# Matchstick Puzzler

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/matchstick-puzzler/84265>\
**Category:** The Show\
**Created:** [March 20, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/matchstick-puzzler/84265 "2014-03-20T22:24:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JohnnyWu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@JohnnyWu](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JohnnyWu)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/matchstick-puzzler/84265/1 "2014-03-20T22:24:42Z")

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anyone tried puzzler this week? solution on youtube

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 6:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/matchstick-puzzler/84265/2 "2014-03-28T06:53:46Z")

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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

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 7:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/matchstick-puzzler/84265/3 "2014-03-28T07:11:10Z")

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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

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 7:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/matchstick-puzzler/84265/4 "2014-03-28T07:25:28Z")

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@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?