5
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This puzzle replaces all numbers (and operations) with other symbols.

Your job, as the title suggests, is to find what value fits in the place of $\bigstar$. To get the basic idea, I recommend you solve Puzzle 1 and Puzzle 5 first.

All symbols follow these rules:

    • Each numerical symbol represents integers and only integers. This means fractions and irrational numbers like $\sqrt2$ are not allowed. However, negative numbers and zero are allowed.
    • Any symbol that is NOT numerical must be one of the following operations: $\{+,-,\times,\text{^}\}$. Notice how all operation are binary operations. This means that all operation symbols must have a number on their left and on their right. Use that fact to your advantage!
  1. Each symbol represents a unique number/operation. This means that for any two symbols $\alpha$ and $\beta$ which are in the same puzzle, $\alpha\neq\beta$.
  2. The following equations/inequalities are satisfied (this is the heart of the puzzle): $$ \begin{array}{lc} \text{I. }&\qquad a\ @\ a<a\ \#\ a\ \#\ a \\\space\\ \text{II. }&\qquad b\ $\ c=c\ $\ b\ @\ b \\\space\\ \text{III. }&\qquad d\ @\ d\ \#\ a<c\ $\ b \\\space\\ \text{IV. }&\qquad e\ \%\ a\ \%\ e=e\ \%e\ \%\ c\ @\ a\ @\ b \\\space\\ \text{V. }&\qquad c\ \%\ f=a\ \%\ f\ \#\ b\ \%\ f \\\space\\ \text{VI. }&\qquad g\ $\ g\ @\ d\ \#\ e<f\ \%\ f \\\space\\ \text{VII. }&\qquad c\ $\ c\ $\ c\ $\ c\ $\ c\ \%\ d\ $\ d\ $\ d<h\ \#\ b\ \#\ h \\\space\\ \text{VIII. }&\qquad a\ \#\ i=a\ $\ i\ $\ i\ \#\ a \\\space\\ \text{IX. }&\qquad e\ \#\ h\ $\ e\ \#\ h<\bigstar<e\ $\ c\ $\ c\ @\ a \end{array} $$

What is a Solution?

A solution is a value for $\bigstar$, such that, for the set of numerical symbols in the puzzle $S_1$ and the set of operator symbols in the puzzle $S_2$ there is a subtitution $f:S_1\to\Bbb Z$ and $g:S_2\to\{+,-,\times,\text{^}\}$ that satisfies all given equations.

Can you prove that there is only one possible value for $\bigstar$, and find that value?

Some nice symbols for your solution:

  • $\bigstar:\;$ $\bigstar$
  • $\text^:\;$ $\text^$
  • $\#:\;$ $\#$
  • $\%:\;$ $\%$
  • $\mapsto:\;$ $\mapsto$

Good luck!


Previous puzzles:

Introduction: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7

Inequalities: #8 #9 #10 #11

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8
  • $\begingroup$ In the making of this puzzle I also created a function (in Mathematica) that converts the symbols into all the possible configurations. Should I share it? $\endgroup$
    – NODO55
    Commented Aug 4, 2023 at 22:03
  • $\begingroup$ Should we assume that the usual rules of operator precedence apply? (So that, e.g.,, a @ b & c means (a @ b) & c if @ is * and & is +, but it means a @ (b & c) if @ is + and & is *.) $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan
    Commented Aug 5, 2023 at 0:04
  • $\begingroup$ @GarethMcCaughan Yes, the usual rules apply $\endgroup$
    – NODO55
    Commented Aug 5, 2023 at 6:39
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Should we assume < and = have their usual meaning? $\endgroup$
    – msh210
    Commented Aug 5, 2023 at 18:02
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @hexomino since the usual order of operations applies, $a\text^b\text^c=a\text^(b\text^c)$, $a-b+c=(a-b)+c$, $a*b\text^c = a*(b\text^c)$ $\endgroup$
    – NODO55
    Commented Aug 8, 2023 at 18:33

1 Answer 1

3
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I think the solution is as follows

$\# \mapsto \text^$
$@ \mapsto +$
$\\\$ \mapsto \times$
$ \% \mapsto -$
$a = -1$
$b = 0$
$c = -2$
$d = -3$
$e=3$.
$f$ can be anything.
$|g| < 6$
$h=1$
$i$ is an odd integer.
$\bigstar =10$

What follows is the explanation of how I found this. Apologies for the length, it is essentially a lot of case-bashing. The solution is found at the very end. Apologies also for any mistakes, there are probably a few in here.

Case 1

$\# \mapsto -$

This would mean that the right hand side of the first inequality is $-a$.

If $@ \mapsto \times$ then the left hand side is non-negative (a square) and so $a$ must be strictly negative. But since $a^2 < -a$, it can only be that $-1 < a< 0$ and this is not allowed.

If $@ \mapsto +$ then the left hand side is $2a$ and it must be that $a$ is strictly negative, we call this case 1.(i).

If $@ \mapsto \text^$ then the left hand side is $a^a$ and again $a$ must be negative, we call this case 1.(ii).

Case 1.(i)

If $ \\\$ \mapsto \times$ then, by equation II, $b \times c = c \times b + b$ and $b=0$.
This would mean $\% \mapsto \text^$ and equation V gives $c^f = a^f - b^f$ but since $b=0$ and $f \neq 0$ it forces $c=-a$ and $f$ must be even (thanks OP).
Equation VIII becomes $a-i = ai^2 - a$ or $a = \frac{i}{2-i^2}$ The right hand side here is an integer only when $i=-2,-1,0,1$ and $2$ and is different to $a$ only when $i=-2$ (where $a=1$) or $i=2$ (where $a=-1$) and since we've established that $a$ is negative, it must be that $a=-1$ and $i=2$ and thus $c=1$.
Looking at equation IV, the right hand side is $e^e - 1$ and the left hand side is either $e$, if $e$ is even or $1/e$, if $e$ is odd. The only integer solution here is $e=0$ but we already have $b=0$ so there is no overall solution in this case.

Alternatively, if $ \\\$ \mapsto \text^$ then equation II gives $b^c = c^b + b$.
A little bit of work can show us that this equation admits just two integer solutions, namely $(b,c) = (0,0)$ (disallowed for being equal) or $(b,c) = (1,0)$. This also means $\% \mapsto \times$ and equation V gives $0 = af - f$ and since $a<0$, it must be that $f=0=c$ which is not allowed so there are no possible solutions in case 1.(i).

Case 1.(ii)

If $ \\\$ \mapsto \times$ then equation II tells us that $bc = cb^b$ which means that either $c=0$ or $b=-1$ or $1$.
This would also mean that $\% \mapsto +$ and equation IV gives $e+a+e = e+e+c^{a^b}$ or $a = c^{a^b}$. This rules out $c=0$ as $a$ would be $0$. If $b=1$ or $-1$ then $c = a^{1/a}$ or $a^a$ but $a=-1$ gives $c=-1$ and other negative values of $a$ make $c$ non integral.

Alternatively, if $ \\\$ \mapsto +$ the equation II becomes $b+c = c+b^b$ which means $b=1$ or $-1$. In this case, $ \% \mapsto \times$ and equation IV tells us that $c = a^{1/a}$ or $a^a$ (which runs into the same problems as previous) or that $e=0$.
If $e=0$, it means that $f \neq 0$ and we can factor it out of equation V to get $c = a-b$. Plugging this into equation III, gives us $d^d = 2a$ but this isn't possible since $a$ is a negative integer and the minimum possible for $d^d$ is $-1$. Hence, there are no possible solutions in case 1.(ii)

Case 2

$\# \mapsto +$

This puts the right hand side of equation I as $3a$.
If $@ \mapsto -$ then the left hand side of I is 0 so we have $a>0$. We call this case 2.(i).

If $@ \mapsto \times$ then we have $a^2 < 3a$ so that $a = 1$ or $2$. We call this case 2.(ii).

If $@ \mapsto \text^$ then we have $a^a < 3a$ so that $a=1$ or $2$. We call this case 2.(iii)

Case 2.(i)

If $ \\\$ \mapsto \times$ then equation II gives $b=0$. But then equation III gives $d^d + a < 0$ which is not possible with $a > 0$.

Alternatively, if $ \\\$ \mapsto \text^$, equation II becomes $b^c = c^b - b$ which has integer solutions $(b,c) = (0,0)$ (forbidden) and $(b,c) = (1,2)$. Looking at equation III, we have $a < c^b$ which is $2$ which puts $a=1=b$. Hence there are no solutions in Case 2.(i).

Case 2.(ii)

If $\\\$ \mapsto -$ then equation VIII gives $3i = a$ which makes $i$ non-integral as $a=1$ or $2$.

Alternatively, if $\\\$ \mapsto \text^$ then equation VIII gives $i = a^{i^i}$ which has no real solutions for $i$ when $a=2$ and gives $i=1$ when $a=1$. Hence, there are no solutions in case 2.(ii)

Case 2.(iii)

Again $\\\$ \mapsto -$ gives us the same issue with $a$ as in 2.(ii).

Alternatively, if $\\\$ \mapsto \times$, equation VIII gives $i=ai^2$ which only has integer solutions $i=1=a$ (disallowed) or $i=0$. However, equation II gives $b=0$ so this does not work. Hence, there are no solutions in case 2.(iii)

Case 3

$\# \mapsto \times$

If $@ \mapsto +$ then it must be that $a>1$, we call this case 3.(i)

If $@ \mapsto -$ then we must have $a>0$, we call this case 3.(ii)

If $@ \mapsto \text^$ then the only possibility is $a=2$, we call this case 3.(iii)

Case 3.(i)

If $\\\$ \mapsto -$ then equation VIII becomes $2ai = a-i$ or $i = \frac{a}{2a+1}$ which is non-integral for $a>1$.

Alternatively, if $\\\$ \mapsto \text^$ then equation VIII becomes $ i = a^{i^i}$ which has no solutions for $a>1$. Hence there are no solutions in case 3.(i).

Case 3.(ii)

If $ \\\$ \mapsto +$ then equation II gives $b=0$. Equation V gives $a^f = c^f$ and since $f \neq 0$ and $a \neq c$ it forces $f$ to be even and $a=-c$. However, equation VIII gives directly $a=-i$, forcing $c=i$ which is not allowed.

Alternatively, if $ \\\$ \mapsto \text^$ then VIII gives $i = a^{i^i}$ which, as before, does not lead to a valid solution. Hence there are no solutions in case 3.(ii)

Case 3.(iii)

If $ \\\$ \mapsto +$ then equation II gives $b = b^b$ meaning that $b=1$ or $-1$.
Equation IV then gives us $a = c^{a^b}$ which makes $c$ irrational if $b=1$, but if $b=-1$ then $c=4$.
However, equation V then tells us that $4-f = (2-f)(-1-f)$ or $f^2 = 6$ which makes $f$ irrational and therefore, no solution in this case.

Alternatively, if $ \\\$ \mapsto -$, equation VIII gives $4i = 2-i$ or $i=2/5$ which is not an integer. Hence, there is no solution in case 3.(iii)

Case 4

$\# \mapsto \text^$

$a<-1$ seems to sometimes create imaginary values on the right hand side of I when $a$ is even but there seem to be valid real numbers in play when $a$ is odd so we'll restrict to these values.

If $@ \mapsto -$ then the left hand side of I is 0 and we just require $a>0$. We call this case 4.(i)

If $@ \mapsto \times$ then the inequality is satisfied only when $a>1$. We call this case 4.(ii)

If $@ \mapsto +$ it appears that $a$ can take any negative odd value and also any value $a>1$. We call this case 4.(iii)

Case 4.(i)

If $\\\$ \mapsto +$ then equation VIII gives $a^i = a + i + i^a$. Any values of $i < -1$ will create a non-integer quantity on the left which cannot be rectified by the integer value of the right hand side. After that, we just need to check through a small number of values for $a$ and $i$ before realising that the largeness of $a^i - i^a$ cannot be compensated by $a+i$. In this case the solutions are $(a,i) = (1,0)$ or $(2,5)$.
Equation II implies $b=0$ so it must be that $a=2$ and $i=5$.
Equation V then gives $cf = 2f$ which means that $c=2=a$ or $f=0=b$ so this case doesn't work.

Alternatively, if $\\\$ \mapsto \times$ the equation II gives $b=0$ and equation IV gives $c=2a$.
Then equation V gives $c=a+1$ so that $a=1$ and $c=2$.
Inequality III then gives $0 < 0$ which is not allowed so there is no solution in case 4.(i)

Case 4.(ii)

If $ \\\$ \mapsto +$ then again equation VIII implies $(a,i) = (2,5)$ (as $(1,0)$ has already been disallowed).
Equation II implies $b=b^2$ so that $b=0$ or $b=1$.
However, equation IV then gives us $bc = 1$ which means $b=c=1$.

Alternatively, if $ \\\$ \mapsto -$ then equation VIII gives $a^i + i^a = a-i$. If $a$ is less than $-1$ then the right hand side of this equation is an integer where the left cannot be, similarly when $i<-1$. If both numbers are greater than $1$, then the left hand side is clearly bigger. The only solution we can get here is thus $a=1, i=0$ but this has already been disallowed. Hence there are no solutions in case 4.(ii)

Case 4.(iii)

If $ \\\$ \mapsto -$ then equation VIII gives $a^i + i^a = a-i$. As before, the only solution we can get here is $a=1, i=0$ but this value for $a$ is disallowed by I.

Alternatively, suppose $\\\$ \mapsto \times$.
Then equation II gives $b=0$. Equation V then gives us $c = a-1$ and equation IV gives $c=2a$. Thus $a=-1$ and $c=-2$.
Equation VIII then gives $(-1)^i = -1$ which tells us $i$ is odd.
Inequality III tells us that $d + d^{-1} < 0$ and so $d$ is negative and necessarily less than $-2$ so as not to cross paths with $a$ and $c$.
In inequality VII, if $h < -1$, then the right hand side is $-\infty$ (something that I missed before) so $h > 0$. Inequality VII then tells us that $c^5 - d^3 < 1$ which means that $d^3 > -33$ and so $d=-3$.
Inequality VI gives $g^2 + d^e < 0$ which means that $e$ is necessarily odd and $>1$ as $e=1$ forces $|g| < 2$ and all values in this range are already taken.
Finally inequality IX gives $e^{2h} < \bigstar < ec^2 + a = 4e-1$.
Since $h > 0$ the only value of $e$ which can make the left smaller than the right is $e=3$ and then we must have $h=1$. Then $e^{2h} = 9$, $4e-1 = 11$ and $\bigstar=10$ is the singular value which works.

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9
  • $\begingroup$ You missed something that restricts exactly what you need. It is a bit sneaky, but consider consulting the original equations $\endgroup$
    – NODO55
    Commented Aug 9, 2023 at 19:11
  • $\begingroup$ Also, in case 1.i.a, have you considered $f\in \mathbb{Z}_{even}$? $\endgroup$
    – NODO55
    Commented Aug 9, 2023 at 19:15
  • $\begingroup$ I also found minor issues in cases 1.i.b, 2.i.b, 4.iii (I don't know any a<-1 such that $a^{a^a}\in \mathbb{R}$) but I think these are trivial enough $\endgroup$
    – NODO55
    Commented Aug 9, 2023 at 19:50
  • $\begingroup$ @NODO55 yes, you're right, I have made some mistakes, will fix these up. Regarding $a^{a^a}$, if $a=-3$, for example then this is $(-3)^{-1/27}$ and I think there is a real root here (essentially the negative of the 27th root of 1/3). This works for all negative odd numbers but not evens. $\endgroup$
    – hexomino
    Commented Aug 9, 2023 at 20:28
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @NODO55 What about $n=14$? That's a whole integer, even better. Gives $-1$ as one of the roots. $\endgroup$
    – hexomino
    Commented Aug 9, 2023 at 21:00

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