Dean's World
 Defending the liberal tradition in history, science, and philosophy.

.:: Dean's World: Excellent Trick ::.

June 22, 2004

Excellent Trick

Check out this little mind-reader trick. It's the cleverest of any I've seen on the internet yet.

Can you tell how it works?

Posted by dean | PermaLink | TrackBack (1)

Discuss This Article!

 

It just detects which symbol your mouse moves over? I tried it twice making sure not to move my mouse and it got it wrong both times...

Posted by dowingba on June 22, 2004 at 1:12 AM


dowingba,
Not sure about that but if you look at the symbol of patterns the one that flashes up is always going to be the symbol that corresponds with 9, among other things.

I would guess it's some mathematic formula for adding 2 digits together and subtracting from the original number that works for the repeating pattern shown.

Posted by Jeff on June 22, 2004 at 1:18 AM


There are only certain numbers that answer this equation and the symbols for those numbers keep changing. (BTW, I don't claim credit, my brainiac boyfriend told me).

Posted by Karol on June 22, 2004 at 1:35 AM


This formula always yeilds a mutiple of nine.

Posted by Phil Massey on June 22, 2004 at 1:46 AM


WTF?

I did this ten times in a row. I did not move my mouse. It got nine out of ten correct and it was different symbols for each round but one.

My guess is that it computes how long it takes you to do the math in your head. If you click the "crystal ball" in a relatively short period of time, it will turn up a certain symbol. If it takes you a medium amount of time, a different symbol. If it takes you a long time, yet another symbol. And so on at various intervals.

I don't know how else it could be doing this. It's way too accurate with me for it to be guessing. And the amount of time it took me to run the math in my head varied quite a bit depending on what my original selection was. 45, for example, is very easy. I can compute it almost instantly. 97 takes me three or four times as long.

Posted by Michaael J. Totten on June 22, 2004 at 4:58 AM


Heh. Trickery! Trickery! Trickery!

Posted by Dean Esmay on June 22, 2004 at 6:13 AM


Yeesh!
10x+y-(x+y)=9x=multiples of 9 from 9 to 81.

Doesn't anyone know math anymore? :)

Posted by maor on June 22, 2004 at 7:35 AM


And then to confuse matters a little bit, it randomizes the symbols every time you hit Play, making sure that, for each play, all the multiples of 9 have the same symbol.

Posted by Rick C on June 22, 2004 at 7:57 AM


Black magic. Satan's work.

Posted by Big Dan on June 22, 2004 at 7:59 AM


it only worked 50% of the time. Shitty trick.

Posted by Bill from INDC Journal on June 22, 2004 at 8:54 AM


Rick C. nailed it.

Posted by The Commissar on June 22, 2004 at 9:02 AM


Rick C, all the multiples of 9 certainly do not have the same symbol. I have it loaded now...

9 and 18 have the same symbol. 27 has a unique symbol, 36 has a unique symbol, 45 has a unique symbol, 54 has the 27 symbol, 63 has a unique symbol, 72 has a yin-yang symbol, 81 has the same symbol as 9 and 18, 90 has a holy cross symbol, and 99 has a unique symbol.

What am I missing here?

Posted by dowingba on June 22, 2004 at 9:15 AM


Every answer has to be multiple of 9 and 81 or less. Every time I tried it all the symbols for these results were the same.

Posted by joe on June 22, 2004 at 9:28 AM


The multiples of 9 have had identical symbols every time I've played as well.

Posted by James Joyner on June 22, 2004 at 10:51 AM


Dowingba, the symbol associated with each number is to the right of that number. Confused me too first time I checked, but getting into the second column from the right it's easy to look at the wrong symbol.

Posted by McGehee on June 22, 2004 at 10:59 AM


No, it works every time. If it was wrong, then you failed in the simple task laid out for you in the instructions and I question your mathematical intelligence.

Posted by Brian Jones on June 22, 2004 at 11:12 AM


Tsk, tsk, Brian.

This thing fools ya on several levels. I got distracted a couple of times by looking at the symbol on the LEFT of the number rather than the RIGHT. And of course they scramble every time. Also of course if you do the math wrong in your head because you're tired....

Posted by Dean Esmay on June 22, 2004 at 11:21 AM


The multiples of 9 starting at 81 and going down have the same symbol. The equation and the limit of a two digit number to choose from limit the top answer to 81. and since 9 is a 1 digit number, zero (9*0) can have a different symbol as well.

Posted by Phil Massey on June 22, 2004 at 12:38 PM


 



.:: ABOUT DEAN'S WORLD ::.


.:: BEST OF DEAN'S WORLD ::.


.:: RECENT ENTRIES ::.


.:: ARCHIVES ::.


.:: MISC ::.