Level 5 (Important Decisions) - Size Challenge

[BlueRaja]

For anyone else having issues with this one, re-read the instructions.

[Dr. Smith]

[Karlodinium]

Oh gosh, that was way too hard. I spent an embarrassingly long amount of time on this challenge. Thanks for the hint.

[Zyro]

:D Just had the same enlightenment an hour ago.

[The Renderer]

Thanks, that was a mean one. Had to re-read it several times to get it.

[bcimmet]

I've re-read the instructions about fifty times now, and stared at this for an hour ... and I don't see what you're getting at. Help please?

[The Renderer]

Originally posted by randomkeys:

I've re-read the instructions about fifty times now, and stared at this for an hour ... and I don't see what you're getting at. Help please?

Hint: What do the instructions say about the datacubes?

[Futae Yamagawa]

?? ?? How are people missing this in the first place?
Are you guys making assumptions that arn't true? (Do you need to check your assumptions?)

[Zyro]

Originally posted by Futae Yamagawa:

?? ?? How are people missing this in the first place?
Are you guys making assumptions that arn't true? (Do you need to check your assumptions?)

Yes. Never happens to you?

[bcimmet]

Originally posted by The Renderer:

Hint: What do the instructions say about the datacubes?

"Each worker has a data cube either on their left or right side."

But as soon as they take one step, all of them are standing ON their cubes, so that instruction is no longer relevant.

[Zyro]

Originally posted by randomkeys:

"Each worker has a data cube either on their left or right side."

But as soon as they take one step, all of them are standing ON their cubes, so that instruction is no longer relevant.

What many people, including me, didn't notice is that you' don't have to actually take the cubes. When making this mistake, the instruction optimization target is impossible as far as I can see.

[The Renderer]

The second sentence is the important one:
"Walk toward that cube and continue walking in that direction so you fall into the nice safe hole"

Edit: Oh well, Zyro spoilt it. I'll leave it here in case anyone wants a not-so-subtle hint without an outright spoiler.

[bcimmet]

Originally posted by Zyro:

What many people, including me, didn't notice is that you' don't have to actually take the cubes.

My 6-step solution wasn't doing that in the first place. I'm still stuck at 6.

[Futae Yamagawa]

I make wrong assumptions all the time.

Like "Assuming the documentation correctly states what a routine does".
or "Assuming the comments in the code are up to date and accurate."
or even "Assuming the user knows what they are talking about."

Checking assumptions is a time honored technique.

[The Renderer]

Originally posted by randomkeys:

Originally posted by Zyro:

What many people, including me, didn't notice is that you' don't have to actually take the cubes.

My 6-step solution wasn't doing that in the first place. I'm still stuck at 6.

Don't use "else".

[bcimmet]

Originally posted by The Renderer:

Don't use "else".

Well ... that did it. Thank you.

Though I certainly didn't have a moment of enlightenment -- and in fact, I feel kind of disappointed. I mean, the program with ELSE and the program with an implied ELSE are fundamentally the same thing. It feels a little like "gaming the system" to use IF without ELSE.