In 2012, at a gaming convention, a board game designer challenged mathematician Eric Harshbarger to create dice that could determine the starting player without the risk of a tie. The aim was to expedite the game setup process. Harshbarger, a senior lecturer at Auburn University, found the problem intriguing due to its lack of an obvious solution, which mathematicians often find appealing.
After years of collaboration with computer scientists and mathematicians worldwide, Harshbarger and his team developed a set of 12-sided dice to resolve the issue for two, three, or four players swiftly. However, designing dice for five players proved to be a more complex task. The challenge lay in translating the mathematical solution into a physically manufacturable die.
Ultimately, a breakthrough came when a researcher from Australia proposed using five 120-sided dice, leading to further refinements by a Canadian software engineer, Paul Meyer. Meyer’s approach involved computational techniques and rigorous verification, resulting in the successful design of five 60-sided dice.
While some have questioned the practicality of these dice, Harshbarger asserts their mathematical fairness. The ongoing research explores the potential for fewer sides in a five-player set and the extension of the concept to accommodate six players. Despite the challenges, Harshbarger remains intrigued by the problem’s unpredictability and the enduring quest for innovative solutions in mathematics.
