• @Slowy
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    1169 months ago

    In one slice, cut a third off of each apple, and you’re left with 3 portions of 2/3 an apple each

    • @DaCookeyMonsta
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      1209 months ago

      What’s bothering me is, mathematically that is the answer, but practically the apple is a non uniform shape so you cant really determine where a third of the apple truly is and it has seeds in the middle meaning two of the kieces will have seeds one the one getting the two cut off pieces won’t so its not truly shared equally.

      • 📛Maven
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        279 months ago

        “Equal” has a slightly different meaning in fair division problems. It doesn’t mean “the exact same quantity of matter”, so not being able to judge exactly 1/3 of the apple doesn’t super matter (though your seed problem can be solved by cutting diagonally through the apples rather than along one side), but rather, that each person gets a portion they value at least as much as the others; maybe some people are willing to take a smaller piece if it means they have no seeds, maybe some people are going to peel their piece so they care more about having the largest internal volume, maybe some people plan to plant the seeds and so they actually value them, maybe some people only care about having the biggest piece.

        In practice, for three people this can take as few as 2 cuts or as many as 6; since there’s two apples and we can do 2 cuts with one stroke here, there is a fair division solution, but it only works if things go perfectly:

        The first person cuts the apples into 3 shares they think are of equal value (perhaps they hate apple cores, so they cut one side off both as above)

        The second person points out which share(s) they think are the best

        The third person takes the share they consider to be most valuable

        The second person takes the share they consider to be most valuable

        The first person takes the remaining share, which, since they cut, they must consider equal to the other two.

        If the second person doesn’t think at least two shares are of equal value, the problem becomes impossible to resolve without more knifeplay.

        • @fidodo
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          19 months ago

          deleted by creator

        • @[email protected]
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          19 months ago

          I think that one person can decide where to cut the first apple and another person can independently decide where to cut the second apple, so the problem is actually a little easier. I posted my attempt at a solution as the top-level post. (My solution does assume that all three people have the same preferences.)

          • 📛Maven
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            29 months ago

            Yeah, that would work assuming nobody has competing preferences, nobody feels jealousy, and especilaly as long as the third person has no preference for the first apple. It’s servicable for this riddle.

      • Neato
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        99 months ago

        Yeah. It’s a bad question. Why only one stroke? If you cut the apples into cubes and doled them out equally it’d be a much better and more equal experience. The problem presented is a lie, it’s just a geometry puzzle.

      • @[email protected]
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        59 months ago

        If you sliced vertically (still considering thirds) you would get more fair distribution of fruit-meat vs seeds

      • @Slowy
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        9 months ago

        I’m sure with some calibrating you could just cut off 1/3 of the edible portion. While the core-containing portions would be heavier, the edible apple weight would be the same. It wouldn’t be easy to do first try though

      • Nora
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        39 months ago

        Cut the leaf off with the one slice then each person just eats a third of each apple with their teeth.

      • @Jackcooper
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        79 months ago

        Flat skull Winnie the Pooh.tiff

    • DudeBoy
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      99 months ago

      How do you do that in one slice?

      • @cdf12345
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        239 months ago

        Aim for the jugular

      • Troy
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        89 months ago

        Line the apples up next to each other, I guess. Sort of like taking a single slice through multiple carrots on the cutting board at once. Harder to do with apples given their shape, but I’d the knife is big enough, or you’re counting a slice as “single continuous motion” then it is probably valid.

        I can’t think of any other physical solution that isn’t a joke, so this is the most probable puzzle solution. In a D&D setting I might require a slight of hand check with a very low DC to pull off the single slicing motion.

      • @Grimy
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        79 months ago

        You line up the apple and cut both at the same time

      • @thirteene
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        9 months ago

        Cut 2/3 of both apples leaving 2x2/3 segments and 2x 1/segments (2/3 cut in half for those of you who struggle with fractions)

        • DudeBoy
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          19 months ago

          I’m american, we would forget fraction entirety if we ever switched to the metric system.

      • @Aermis
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        159 months ago

        Line them up so only 33% of each apple gets cut when you slice.

      • @_danny
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        59 months ago

        Stack the apples on top of each other and cut from the top down.

  • @[email protected]
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    979 months ago

    Align the two apples so they’re off center to one another. One has 2/3 on the outside to the left, 1/3 to the right, the other 2/3 to the outside to the right, 1/3 to the left.

    Bird’s eye view, the single line cutting both apples will leave us with the left 2/3 of the first apple and the right 2/3 of the second, and a third portions made of 2 thirds, or another 2/3 of an apple.

    One cut, 2 apples, 3 equal portions.

    • @psud
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      449 months ago

      You could simply murder one of the players

      • Bob
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        159 months ago

        Is that not the joke? Am I a psycho now?

      • @Siethron
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        29 months ago

        In a single stroke? With 1d4 damage?

        If you have a wizard in your party, I guess.

    • @[email protected]
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      309 months ago

      No need to align them like that. Just place them one behind the other and cut off one third on the side (with a single stroke).

      • HobbitFoot
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        39 months ago

        But which one is lawful good and which one is chaotic evil?

    • @[email protected]
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      139 months ago

      They don’t have to be aligned off center from each other, just as long as you cut a third off of each in one stroke.

      Alternatively, one person just stabs one of the others, and the two survivors each get a whole apple.

    • @olympicyes
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      89 months ago

      Dumb question, how do you make two apples off center from each other?

      • @[email protected]
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        29 months ago

        You’re right that they’re off-center from a first “symmetry line” you have to draw.

        So: you place them on your cutting board. Trace an imaginary vertical bird’s eye view that passes by the center of both. Now based on that imaginary line, move both apples so they’re offset 2/3-1/3 from that line in each direction.

    • @Seasm0ke
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      69 months ago

      I thought about this at first but then two people get the core as part of their portion and one doesn’t :(

  • @xantoxis
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    759 months ago

    What the fuck is this single-use knife

    • @[email protected]
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      229 months ago

      With forensics being as good as they are now, they’ll probably figure out the knife you used the first time is the same knife you used the second time.

      You really can’t have a favourite knife anymore. Gotta dispose of it right away or they’ll work out the pattern without needing to figure out the riddles you left behind at the scene. It’s cheating really, but the only thing you can do to prevent it is by taking the “single-use knife” approach.

    • @[email protected]
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      169 months ago

      With one stroke? Does your group only consist of level 1 wizards or is it some kind of legendary knife?

      • @[email protected]
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        79 months ago

        That’s a classic critic against D&D if one stroke of knife is deadly IRL it should be in RPG.

        That said, 3 players means a GM so just cut in half and you get 4 piece including one for the GM

      • @Delta_V
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        39 months ago

        The monk beats both other PCs unconscious and then uses the knife to cut off as much apple as they care to eat.

      • @[email protected]
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        19 months ago

        You tie the unlucky member to sacrifice. Maybe one with low fortitude. And use coup de grace. Probably it will die One shot with one stroke. Technically it’s doable ^^

  • @Zugyuk
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    299 months ago

    Stab a player… We can just reincarnate them after the puzzle

    • @EdibleFriend
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      99 months ago

      This was my vote except for reincarnating. I’m sure one of them deserves it. Probably. Maybe.

      Whatever we can find some other fucker to help us in the tavern.

      • @[email protected]
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        69 months ago

        I play a cleric in my party. Previously, we’ve been asked to recover and return a certain plot-important NPC who didn’t exactly want to be transported…

        We killed him, transported the corpse, handcuffed it, and then raised him at the destination. It’s a lot easier to transport a body than a live half-elf who is actively trying to escape.

      • @[email protected]
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        19 months ago

        Just say “Why don’t we just use the knife multiple times to cut the apples into quarters so two people get 3/4 of an apple while one gets half an apple? One person gets a quarter apple less than the other two but it’s not a big deal is it?”

        Whoever complains about this approach gets stabbed.

    • @fishos
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      119 months ago

      It can be done in 4 pieces. Whole numbers aren’t necessary for the pieces.

      • @[email protected]
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        59 months ago

        Four is just two twos but doesn’t have three as a factor, so four still isn’t equally shareable among three without either not sharing some or, hear me out, murder.

        • @Enk1
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          9 months ago

          Two pieces equal to 1/3 of the total and two pieces equal to 1/6th. Everyone gets a third with 4 pieces, but one person has two smaller pieces that add up to a third. You can accomplish this by cutting one third off each apple with a single stroke,.

          • @[email protected]
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            19 months ago

            If we can go through multiple apples in a single stroke, then we can assume we’re allowed to a) go through the same apple multiple times b) make curved, complex strokes c) murder party members.

            • @Enk1
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              29 months ago

              I think you’re stretching the definition of a single stroke a bit thin. 😂

        • @fishos
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          39 months ago

          Thanks :D I use Gir for everything haha

    • @[email protected]
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      69 months ago

      “These three want to share…” specifically precludes murder.

      Watch as chaotic evil don’t care, failing the test but having fun anyway:-P.

    • KubeRoot
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      49 months ago

      I think that’s least common multiple, as opposed to the greatest common denominator.

    • Lath
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      39 months ago

      Interesting how murder was the option chosen. Some would have chosen self-sacrifice instead.

      • @fishos
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        09 months ago

        Paladins maybe? Unless suicide is taboo

  • @fidodo
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    169 months ago

    If you want the portions to be topologically identical I think the fewest cuts is 3?

  • @[email protected]
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    139 months ago

    Well, regardless, someone’s getting hurt. Have you tried cutting two whole apples, one on top of the other? It’s non-trivial! They aren’t exactly stable and the rogue’s gonna try to swipe one or both as soon as you move your own fingers out of the way. May as well get it over with and stab the rogue to start.

  • @[email protected]
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    9 months ago
    1. The first person decides where the first apple would be cut, such that he would be equally happy with either taking the larger portion or dividing up what remains.

    2. The second person either says he wants that larger portion, in which case he’s done, or he says he wants to divide up what remains, in which case the first person takes the larger portion and is done.

    3. The third person decides where the second apple would be cut.

    4. Either the first or second person (depending on the outcome of the second step) picks either the larger portion of the second apple or the two smaller portions.

    5. The third person takes what remains.

    6. The two apples are cut and their pieces distributed.

    This doesn’t guarantee a solution, since it’s possible that the third person would have wanted the larger portion of the first apple. It only works if we assume that the first person, when given the motivation to cut fairly, does so with high precision. Otherwise the first person can, by screwing himself over, also screw over the third person.

    • @Nastybutler
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      59 months ago

      Neat, but you failed since it requires more than one slice

      • @[email protected]
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        9 months ago

        No, you line the apples up under the knife and then slice once. Each apple can be moved relative to the knife and independently of the other apple.

        I should have been more specific when I said things like

        takes the larger portion

        because what I meant by that is “permanently claims the larger portion as his own”. The apple is not cut (once) and no one actually gets their pieces in their hands until step 6.

    • Kbin_space_program
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      9 months ago

      DM:
      We’re in Waterdeep, so the entire area is in a magical field, so detect magic is useless.

      Also you cast a spell and thats a crime in Waterdeep, so you see a Karen of an Elf run off to find the guard

      Player: I cast Identify on the apples.

      DM: first one is fine, second one is a baby Mimic that attacks your finger as soon as you touch it to cast the spell. What’s your AC and Roll Initiative.

  • Norgur
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    59 months ago

    The knife is magic, it leaps into the air and Jerry, do a survival roll.

  • DudeBoy
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    39 months ago

    I am fully awake now, and I can’t believe I didn’t think of cutting it not down the middle. Haha. There’s a fairly easy way to calculate where to cut a sphere so that the sphere segment has a desired volume. Similar to the formula used in this video.

    https://youtu.be/tLPL8pM8Xkw?si=bW--5ISr4aR4WcaL

  • Aielman15
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    19 months ago

    My chaotic neutral undead warlock has the solution.