"Middle management Andy, Bea, and Celine have a jar of ten cookies. They will take turns putting their hands in the jar to take out cookies for themselves. Andy is first, then Bea, then Celine. On each turn, they can take as many as they like. They agree to the following conditions: 1) No one wants to end up with the most, or the least number of cookies. (To have the most looks greedy, to have the least looks lame.)"
"2) They want as many cookies as possible. (Always better to have as many cookies as you can.) If condition 1 has priority over condition 2, but both are desirable, how many cookies does each friend end up with? The friends are not allowed to communicate or form alliances. They do not need to take all the pieces, and one or more could take nothing. Assume that they are acting rationally and in their best interests."
January 14 is World Logic Day, a UNESCO-approved date in the academic calendar for promoting the study of deductive reasoning. Three colleagues—Andy, Bea, and Celine—face a puzzle with a jar of ten cookies and take turns removing any number of cookies; Andy goes first, then Bea, then Celine. They prioritize avoiding finishing with the sole-most or sole-least number of cookies, with ties for most or least equally undesirable. They also prefer as many cookies as possible, but that preference is subordinate to the avoidance rule. They cannot communicate or form alliances and may take none. The poser requests no spoilers and invites discussion of illogical arguments, crediting Deniz Sarikaya.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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