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%% Amiga Report Contest!                              by David Tiberio %%
%%                                     dtiberio@libserv1.ic.sunysb.edu %%
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The Amiga Report contest is still going on, and it is not too
late to enter. This ongoing monthly contest allows Amiga Report
readers a chance to win software by either solving a puzzle or by
entering a random drawing. The prize this month is the Amiga/Toaster
Reference Manual v2.221, from Area52. This is a 1,000 page help
system for the Amiga and Video Toaster, covering the Workbench,
AmigaDOS, Lightwave, and more ($34.95 value).  Runner up prizes
are also available. All monthly contests end on the morning of the
first of the following month. Any entries beyond this date will be
entered into the next contest.


To enter the random drawing, select a number from 1 to 262,144
and send it to me at one of my addresses listed below, either by
the postal service or email through the Internet.

Also, you may enter by solving the following puzzle. The winner
of this puzzle will be decided within the same time frame as the
random prize, to allow the contest information to filter through the
networks, and to allow your letters and postcards to come in.

        The ASCII table contains the alphabetic characters from A
    to Z, in sorted order. This character set is the basis for many
    languages, and should be common knowledge to anyone reading this.
    However, there exists a commonly used set of 26 characters, using
    these letters, in non-sorted order. Each character appears once
    and only once. In this non-sorted set, some of the characters do
    appear in alphabetic order, however there exist two characters
    which appear in reverse-sorted order. Where is this set found,
    and what are the two characters?


To enter, simply let your fingers do the talking and type up an
email and send it to dtiberio@libserv1.ic.sunysb.edu, or send a post
card or letter to:

        Amiga Report Contest
        c/o David Tiberio
        6 Lodge Lane
        East Setauket, NY 11733

In your letter or email, please provide the following:

Your full name and address. Please keep in mind that many of
you may have addresses that I am not accustomed to, so please include
your country or any other information that I would need in case to
win. An email address should also be included, if possible.

You must also include a one sentence or "short answer" explanation
of the editorial content from the editor, Robert Niles, or any stand-in
editor, in the issue in which you read about this contest. You must
also include the issue number. For example, if you read this in
AR213, then include that in your correspondance. Also, the prize winner
will be determined by a random number generator. Choose a number from
1 to 262,144. The closest winner or winners to the randomly generated
number will receive the prize in the mail. Anyone who does not provide
a number will have one assigned to him randomly.


    DISCLAIMER: This contest is being provided as a service to the
    Amiga community and all persons involved in running this contest
    cannot be held liable for anything that costs you money or
    lifetime pain and anguish. Rules are subject to change. All entries
    must be received by April 30th, 1994. Any entries beyond this date
    will be entered into the next contest, if any.

--->

             Solution to the First Amiga Report Contest Puzzle
                             by David Tiberio


Here is the first puzzle used in the first Amiga Report contest.
Along with it you will find one possible solution and the first
winner!


    THE PUZZLE:

         Recently I purchased a MasterLock combination lock. The
     numbers on the lock are marked from 0 - 35. To open the lock,
     it must be turned to the first number, the second number, and
     then a third number. How many combinations are possible? Keep
     in mind that this is a trick question. Please provide the
     answer along with the formula used to derive the answer.


    THE WRONG ANSWERS:

         There are NOT 36*36*36 possibilities or 36 possibilities
     or infinite possibilities.


    THE WINNING ANSWER:

     The first prize winner is Martin Allred, of Flanders, New Jersey.

         "Well, the combination lock problem is interesting.  Since
     there are 36 numbers, one would assume that you could have
     36*36*36 combinations. However, since the actual mechanics of
     the lock will not allow one number to be within, say, 4 digits
     of the numbers before and/or after it, that cuts it down to
     32*32*32.  So, I'll go ahead and say 32,768 possible combinations.
     In practice, lock manufacturers don't put consecutive numbers
     within about +/-10 of each other, which really cuts the number
     down to 16*16*16 (4096 combinations).  Since the books that list
     all the combinations by serial aren't all that thick, that
     would bear out the lower number."


    THE BREAKDOWN:

         - Recently I purchased a MasterLock combination lock.

             A true story.


         - The numbers on the lock are marked from 0 - 35.

             Irrelevant. If you scratch off all the numbers, the lock
             still operates in the same way.

         - To open the lock, it must be turned to the first number,
         the second number, and then a third number.

             The combination has 3 numbers.

         - How many combinations are possible?

             The mechanics of the lock allow for 12, and not 36,
             combinations. In other words, the numbers 0, 1, and 2
             all open the first location, etc, until there are
             12 locations. The padlock companies mark the locks
             as though there are 36 locations, but in fact there
             are only 12.


    THE DISCLAIMER:

     DISCLAIMER: This contest is being provided as a service to the
     Amiga community and all persons involved in running this contest
     cannot be held liable for anything that costs you money or
     lifetime pain and anguish. Rules are subject to change. All entries
     must be received by April 30th, 1994. Any entries beyond this date
     will be entered into the next contest, if any.


    THE APOLOGY:

     In the original puzzle, I offered the prize to the first one to
 reply with the correct answer. I determined that this is unfair, since
 many entries may come by mail from non-Internet readers. Also, to
 keep Urban D Mueller from getting that unfair edge that he had in the
 first contest. :) All future winners will be announced only in Amiga
 Report, and various other software packages will be available as
 prizes (if anyone wants to donate, feel free to email me).

dtiberio@libserv1.ic.sunysb.edu