In 2012, during a gaming convention dinner chat, a board game creator challenged mathematician Eric Harshbarger to devise dice for determining the starting player without the chance of a tie. The objective was to expedite the game’s commencement.
Harshbarger, a senior lecturer and mathematician at Auburn University, welcomed the puzzle as it lacked an immediate solution, a typical enticement for mathematicians. While he originally conceived a theoretical set of dice ensuring a distinct winner with a single roll, crafting functional dice proved arduous.
After years of collaboration with computer scientists and mathematicians worldwide, Harshbarger and his team created a set of four 12-sided dice, guaranteeing a fair outcome for two, three, or four players. However, devising dice for five players posed a more intricate challenge.
The team explored various theories to minimize the dice’s sides, eventually settling on a practical solution proposed by an Australian researcher involving five 120-sided dice. Subsequently, a Canadian software engineer, Paul Meyer, joined the initiative and devised a solution using five 60-sided dice, a breakthrough validated by Harshbarger.
Despite skepticism from some researchers regarding the dice’s practical application, Harshbarger asserts the dice’s fairness is mathematically sound, with any discrepancies likely attributed to the manufacturing process.
The research continues as they explore the feasibility of fewer sides for a five-player set and potential expansion to accommodate six players. Harshbarger emphasizes the unpredictability and allure of the problem, highlighting the enduring pursuit of mathematical beauty despite its seemingly trivial nature.
