Matchstick Puzzler

The Show
1

anyone tried puzzler this week? solution on youtube

2

I think the sqrt symbol solution is pretty clever. Being not the clever sort, I didn’t think of that one. I like Doug’s solution too, the exponential one. Ray dissed that, saying a good solution has to be all one the same line. hmmm … well, I don’t recall seeing anything about that restriction, but ok …

Actually, the solution I came up with is like Doug’s, only it meets Ray’s extra condition, all on the same line. It’s based on the fact that to program an exponential function on a computer, where everything has to be on the same line, you use the “^” symbol. For example on a computer for two to the third power you’d write, 2^3 = 2 * 2 * 2 = 8.

So here’s my solution to the matchstick puzzle:

Start with

V I I = I

Turn that upside down

I = I I ^

Now move one matchstick to get

I = I ^ I

3

Here’s my “solution”:

V I I = I
move the right half of the V, make it a minus sign:
\ I - I = I
so a sloppy
I I - I = I

4

@texases, I’ll actually take that before I’ll take making the sqrt sign. I thought that “preferred” or “official” solution was just kind of dumb. Once you get there I figure all bets are off. Do what you want. How old was that show anyway?