
      Re: Two distances among Four Points James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-03-20 06:03 +0000
        Re: Two distances among Four Points  Charlie Roberts <croberts@gmail.com> - 2026-03-20 12:50 -0400
      Re: Two distances among Four Points Charlie Roberts <croberts@gmail.com> - 2026-03-20 11:04 -0400
        Re: Two distances among Four Points Mike Terry <news.dead.person.stones@darjeeling.plus.com> - 2026-03-20 16:22 +0000
          Re: Two distances among Four Points Phil Carmody <pc+usenet@asdf.org> - 2026-05-19 20:01 +0300
    Re: Two distances among Four Points "Carl G." <carlgnews@microprizes.com> - 2026-03-20 09:58 -0700
      Re: Two distances among Four Points James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-03-20 17:11 +0000
        Re: Two distances among Four Points Mike Terry <news.dead.person.stones@darjeeling.plus.com> - 2026-03-21 15:55 +0000
          Re: Two distances among Four Points James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-03-22 07:20 +0000
            Re: Two distances among Four Points HenHanna@NewsGrouper <user4055@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-03-23 16:16 +0000
              Re: Two distances among Four Points Mike Terry <news.dead.person.stones@darjeeling.plus.com> - 2026-03-25 02:40 +0000
                Re: Two distances among Four Points James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-03-25 11:44 +0000
                  Re: Two distances among Four Points "Carl G." <carlgnews@microprizes.com> - 2026-03-25 09:17 -0700
                    Re: Two distances among Four Points James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-03-26 07:58 +0000
                      Re: Two distances among Four Points "Carl G." <carlgnews@microprizes.com> - 2026-03-26 10:26 -0700
                        Re: Two distances among Four Points James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-03-27 10:25 +0000
                          Re: Two distances among Four Points James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-03-27 20:27 +0000

#27657 — Two distances among Four Points

Pondering the Eight Location Puzzle reminded me of a nice Geometric Gem.

How many ways are there to arrange 4 points in the plane such that
only two inter-point distances occur.  For example, one solution is the
four corners of a unit square:  Among the six point-to-point edge lengths,
four are sides with length 1 and two are diagonals with length 1.41421356.

For our purpose here, two arrangements are IDENTICAL if one can be
converted into the other via translation, rotation, reflection or resizing.

Which arrangement is hardest to think of?

Cheers,
James

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#27662

On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:14:20 GMT, James Dow Allen
<user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> wrote:

>
>Pondering the Eight Location Puzzle reminded me of a nice Geometric Gem.
>
>How many ways are there to arrange 4 points in the plane such that
>only two inter-point distances occur.  For example, one solution is the

I came up with two more ...... but cannot think of any others.

......

SPOILERS BELOW


.....

SPOILERS BELOW


SPOILERS BELOW


.....

SPOILERS BELOW

SPOILERS BELOW


.....

SPOILERS BELOW

SPOILERS BELOW


.....

SPOILERS BELOW


The two have to do with rather rudimentary logic.
What if one starts with three points equidistant 
from each other -- an equilateral triangle. 

One solution instantly falls out. The other one
is a variant of the same. It plays on the old
geometry things of points "within" and "without"
a closed figure.

Now, to rack my brains some more!

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#27663

Charlie Roberts <croberts@gmail.com> posted:

> On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:14:20 GMT, James Dow Allen
> <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> wrote:
> 
> >
> >Pondering the Eight Location Puzzle reminded me of a nice Geometric Gem.
> >
> >How many ways are there to arrange 4 points in the plane such that
> >only two inter-point distances occur.  For example, one solution is the

I should have specified that the points must be DISTINCT.
Otherwise there are four solutions where one of the distances is zero!

A closely related puzzle is to arrange FIVE distinct points such that
only two inter-point distances occur.

(SIX points with THREE distances? No. NO-NO-NO.
At some point fun becomes masochism.
Fbzr lbhat ynqvrf va Oreyva gnhtug zr gung.)

> I came up with two more ...... but cannot think of any others.
> 
> 
> The two have to do with rather rudimentary logic.
> What if one starts with three points equidistant 
> from each other -- an equilateral triangle. 
> 
> One solution instantly falls out. The other one
> is a variant of the same. It plays on the old
> geometry things of points "within" and "without"
> a closed figure.
> 
> Now, to rack my brains some more!

Come on, folks:  Help Charlie here!
(I'm beginning to think r.p is moribund.)

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#27666

On Fri, 20 Mar 2026 06:03:14 GMT, James Dow Allen
<user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> wrote:

>
>Charlie Roberts <croberts@gmail.com> posted:
>
>> On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:14:20 GMT, James Dow Allen
>> <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> wrote:
>> 
>> >How many ways are there to arrange 4 points in the plane such that
>> >only two inter-point distances occur.  For example, one solution is the
>
>I should have specified that the points must be DISTINCT.
>Otherwise there are four solutions where one of the distances is zero!
>
>> I came up with two more ...... but cannot think of any others.
>> 
>> 
>> The two have to do with rather rudimentary logic.
>> What if one starts with three points equidistant 
>> from each other -- an equilateral triangle. 
>> 
>> One solution instantly falls out. The other one
>> is a variant of the same. It plays on the old
>> geometry things of points "within" and "without"
>> a closed figure.
>> 
>> Now, to rack my brains some more!
>
>Come on, folks:  Help Charlie here!
>(I'm beginning to think r.p is moribund.)

Well, not thinking helps (sometimes!). One more
solutuion came to me. Again, it deals with an
equilaternal triangle and an angular bisector. But,
this time, bisect an external angle and on the
bisector, find a point such the the distance between
that point and the bisected vertex is equal to the
sides of the original equilateral triangle.

Voila!

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#27664

On Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:36:57 -0400, Charlie Roberts
<croberts@gmail.com> wrote:

Came up with one more!

>On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:14:20 GMT, James Dow Allen
><user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> wrote:
>
>>
>>Pondering the Eight Location Puzzle reminded me of a nice Geometric Gem.
>>
>>How many ways are there to arrange 4 points in the plane such that
>>only two inter-point distances occur.  For example, one solution is the
>
>I came up with two more ...... but cannot think of any others.
>
>......
>
>SPOILERS BELOW
>
>
>.....
>
>SPOILERS BELOW
>
>
>SPOILERS BELOW
>
>
>.....
>
>SPOILERS BELOW
>
>SPOILERS BELOW
>
>
>.....
>
>SPOILERS BELOW
>
>SPOILERS BELOW
>
>
>.....
>
>SPOILERS BELOW
>
>
>The two have to do with rather rudimentary logic.
>What if one starts with three points equidistant 
>from each other -- an equilateral triangle. 
>
>One solution instantly falls out. The other one
>is a variant of the same. It plays on the old
>geometry things of points "within" and "without"
>a closed figure.
>
>Now, to rack my brains some more!

This one popped up when I was NOT thinking 
about the puzzle!!

It is a variant of the equilateral triangle solutions
above. The fourth point still lies on one of the
angular biscetors of the original equilateral 
triangle. The distance from the vertex that
is bisected is the side of the original equilateral
triangle.

That makes four, in total, solutions.

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#27665

On 20/03/2026 15:04, Charlie Roberts wrote:
> On Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:36:57 -0400, Charlie Roberts
> <croberts@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Came up with one more!
> 
>> On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:14:20 GMT, James Dow Allen
>> <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Pondering the Eight Location Puzzle reminded me of a nice Geometric Gem.
>>>
>>> How many ways are there to arrange 4 points in the plane such that
>>> only two inter-point distances occur.  For example, one solution is the
>>
>> I came up with two more ...... but cannot think of any others.
>>
>> ......
>>
>> SPOILERS BELOW
>>
>>
>> .....
>>
>> SPOILERS BELOW
>>
>>
>> SPOILERS BELOW
>>
>>
>> .....
>>
>> SPOILERS BELOW
>>
>> SPOILERS BELOW
>>
>>
>> .....
>>
>> SPOILERS BELOW
>>
>> SPOILERS BELOW
>>
>>
>> .....
>>
>> SPOILERS BELOW
>>
>>
>> The two have to do with rather rudimentary logic.
>> What if one starts with three points equidistant
>>from each other -- an equilateral triangle. 
>>
>> One solution instantly falls out. The other one
>> is a variant of the same. It plays on the old
>> geometry things of points "within" and "without"
>> a closed figure.
>>
>> Now, to rack my brains some more!
> 
> This one popped up when I was NOT thinking
> about the puzzle!!
> 
> It is a variant of the equilateral triangle solutions
> above. The fourth point still lies on one of the
> angular biscetors of the original equilateral
> triangle. The distance from the vertex that
> is bisected is the side of the original equilateral
> triangle.

There are two such solutions, depending on the direction taken from the vertex.  So, that makes 5 
solutions?

Mike.



> 
> That makes four, in total, solutions.
> 
> 

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#27823

Mike Terry <news.dead.person.stones@darjeeling.plus.com> writes:
> On 20/03/2026 15:04, Charlie Roberts wrote:
>> On Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:36:57 -0400, Charlie Roberts
>> <croberts@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Came up with one more!
>
> There are two such solutions, depending on the direction taken from
> the vertex.  So, that makes 5 solutions?

Are we permitting the point at infinity? If so, there's your sixth.

Phil
-- 
We are no longer hunters and nomads. No longer awed and frightened, as we have
gained some understanding of the world in which we live. As such, we can cast
aside childish remnants from the dawn of our civilization.
-- NotSanguine on SoylentNews, after Eugen Weber in /The Western Tradition/

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#27667

On 3/17/2026 12:14 PM, James Dow Allen wrote:
> 
> Pondering the Eight Location Puzzle reminded me of a nice Geometric Gem.
> 
> How many ways are there to arrange 4 points in the plane such that
> only two inter-point distances occur.  For example, one solution is the
> four corners of a unit square:  Among the six point-to-point edge lengths,
> four are sides with length 1 and two are diagonals with length 1.41421356.
> 
> For our purpose here, two arrangements are IDENTICAL if one can be
> converted into the other via translation, rotation, reflection or resizing.
> 
> Which arrangement is hardest to think of?
> 
> Cheers,
> James

Partial Spoiler...




Partial Spoiler...




Partial Spoiler...




Partial Spoiler...




Partial Spoiler...




Partial Spoiler...




Partial Spoiler...





For me, the hardest of the six was the second arrangement that does not 
include an equilateral triangle.

-- 
Carl G.


-- 
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

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#27668

"Carl G." <carlgnews@microprizes.com> posted:

> On 3/17/2026 12:14 PM, James Dow Allen wrote:
> > How many ways are there to arrange 4 points in the plane such that
> > only two inter-point distances occur?

> For me, the hardest of the six was the second arrangement that does not 
> include an equilateral triangle.

And it is Carl G. who successfully completes the sextet.
This solution -- which Mr. G carefully leaves unspoiled -- is surely
the hardest to come up with.

Now:  Solve the companion puzzle:
James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> posted:
> A closely related puzzle is to arrange FIVE distinct points such that
> only two inter-point distances occur.

... and describe the weird/wonderful relationship between this 5-point
companion puzzle and the question I asked earlier:
> Which of the six {4-point, 2-distances} arrangements is hardest to think of?

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#27669

On 20/03/2026 17:11, James Dow Allen wrote:
> 
> "Carl G." <carlgnews@microprizes.com> posted:
> 
>> On 3/17/2026 12:14 PM, James Dow Allen wrote:
>>> How many ways are there to arrange 4 points in the plane such that
>>> only two inter-point distances occur?
> 
>> For me, the hardest of the six was the second arrangement that does not
>> include an equilateral triangle.
> 
> And it is Carl G. who successfully completes the sextet.
> This solution -- which Mr. G carefully leaves unspoiled -- is surely
> the hardest to come up with.

Indeed.  I see the solution now.  It's the only one whose geometric compass-and-straightedge 
construction isn't obvious.  (Euclid knew how to do it, but I doubt your average school leaver would 
get very far!)

Mike.

> 
> Now:  Solve the companion puzzle:
> James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> posted:
>> A closely related puzzle is to arrange FIVE distinct points such that
>> only two inter-point distances occur.
> 
> ... and describe the weird/wonderful relationship between this 5-point
> companion puzzle and the question I asked earlier:
>> Which of the six {4-point, 2-distances} arrangements is hardest to think of?
> 

I think this 5-point puzzle is likely to be easier for many people than finding the 6'th solution to 
the 4-point puzzle, and might lead them to the 6'th solution indirectly!  (That's amusing when you 
think about it...)

Anyway, nice puzzle!

Mike.

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#27672

Mike Terry <news.dead.person.stones@darjeeling.plus.com> posted:

> On 20/03/2026 17:11, James Dow Allen wrote:
> > 
> > Now:  Solve the companion puzzle:
> > James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> posted:
> >> A closely related puzzle is to arrange FIVE distinct points such that
> >> only two inter-point distances occur.
> > 
> > ... and describe the weird/wonderful relationship between this 5-point
> > companion puzzle and the question I asked earlier:
> >> Which of the six {4-point, 2-distances} arrangements is hardest to think of?
> > 
> 
> I think this 5-point puzzle is likely to be easier for many people than finding the 6'th solution to 
> the 4-point puzzle, and might lead them to the 6'th solution indirectly!  (That's amusing when you 
> think about it...)
> 
> Anyway, nice puzzle!
> 
> Mike.

Yes.  The 5-point solution is easier to think of than the 4-point solution.

Are there other examples where an ostensibly harder puzzle is in practice
easier to solve than a less general, ostensibly easier-to-solve subset
of the puzzle?

Cheers,
꧁ ᩎ꧅᭾ ꧂

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#27674

James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> posted:

> 
> Mike Terry <news.dead.person.stones@darjeeling.plus.com> posted:
> 
> > On 20/03/2026 17:11, James Dow Allen wrote:
> > > 
> > > Now:  Solve the companion puzzle:
> > > James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> posted:
> > >> A closely related puzzle is to arrange FIVE distinct points such that
> > >> only two inter-point distances occur.
> > > 
> > > ... and describe the weird/wonderful relationship between this 5-point
> > > companion puzzle and the question I asked earlier:
> > >> Which of the six {4-point, 2-distances} arrangements is hardest to think of?
> > > 
> > 
> > I think this 5-point puzzle is likely to be easier for many people than finding the 6'th solution to 
> > the 4-point puzzle, and might lead them to the 6'th solution indirectly!  (That's amusing when you 
> > think about it...)
> > 
> > Anyway, nice puzzle!
> > 
> > Mike.
> 
> Yes.  The 5-point solution is easier to think of than the 4-point solution.
> 
> Are there other examples where an ostensibly harder puzzle is in practice
> easier to solve than a less general, ostensibly easier-to-solve subset
> of the puzzle?
> 
> Cheers,
> ꧁ ᩎ꧅᭾ ꧂
> 
What is that supposed to be in the middle?   it sort-of reads like GUI


4-point and 5-point problems -- are these old?  Did Euclid know them?

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#27678

On 23/03/2026 16:16, HenHanna@NewsGrouper wrote:
> 
> James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> posted:
> 
>>
>> Mike Terry <news.dead.person.stones@darjeeling.plus.com> posted:
>>
>>> On 20/03/2026 17:11, James Dow Allen wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Now:  Solve the companion puzzle:
>>>> James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> posted:
>>>>> A closely related puzzle is to arrange FIVE distinct points such that
>>>>> only two inter-point distances occur.
>>>>
>>>> ... and describe the weird/wonderful relationship between this 5-point
>>>> companion puzzle and the question I asked earlier:
>>>>> Which of the six {4-point, 2-distances} arrangements is hardest to think of?
>>>>
>>>
>>> I think this 5-point puzzle is likely to be easier for many people than finding the 6'th solution to
>>> the 4-point puzzle, and might lead them to the 6'th solution indirectly!  (That's amusing when you
>>> think about it...)
>>>
>>> Anyway, nice puzzle!
>>>
>>> Mike.
>>
>> Yes.  The 5-point solution is easier to think of than the 4-point solution.
>>
>> Are there other examples where an ostensibly harder puzzle is in practice
>> easier to solve than a less general, ostensibly easier-to-solve subset
>> of the puzzle?
>>
>> Cheers,
>> ꧁ ᩎ꧅᭾ ꧂
>>
> What is that supposed to be in the middle?   it sort-of reads like GUI
> 
> 
> 4-point and 5-point problems -- are these old?  Did Euclid know them?
> 

I don't know if Euclid knew of the puzzle.

Of the 6 solutions to the 4-point puzzle, 5 of them have very obvious geometric constructions using 
straightedge and compass.  E.g. we all know how to construct a square, right?  And one of the 
solutions is the three vertices of an equilateral triangle together with its centre point - and we 
all know how to construct an equilateral triangle, and find its centre by bisecting its angles or 
edges...   And so on, but /one/ of the 6 4-point solutions does not have such an easy geometric 
construction!

That's not to say it doesn't have such a construction - it does, and Euclid knew how to perform that 
construction, although he might not have known of its relation to the 4-point puzzle (or even have 
heard of that puzzle).  That's the only reason I mentioned Euclid.

[To fully appreciate what I'm saying, I'm afraid you'll have to find the 6'th solution for yourself! 
  Then you can try to construct it with straightedge+compass and submit your solution for extra 
marks if you can do it! :)]

Here's my attempt at forging James' signature:

꧁ ᩎ꧅᭾ ꧂

hmm, looks pretty close...  (I don't know what it means though)

Mike.

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#27680

Mike Terry <news.dead.person.stones@darjeeling.plus.com> posted:
> I don't know if Euclid knew of the puzzle.

I doubt it.  I don't remember how I learned of it some years ago.
Most probably I either invented it myself, or found it right here
in rec.puzzles!

> 
> Of the 6 solutions to the 4-point puzzle, 5 of them have very obvious geometric constructions using 
> straightedge and compass....
> but /one/ of the 6 4-point solutions does not have such an easy geometric 
> construction!
> 
> [To fully appreciate what I'm saying, I'm afraid you'll have to find the 6'th solution for yourself! 
>   Then you can try to construct it with straightedge+compass and submit your solution for extra 
> marks if you can do it! :)]

I think I constructed it 60 years ago, but I'm too lazy (and fearful of
failure!) to even attempt it with my fast-fading cerebrum.  Two comments:

(1) It was Carl Friedrich Gauss who proved that a regular n-gon could be
constructed if n's factors are all Fermat primes or 2.  This is called the
Gauss–Wantzel theorem since Pierre Wantzel proved the 'only if' part a few
decades later.

(2) A "construction" method I invented is to start with a narrow paper strip
of constant width and carefully tie a simple knot, tightening the knot
without bending the strip.  Presto!  The desired shape.

> 
> Here's my attempt at forging James' signature:
> 
> ꧁ ᩎ꧅᭾ ꧂
> 
> hmm, looks pretty close...  (I don't know what it means though)
> 
> Mike.

I've lost interest in changing my name since learning that my e-mail
server will not allow this as an account name.  The rot13 name
signed below is boring.  I read about someone who changed his name
to ZD57439 because a change-of-name was less expensive than personalized
license plate.  I'll keep looking....

Purref,
Wnzrf

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#27681

On 3/25/2026 4:44 AM, James Dow Allen wrote:

> I've lost interest in changing my name since learning that my e-mail
> server will not allow this as an account name.  The rot13 name
> signed below is boring.  I read about someone who changed his name
> to ZD57439 because a change-of-name was less expensive than personalized
> license plate.  I'll keep looking....
> 
> Purref,
> Wnzrf

You might consider signing with an anagram (e.g., "OLD MAN'S A JEWEL").
-- 
- A CLOWN GRIN  <:oD


-- 
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

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#27682

"Carl G." <carlgnews@microprizes.com> posted:

> On 3/25/2026 4:44 AM, James Dow Allen wrote:
> 
> > I've lost interest in changing my name since learning that my e-mail
> > server will not allow this as an account name....
> 
> You might consider signing with an anagram (e.g., "OLD MAN'S A JEWEL").

I'd rather just change my name than be reminded I'm OLD.

This is NOT the first time a Usenetter has anagrammed my name to 'OLD.'
When I was in my 60's I could almost credibly shrug this off: I was
"middle-aged", but I think the window for that euphemism has expired
by now.  (Didn't I see some of you guys here in a previous century?
Some of you might be middle-aged by now yourselves.)

It's the 'DOW' that causes the trouble of course (tho I don't mind 'JEWEL')
and I don't know where it even came from.  My father was a DOW,
as was his father, and as was that grandfather's uncle.  But if the
often-mispronounced syllable had any special significance it's long
forgotten.

Instead of 13 letters, my birth certificate uses 16 letters!
Even harder to pronounce than 'DOW' is the 'III' appended to my name there.
(Could this be why I'm one of the fogeys that still refers to the
Three of Spades as the 'Trey'?)

If you can't think of a more flattering anagram using the added three I's,
perhaps I'll just find a moniker I like and anagram backwards to form
my new name.

Or, spelling 'III' with a lower-case L ('IIl'),
I could valedict with this gibberish:

Cheers
wILl smIle on a JADe

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#27683

On 3/26/2026 12:58 AM, James Dow Allen wrote:
> 
> "Carl G." <carlgnews@microprizes.com> posted:
> 
>> On 3/25/2026 4:44 AM, James Dow Allen wrote:
>>
>>> I've lost interest in changing my name since learning that my e-mail
>>> server will not allow this as an account name....
>>
>> You might consider signing with an anagram (e.g., "OLD MAN'S A JEWEL").
> 
> I'd rather just change my name than be reminded I'm OLD.
> 
> This is NOT the first time a Usenetter has anagrammed my name to 'OLD.'
> When I was in my 60's I could almost credibly shrug this off: I was
> "middle-aged", but I think the window for that euphemism has expired
> by now.  (Didn't I see some of you guys here in a previous century?
> Some of you might be middle-aged by now yourselves.)
> 
> It's the 'DOW' that causes the trouble of course (tho I don't mind 'JEWEL')
> and I don't know where it even came from.  My father was a DOW,
> as was his father, and as was that grandfather's uncle.  But if the
> often-mispronounced syllable had any special significance it's long
> forgotten.
> 
> Instead of 13 letters, my birth certificate uses 16 letters!
> Even harder to pronounce than 'DOW' is the 'III' appended to my name there.
> (Could this be why I'm one of the fogeys that still refers to the
> Three of Spades as the 'Trey'?)
> 
> If you can't think of a more flattering anagram using the added three I's,
> perhaps I'll just find a moniker I like and anagram backwards to form
> my new name.
> 
> Or, spelling 'III' with a lower-case L ('IIl'),
> I could valedict with this gibberish:
> 
> Cheers
> wILl smIle on a JADe

I was also involved in rec.puzzles in the last millennia.
Sometimes "old man" refers to one's father.  If your "old man" passed on 
his treasured "DOW" heritage to you, then maybe your old man's a jewel.

-- 
Carl Ginnow (A CLOWN GRIN)


-- 
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
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#27684

"Carl G." <carlgnews@microprizes.com> posted:
> I was also involved in rec.puzzles in the last millennia.

(Nitpick: millenia is a PLURAL.  In my dialect  you would need to be
at least 1027 years old to have been involved in previous millennia.)

I was active at Usenet during the late 1980's but not so much in the 1990's.

I Do recall that you were probably the very BEST puzzle composer here at r.p
during the early years of this millennium.  In particular one of your puzzles
intrigued me enough that I composed a webpage describing it, and giving the
source code I eventually wrote to solve this puzzle
(which I call "Ginnow's Solitaire" or "Ginnow's Sieve").:
    https://fabpedigree.com/james/gsieve.htm

Searching just now I didn't find your post(s) on this puzzle though
I see I mentioned it in another thread in 2010.


Pleasant valedictions from the poster formerly (and very briefly) known as
꧁ᩎ꧅᭾꧂

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#27685

James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> posted:
> 
> "Carl G." <carlgnews@microprizes.com> posted:
> > I was also involved in rec.puzzles in the last millennia.
> 
> I Do recall that you were probably the very BEST puzzle composer here at r.p
> during the early years of this millennium.  In particular one of your puzzles
> intrigued me enough that I composed a webpage describing it, and giving the
> source code I eventually wrote to solve this puzzle
> (which I call "Ginnow's Solitaire" or "Ginnow's Sieve").:
>     https://fabpedigree.com/james/gsieve.htm

I located the thread. It was "The 101 Game", started by Carl G. on 31 May 2000.

Does this date lie in the present millennium or an earlier one?
Has the political schism ever been healed which divided two camps:
(A) Traditionalists who believe that one (1) is the first (1st) number.
(B) The "Turning Odometer" fans, perhaps joined by a coalition of C programmers.


JDA III

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