Pico Fermi Bagels

Describe | Using | Example | Versions | Distribution

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Describe PFB

PFB (Pico, Fermi, Bagels) is a number guessing game, similar to MasterMind or Jotto. For each guess, you will be told:

Fermi: a correct digit placed correctly
Pico: a correct digit placed incorrectly
Bagels: no digits are correct

Using PFB

New Game: start a new game
Allow Zero: is zero a possible digit?
# Digits: select number of digits (2-6)
Give Up: see answer
Guess: type a number guess
Result: <tab> from Guess, or select Result field for feedback; on Newton, Result displayed when Guess reaches correct number of digits

Example

If Allow Zero = checked, Digits = 3, and PFB's number = 029

Guess	Result	comment
376	Bagels	no digits correct
914	Pico	1 digit correct but in wrong place
820	Fermi Pico	2 digits correct, but 1 in wrong place
...		(keep guessing)
092	Fermi Pico Pico	all digits correct, 2 in wrong places
029	Fermi Fermi Fermi !!!	you won

This version of Pico Fermi Bagels requires a browser with JavaScript support (or NewtonScript support, i.e., Newt's Cape on 2.x Newton with i:General:NewtonScript:Compile preference); besides Newt's Cape, it has been tested with

Macintosh OS X: Safari 2.0; Firefox 1.0.4; Internet Explorer 5.2.3;
Macintosh OS 9: Netscape 4.7, 4.5, 4.0.8, 3.0.4; Internet Explorer 5.0, 4.5;
Windows: Internet Explorer 6.0, 5.0, 4.0; Firefox 1.0.4; Netscape 7.2, 6.0, 4.0.8, 3.0; Opera 8.0

Let me know about your experience with other browsers.

PFB is similar in concept and strategy to MasterMind and Jotto (but PFB does not allow duplicate digits). After I first saw "Pico Fermi Bagels" (PFB) as a Basic program at the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley in the early '70s, I wrote several Logo versions. My kids convinced me it was easier to remember "Fermi" by "firm" (though some programs may reverse roles of Fermi and Pico). PFB is a nice simple app to try in each new programming language/environment.

Last updated: 21 Jun 2005: updated syntax via JSLint and tested with newer browsers

Steve's Other JavaScript apps

Distribution

This version is free, and can be downloaded locally and mirrored in its entirety. If you copy/modify/improve the code, I would appreciate an acknowledgment of this version and link to this page.