| Author |
Topic |
|
AskSQLTeam
Ask SQLTeam Question
0 Posts |
 Posted - 2002-03-22 : 09:01:51
|
| Tired of all those standard SQL problems? Begging for a real challenge?? Think you're some kind of SQL Jedi Master???Here's a puzzle that I found on the Internet. It has nothing to do with databases, but can you solve it using SQL?Can you....FIND THE YAK????Article Link.Edited by - robvolk on 03/22/2002 09:52:05 |
|
|
robvolk
Most Valuable Yak
15732 Posts |
Posted - 2002-03-22 : 14:13:20
|
| UPDATE:I should mention that you can submit as many solutions as you like, and if you can think of different ways to solve it...SEND 'EM TO ME!There's no limit. Each solution will be reviewed and considered. |
 |
|
|
robvolk
Most Valuable Yak
15732 Posts |
Posted - 2002-03-22 : 16:25:07
|
| SECOND UPDATE:Just to clarify some requirements that may seem vague:-There are 5 houses, all in a line next to each other-Each neighbor has a different nationalityThese are natural inferences based on the other rules, so it's unlikely to have any effect on your solution.IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS COMMENT BEFORE, CHECK THE ARTICLE AGAIN FOR THE CLARIFICATIONS!Edited by - robvolk on 03/22/2002 16:36:17 |
|
|
|
robvolk
Most Valuable Yak
15732 Posts |
Posted - 2002-03-30 : 08:41:03
|
| THIRD UPDATE:The "Find the Yak" Reader Challenge is now closed!Thank you to everyone who submitted a solution! I will be reviewing them for the next day or two and writing the follow-up articles. Keep an eye out for them soon!This topic is now open for comments, however, please do not post any solutions in this thread.Edited by - robvolk on 03/30/2002 08:42:05 |
|
|
|
Arnold Fribble
Yak-finder General
1961 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 10:30:16
|
| Anyone notice that one of the constraints is redundant? |
|
|
|
Jay99
468 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 10:36:53
|
quote:
Anyone notice that one of the constraints is redundant?
Which?Jay<O> |
|
|
|
Arnold Fribble
Yak-finder General
1961 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 10:50:54
|
 Oh all right, it's the last one, water next to blend. |
|
|
|
juggler
Starting Member
9 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 10:59:15
|
| Yes, I noticed.I coded it into my solution, but then commented it out to show it wasn't really needed. |
|
|
|
Jay99
468 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 11:03:24
|
| I look forward to seeing these solutions. The way I solved it, I need the water/blend req, but it could be because of my approach . . .Jay<O>EDIT: So who all is in the sub-1-sec club?Edited by - Jay99 on 04/02/2002 11:05:09 |
|
|
|
robvolk
Most Valuable Yak
15732 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 11:06:22
|
| Arnold-I found out that it's only redundant if you interpret the Green house-White house rule as adjacent to one another (which is a perfectly reasonable interpretation), instead of the Green house simply being anywhere to the left of the White. I tested both variations, and discovered that disabling Water/Blend will generate more answers than if it was enabled. |
|
|
|
Arnold Fribble
Yak-finder General
1961 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 11:15:46
|
Oh, I thought there were 7 (or 20) solutions with Green < White (there is only 1 (or 11) with Green > White, but that's not really relevant).quote:
So who all is in the sub-1-sec club?
Big yes here! I was impressed at what a good job the query optimizer did on this. |
|
|
|
juggler
Starting Member
9 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 13:01:12
|
| This link contains a good discussion about different assumptions leading to different solutions to this puzzle:[url]http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/einstein/einstein.html[/url]EDIT: Oh, sorry, this link has solutions to the puzzle, but not SQL solutions to the puzzle. Now I'm confused. The solution to the puzzle is no secret, right? It's just SQL solutions we're not supposed to post, right?Edited by - juggler on 04/02/2002 13:04:42 |
|
|
|
robvolk
Most Valuable Yak
15732 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 13:12:58
|
No problem, I figured most people would look up the solution anyway, just to make sure they were on the right track.I did like this part very much:quote:
Without making these initial assumptions, I don't think you can logically deduce the answer to the puzzle, but would just need a computer to do an exhaustive search of all the possibilities. That might even come up with several valid answers!
...which is EXACTLY what I was hoping people would discover (and they did!) |
|
|
|
Jay99
468 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 14:21:56
|
| Found some solutions out there written in LISP and C++ . . . (can I post a link?)Jay<O>EDIT: hereEdited by - Jay99 on 04/02/2002 15:17:54 |
|
|
|
robvolk
Most Valuable Yak
15732 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-02 : 14:59:40
|
| You can post non-SQL solutions here, or email me the link and I'll include it in the follow-up. |
|
|
|
Jay99
468 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-03 : 15:36:10
|
| Is there anything we (SQLTeam GP) can do to help with the judging process? Maybe vote on the winner from the sub-1 sec club . . .(Just a suggestion)Jay<O> |
|
|
|
Arnold Fribble
Yak-finder General
1961 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-03 : 15:51:09
|
I'd love to help, but it might spoil my chances at the "Ugliest ASCII Art" title  |
|
|
|
Jay99
468 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-03 : 15:57:26
|
quote:
I'd love to help, but it might spoil my chances at the "Ugliest ASCII Art" title
True, trueWell I am thinking the entries are already submitted so tampering shouldn't really be an issue...No big.I was quite stoked about my solution, but the couple posts on this thread have me a bit nervous ... :)Jay<O> |
|
|
|
efelito
Constraint Violating Yak Guru
478 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-05 : 16:37:46
|
| I can't wait to see the answers to this. I think I was close, but I didn't get to complete it. Every time I get a little cocky and feel like I know a little something about SQL I come out here and then feel the need to crawl back into my crib....Jeff BanschbachConsultant, MCDBA |
|
|
|
Jay99
468 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-05 : 16:44:59
|
Yeah, come on RobVolk? Don't you have anything better to do than figure out who found the  the best?So far, the Illustrious Fribble and I are the only ones to cop to an under 1 sec solution. There's gotta be more than that . . .Jay<O>Edited by - Jay99 on 04/05/2002 16:45:23 |
|
|
|
robvolk
Most Valuable Yak
15732 Posts |
Posted - 2002-04-05 : 16:48:32
|
quote:
Yeah, come on RobVolk? Don't you have anything better to do than figure out who found the the best?
Well, now that you mention it, I have been looking for a job this past week, don't know if that qualifies as BETTER than comparing queries though. |
|
|
|
Next Page
|
Reader Challenge #3: Find the Yak!