Troop 103 News Bits

Mission Peak Rim of the Bay Hike

September 14th Off to a good start all reported on time and in uniform. The Scouts took off on a beautiful sunny day, a little warm but cooler than the day before. It was good to see so many younger Scouts out on the hike. We had 8 Scouts and 7 Adults. This was a good close hike so we could shake down what needed fixing. Most were prepared with water but extras were provided half way up the hill. Some scouts discovered how HIGH up they were when they walked REAL CLOSE to the edge and decided to move in. Yes, this was not a staircase with railing. One of the highlights of the trip was the helicopter that was flying right at the top. It was so close that Cameron was able to talk with police in the chopper. At one point he ran off as if they were in pursuit of him. At the top of the Peak, Mr. Mitscha took pictures for all of us and e-mailed them out. All had a good time. Lessons learned. You need good hiking shoes that fit. Test them going up and DOWN. If your foot slides going down then the shoe is too big. Try and get one that fits nicely. Wear sunscreen and a hat. Pack plenty of water and hiking sticks are nice to have if you need one. - Karen Grimes

Glow Stick Sales

October 10th to 30th They exceeded expectations. Thank you Scouts for your hard work and sacrifice. They came out on those cold and dark nights leading up to Halloween. We did great. We sold $2,113 and of that $1,370 was profit. Great job. Hope to see you all next year. Did you enjoy the maze? - Karen Grimes

Junior Leadership Training

November 8th to 9th The training done by the JLT staff was lead off by David Carson, Cameron Owens, Erik Brown, Drew Mitscha, Greg Shuflin, and the rest of the staffs. They taught subjects such as Conflict Management, Communication, Planning, and more. They are all Brownsea Trained. The JLT staff really put themselves into it this year. Yes sir, they put their back into it by shoveling sand into sandbags to keep the place from flooding. We also had Scouts cleaning gutters in the pouring rain. Yes sir it was a team effort from the Adults to the Scouts to keep their heads above water. What a team! - Karen Grimes

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Merry Christmas And

Happy New Year

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Photo Album

Marched in the opening ceremony of a local baseball game.

A group of happy Scouts at the September 2003 Court of Honor

2003 Royaneh Camp Just arrived at the camp

2003 Scout for Food Scout for Food was a great success. Over 4000 cans of food were collected and they were heading to the Food Bank

2003 Royaneh Camp Recess after a day of camp activities 2003 Scout for Food Bustling Scout for Food distribution center 2

Candid Camera

- This game is boring!!! Wait a minute, someone took my Queen. - I took your Queen with my Bishop. - Ah! Ha! Ive just found a fingerprint. Lets see who took my Queen. Oooooh! It was Smokey the Bear?!!

- I am nervous! I am really nervous!!! This is my first time riding on a horse. - Lucky that I have a checklist here. Lets me check and make sure everything is in order. - The horse has harness, checked. Saddle, checked. Horseshoes, checked. Four of them, checked.

- From the announcer; Coming up, the next entertainer is our Bay Area Seven time Tap Dancing Champion Mr. Ted Denson. He is going to perform the famous Dancing on the Hot Tin Drum routine.

- Run, Erik, run!!! - Now what am I going to do. Ive just got my T-shirt really dirty. Ma is not going to be happy about this. Should I wash it with Clorox or Tide? - Erik, what are you doing? Youve just missed the barrel. You should run around the barrel

Entertain Your Brain

The Sultans Dilemma
Once upon a time, there was a wise Sultan. He ruled his kingdom stretching from one end of the desert to another. He had two wise sons and they were twins. One day he summoned his sons to his palace. He said, "I have ruled this kingdom for decades. Now, I am aging and need to pass my throne to one of you. I love both of you dearly and cannot decide which one should take the throne. I now order each of you to pick your best camel and depart from my capital city. The one who comes back to this city last would get the throne." So the young princes left the city at dusk. They traveled in close distance so that they could spy on each other. They circled outside the capital city. They traveled days and months and finally slowed to a halt. They could not figure out how to outlast each other. Finally they decided to travel together and muttered if they would ever go back to their beloved city before the old sultan died. One day, they met a caravan. They were invited to dine with their chief. They explained their dilemma to the wise old man. The old man thought for a long time. Finally he looked up and whispered to the young princes. They immediately realized the solution. They went outside and saddled on the camels. They raced back to the capital and one of them got the throne. How did they figure out the solution? Who finally got the throne? - A.K. (Answer: See page 7)

Math Puzzle
Can you use exactly four 4s and any of the arithmetic operators (+, -, *, /, and parentheses) to make all the numbers from zero to ten? (Hint: 4 and 10 are the hardest) E.g. 4 + 4 4 4 = 0 - A.K. (Answer: See page 7)

Strategies for Winmine

Winmine is a window based computer game that is installed on most of the computers. The game is very simple. Depending on the level of expertise, you play with different size of board, and different number of mines. The objective is to uncover all the squares on the board without hitting a mine. When you select on a square, it can show you a blank (no mine in the vicinity), a mine (game over), or a count of the mines (1 to 8) in the eight surrounding squares. The steps continue until you hit a mine (you lose) or uncover all the squares (you win). Although the game is simple, it requires the skills in logic, probability, pattern recognition, but very little luck. With patience, discipline, and good strategies, you can win almost every game. It is an interesting game to play and kill time. Here are some of my wining strategies:

Strategies for Beginning of Game: Random Picks

Start the game by picking random and far apart squares along the edge of the board. This will give you a better chance of hitting a hole (cluster of blank squares adjacent to each other). Hole will automatically expand in all directions and stop on the edge of the mines.

Look for Corner Hole Patterns

When you get a hole, look for corner hole patterns (see Work around Corner Hole Patterns). The patterns provide a safe way on expanding the hole. You need a hole that has several corner hole patterns before you can switch to a different strategy (see Strategy for Mid Game). Otherwise, repeat this strategy until you find a good hole. The probability of not hitting a mine in the first 5 squares is around 42.5% (for 16x16 board with 40 mines) P = (T-M) / T * (T-M-1) / (T-1) * (T-M-2) / (T2) * (T-M-3) / (T-3) * (T-M-4) / (T-4) P: probability of not hitting a mine in first 5 squares T: total number of squares on the board M: total number of mines

Move around Obstacles

When you expand the hole toward the rest of the board, you may confront a pattern that cannot predict any safe square. Do not take any chance. Switch over and work on a different side of the hole. Quite often it will expand and go around the obstacle you have just abandoned.

Work on Multiple Fronts

You can expand the hole on multiple fronts so that if you encounter an obstacle on one side you can switch over to another side. There are many reasons for multiple fronts. First, the second front may develop and go around the obstacle you have just abandoned. Secondly, a new front gives you a change of attention and keep you more alert. Finally, it gives you more time to think about the obstacle that you have temporarily deferred. You can continue the mid game strategy until the end game.

Strategies for Mid Game: Work around Corner Hole Patterns

Now you have a good hole. Expand on the edge of the hole until it covers the entire board. Always work around the corner hole patterns (see example 1 and figure 1). The corner hole pattern suggests the way of picking a safe square (no mine). After you have played the game long enough, you will notice other patterns and derive strategy for those patterns. But the corner hole pattern is probably the safest pattern to use reliably.

Examples (use the notations and game board

shown on figure 1):

Logic Analysis
Each mine count around the pattern suggests mine locations in the uncovered squares. You can formulate one logic expression based on each count. By combining the expressions together, you can surely predict which square is absolutely safe to pick.

Use Probability
Many times you can increase your odds by using probability. You will pick the square that has the lower probability to be a mine. See example 3.

Notations: Rows are numbered from 1 to 9 and A to G from top to bottom Columns are numbered from 1 to 9 and A to G from left to right SMN: square on Mth row and Nth column. VMN: mine count in the square on Mth row and Nth column. 5

Example 1) shows expansion using the corner hole pattern. V25 identifies the corner hole S34 is a mine. V24 identifies one mine in location S33 or S34. Since S34 is a mine, then S33 cannot be a mine. V23 identifies two mines in locations S32, S33 and S34. Since S34 is a mine and S33 is not a mine, then S32 must be a mine. V45 identifies one mine in locations S34, S35 and S36. Since S34 is a mine, then S35 and S36 cannot be mine. Example 2) shows inconclusive logic analysis using a different pattern. V56 identifies S65 is a mine. V66 identifies one mine in locations S75, S76 and S77. V67 identifies one mine in locations S76, S77 and S78. V68 identifies one mine in locations S77, S78, S79, S69 and S59. The logic analysis is not conclusive because the pattern can be generated by at least two of the following scenarios: 1) Mines in S75 and S78, 2) Mines in S76 and S79. Example 3) shows the use of probability. V1A identifies one mine in location S1B or S2B. The probability of having mine in S1B is 50%, and S2B 50%. V29 identifies one mine in location S39 or S3A. The probability for S39 is 50%, and S3A 50%. V2A identifies one mine in locations S39, S3A, S3B, S2B and S1B. The probability for S3B is only 20%. So you would pick S3B as the most likely safe square because of its lower probability.

that you require luck. Fortunately, even odd pairs do not always happen. See example 4.

Examples (use game board shown on figure 2)

Example 4) shows an even odd pairs. V1F and V2F both identifies one mine in S1G or S2G. There is no other information. S1G and S2G both have 50% chance to be a mine. In this case, you have to rely on your luck. Example 5) shows the advantage of counting mines. There are a total of 40 mines. There are 36 sure mines: S12, S15, S1B, S21, S28, S3C, S3F, S3G, S42, S51, S57, S62, S72, S81, S88, S8C, S9C, SA3, SAD, SC5, SC7, SC8, SCB, SCE, SD2, SD7, SDD, SE3, SE4, SF3, SFC, SFD, SG4, SGB, SGC, and SGD. S1G and S2G are even odd pairs and have only one mine. So there are three mines remained in locations SF1, SF2, SG1 and SG2. The only scenario that satisfies the logic analysis is: SF2 has no mine. SF1, SG1and SG2 all have mines.

Strategies for End Game: Count Mines

When it nears the end of the game, you can count the number of mines that you have found. You can calculate the number of mines that are left and predict their general locations. This can help you to pick the safe squares from the remaining area.

Conclusion
Winmine can be an interesting game. The game requires skills on logic, probability, pattern recognition, but very little luck. The only times you need lucks are at the beginning of the game and at the end game. With good strategies, you can win almost every game (after you have passed the random picks). - A. K.

Even Odd pairs

After you have completely picked all the squares that are predicted by logic analysis. The squares remained in doubt are all in pairs. You have 50% chance to pick the safe square or 50% chance to hit the mine. This is one of the times

News Bits (Continue)

Survivor Camp Out
November 15th to 16th November was a camping month. We had JLT and Survivor Camp Out. This year Survivor was blessed with pleasant weather compared to the past. We hiked from the parking lot of Los Mochos to Dead Wood where we set up camp. We cooked and ate our backpacking food. This was a really fun campout. We all brought our stoves, backpacking tents or troop tents. The Scouts who shared troop tent had to divide the weight among them. It gave them a sense of what it was like to hike into a campsite. We survived. We hiked, cooked on our backpacking stoves and ate our food. There were lots of varieties. We put on some skits at the campfire on Saturday night. We also had newer Scouts. Since this was their first time, they had a lot to learn. Scouting is great, there is always something to be learned from someone else no matter how long you have been in Scouts or camping. Cameron had one tick bite. Boy getting that tick out was tough. But once out he tore the head right off so that it would not bite again. Lessons learned: Ticks hurt when they bite. No more than two Scouts in a tent. Follow chain of command call Patrol Leader first. - Karen Grimes

to explore with their minds. The subjects can be puzzles, mind games, mysteries, scientific stories, and etc. You are always welcomed to contribute and share your puzzle or story with our readers. Many thanks to Tim Howard and Beckie Kinghorn for the advices, Karen Grimes for the interesting News Bits, Karen Huie and Bob Mitcha for the beautiful pictures. We also pose this newsletter on our website. The reader can find the enlarge pictures at the site. Andrew Kwok Newsletter Editor

Answer for The Sultans Dilemma

The old chief told the princes that their problem was unusual; therefore it needed an unusual solution. Since their father did not indicate what would be judged for entering the capital, the princes could interpret their camels would be used for the judging. That meant the prince who owned the camel entering the capital last would receive the throne. The solution was the princes switched and rode on their opponents camel. They then raced to the capital city. Whoever entering the city first implied his camel would enter last, and he would receive the throne. Apparently, the king accepted that interpretation.

Answers for Math Puzzle

Editorial Corner
We start two new columns in this issue. The first column Candid Camera provides a funny look at the pictures that we have captured. You are welcomed to contribute pictures and/or funny comments to the column as long as the comments do not violate any Scout spirits or they do not deem offensive to the readers or the people in the picture. Second column Entertain Your Brain intends to draw our young Scouts

44+4 4=0 4*4/4/4=1 4/4+4/4=2 (4+4+4)/4=3 4+(44)*4=4 (4+4*4)/4=5 4+(4+4)/4=6 4+44/4=7 4*4/4+4=8 4+4+4/4=9 ( 44 4 ) / 4 = 10