Riddler - Solutions to "Pick A Number, Any Number": low_numbers.csv
Data license: CC Attribution 4.0 License · Data source: fivethirtyeight/data on GitHub · About: simonw/fivethirtyeight-datasette
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| Link | rowid ▼ | Your Number | Show Your Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | -1E+131 | negative numbers are allowed? |
| 2 | 2 | -1E+37 | lowest minimum integer |
| 3 | 3 | -999,999,999,999,999,000,000,000,000 | No idea |
| 4 | 4 | -1E+21 | is this even allowed??? |
| 5 | 5 | -9999999999 | whole positive numbers and their opposites |
| 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 is the lowest possible integer that is not negative. |
| 7 | 7 | 0 | It is not negative. |
| 8 | 8 | 0 | Its the first one that isn't negative |
| 9 | 9 | 0 | I simply want to watch the world burn as math geeks fight over whether zero is a positive integer or not. We can all agree it is a non-negative integer, but these pesky directions opted for "positive integer". Perhaps this will settle the debate and cement my place in math history. |
| 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 is the lowest positive integer number. People will probably try to avoid numbers they think everyone will pick, might as well pick the lowest. |
| 11 | 11 | 0 | Positive zero is the smallest positive integer, but just tricky enough that no one else will guess it. |
| 12 | 12 | 0 | Low interger |
| 13 | 13 | 0 | I figured everyone would assume be the most common choice and decide to choose something in the 20s. I also remember from math class that 0 is a positive number. |
| 14 | 14 | 0 | A whole number that does not have a decimal or fractional part |
| 15 | 15 | 0 | Zero is the lowest positive integer, but many people don't think of it. |
| 16 | 16 | 0 | figure my best chance is that moderator treats 0 as acceptable, but most submitters do not. |
| 17 | 17 | 0 | People may not think it's positive |
| 18 | 18 | 0 | I hope no one else thinks about that one ^^ |
| 19 | 19 | 0 | Lowest possible integer? |
| 20 | 20 | 0 | Cuz copy and paste is a thing :) |
| 21 | 21 | 0 | Smallest positive integer |
| 22 | 22 | 0 | Fuck it. |
| 23 | 23 | 0.001 | Low number to the right of zero |
| 24 | 24 | 1 | Someone (probably lots of someones) had to pick it |
| 25 | 25 | 1 | d |
| 26 | 26 | 1 | Lowest positive integer. Fingers crossed everybody else thinks it's too obvious and doesn't meet second criteria |
| 27 | 27 | 1 | Crossing my fingers that everyone else will think 1 is a bad idea. But given the sheer number of entries you'll probably get, it's more likely that a few of them have the same rationale. |
| 28 | 28 | 1 | Maybe no one else will be this clever.... |
| 29 | 29 | 1 | go big or go home babyyyyyy |
| 30 | 30 | 1 | It's a risk but one I'm willing to take |
| 31 | 31 | 1 | somebody's got to do it.... |
| 32 | 32 | 1 | Eh, maybe enough people will think its too obvious and not pick it. Or I run into others picking it and I should do 2. Probably 9. |
| 33 | 33 | 1 | Someone's gotta try it. |
| 34 | 34 | 1 | Because it makes no difference which number I choose. I'm at the mercy of chance that someone else chooses the same number, so why not go for the lowest possible integer which most people will ignore because it's too obvious an answer as they assume everyone else will choose it as well? |
| 35 | 35 | 1 | Mostly a spoiler. I assume I wont be the only one to choose 1, but if everyone has that mindset maybe I will! |
| 36 | 36 | 1 | Just in case everyone else assumes no one would be dumb enough to put in 1--here I am, just dumb enough. |
| 37 | 37 | 1 | Hey, it was the lowest number available, I'll take my chances everyone else overthinks it |
| 38 | 38 | 1 | I figured everyone else thought lots of people would select one, so I did, hoping that I would be the only one to do so. I doubt it, but we will see. |
| 39 | 39 | 1 | Because I'm betting on the long shot that noone else is dumb enough to choose 1 |
| 40 | 40 | 1 | I don't think anyone else has the balls to go this low |
| 41 | 41 | 1 | What if no one else picks it? |
| 42 | 42 | 1 | Because if the person who wins wins by choosing the number 1, we are all going to hate the person. This ensures that this will be prevented or that I will be the person who is hated. Also, this is not a new idea. The puzzle website Nikoli has been doing this for over a decade, it's called the Nikoli Derby. |
| 43 | 43 | 1 | This is a high-risk, high-reward choice. It's possible that everybody will assume that somebody will enter 1, and therefore it can't win, and try something higher. It's unlikely that nobody else will try this, but if nobody does, I win. |
| 44 | 44 | 1 | I'm a high-school math teacher and have played this game with students. It's surprising how many times 1 wins. |
| 45 | 45 | 1 | because someone has to |
| 46 | 46 | 1 | Trying the obvious |
| 47 | 47 | 1 | Maybe I'm the only one stupid enough to pick this number. |
| 48 | 48 | 1 | I am taking the reverse psychology scattergories approach. In the board game scattergories there are multiple categories that require a unique answer In order to earn a point. In this game, you obviously want to come up with an answer that no one else came up with, so everyone avoids the obvious answer. More often than not, the most obvious answer is never given. So, if you had used the easy answer, then you would still be earning a point. That's why I'm going with the most obvious, easy answer, in hopes that everyone else is "too smart" to submit it too. |
| 49 | 49 | 1 | Someone has to. |
| 50 | 50 | 1 | if no one else picks it, its the winner. |
| 51 | 51 | 1 | I am assuming every one else will think that if they choose 1, then it won't be unique, so they will choose a number greater than 1. That leaves 1 for me!!!! |
| 52 | 52 | 1 | Just in case someone else doesn't guess 1 |
| 53 | 53 | 1 | An integer is a "counting number" i.e. No fractions or decimals are in integers, zero is neither positive nor negative which leaves 1 as the next lowest integer |
| 54 | 54 | 1 | No one else would be so stupid to pick the lowest number, that everyone else will pick. |
| 55 | 55 | 1 | Guessed no one else would be bold enough to choose the lowest number |
| 56 | 56 | 1 | Just doing my part making sure #1 is accounted for! |
| 57 | 57 | 1 | I've done with this classes of 30, generally the 1 gambit seems to be the best choice. |
| 58 | 58 | 1 | It's the lowest |
| 59 | 59 | 1 | Worth a shot. Maybe nobody else goes that low. |
| 60 | 60 | 1 | gotta go low |
| 61 | 61 | 1 | Everyone may assume that this is taken. |
| 62 | 62 | 1 | Can anybody be dumb enough to pick 1? |
| 63 | 63 | 1 | I thought it would be really funny if every single person overthought it, and no one chose 1. |
| 64 | 64 | 1 | Because wouldn't it be funny if it ends up being 1? |
| 65 | 65 | 1 | Just in case everyone else outthinks themselves and no one else takes the lowest possible positive integer! |
| 66 | 66 | 1 | Just in case |
| 67 | 67 | 1 | Worth a try, right? |
| 68 | 68 | 1 | Maybe I'll get lucky and everyone else will overthink it |
| 69 | 69 | 1 | Maybe everyone else will overthink this and I'll get really lucky. |
| 70 | 70 | 1 | It's the most optimal choice from a game theory perspective. It is the only possible number that wins assuming it is unique. If I had a second guess (I assume most of your readers know game theory and some will implement it as rigidly as I have) I'd say 6 |
| 71 | 71 | 1 | I want to make sure no one else can win with this number |
| 72 | 72 | 1 | Maybe everyone will decide it's too obvious? Also zero isn't positive. |
| 73 | 73 | 1 | Somebody has to |
| 74 | 74 | 1 | No one is actually going to pick 1, right? |
| 75 | 75 | 1 | I think there's a high enough chance that no one else picks 1. |
| 76 | 76 | 1 | I'm hoping no one else was foolhardy enough to go for the easy win. |
| 77 | 77 | 1 | This is simply an investment in the glory of being the only person to guess "1". |
| 78 | 78 | 1 | It is the lowest possible positive integer, however as such, one could assume then that it would be chosen frequently and thus not unique. However, also assuming that people have this realization, would mean they would not pick 1 in which case the odds it is unique is much higher. This is why I have chosen 1. |
| 79 | 79 | 1 | Triple reverse psychology. Everyone will want to submit it, so everyone will think they cannot. Knowing this, a few will think others won't submit it, and will again be tempted. But they will think a few will submit it, so they will back off a second time. So I am submitting it, hoping everyone else thinks it will be picked by someone else, and avoid it. |
| 80 | 80 | 1 | Most people are going to assume low integers will get chosen and choose a higher number. |
| 81 | 81 | 1 | 1 is an integer |
| 82 | 82 | 1 | because wouldn't it be awesome |
| 83 | 83 | 1 | I'm hopeful everyone will think no one will pick one. |
| 84 | 84 | 1 | Here's hoping literally everyone else is a hipster and assumes they need to go for a higher number! |
| 85 | 85 | 1 | It's unlikely this will be unique, but if everyone else thinks that way, then this will win |
| 86 | 86 | 1 | I'm counting on everyone else being too clever to pick 1 --- "go small or go home" |
| 87 | 87 | 1 | There is a good chance that no one dares to pick 1. |
| 88 | 88 | 1 | Let's see if anyone else has the guts to do it... :) |
| 89 | 89 | 1 | Who would choose the obvious answer? |
| 90 | 90 | 1 | I'm not going to win, but I'm making sure somebody else who thinks they're clever doesn't. |
| 91 | 91 | 1 | Eh, might as well try. |
| 92 | 92 | 1 | It is the lowest positive integer, and maybe no one else will pick it. |
| 93 | 93 | 1 | Just in case |
| 94 | 94 | 1 | Lowest positive integer |
| 95 | 95 | 1 | Why not? |
| 96 | 96 | 1 | Just a test to see if I can spam with a separate email. |
| 97 | 97 | 1 | 1 is the lowest positive integer. Since it needs to be the lowest unique integer, I'm assuming that everyone will consider 1 to be too obvious a choice and hence unlikely to be unique. Much like my strategy would be on The Price Is Right, I'll bet $1, Bob. |
| 98 | 98 | 1 | May be overlooked |
| 99 | 99 | 1 | It's a super long shot but I'm hoping everyone just over thinks this and assumes that the lowest positive integer will be picked many times. |
| 100 | 100 | 1 | Well, it's definitely the lowest. My hope is that everyone else is convinced that someone will pick 1 so they all move on to other numbers. |
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CREATE TABLE "riddler-pick-lowest/low_numbers" ( "Your Number" TEXT, "Show Your Work" TEXT );