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First Multistage Problem

Shortly after making this post I will introduce my first question in my multistage problem contest. Each of these questions will involve having to solve four different problems that have been created in the past and using the answers from these problems to solve the final problem. The final problem will have the links to all of the previous problems necessary to solve it and you can also find them under the tag #Cole'sProblems. The first person to solve the final stage of the series will receive 10 points, the second person will get 9 points and so on until the tenth person receives 1 point. I will continue to make problems until someone reaches 50 points and that person will be the winner. If there are enough people participating I will continue to do this and refresh the leaderboard at that point.

I intend on keeping the preliminary problems at a level 4 difficulty as to not prevent people from attempting the final problem. In the future the final problem may be harder than the preliminary problems but since this is the first series, the final problem will be roughly at the same level as the preliminary problems. I also want to gauge the audience that will be participating in the contest and see what level of difficulty will be best. In the case of this first series, the final problem may be easier than some of the preliminary problems.

I hope other users begin to post multistage problems as well. I've started up the tag #MultistageProblems so anyone's multistage problem can be found easily.

The first series can be found here.

Note by Cole Coupland
3 years, 4 months ago

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This is a really cool idea! I'll definitely be participating. Just one question.

If a bunch of people (more than $$15$$) solve the meta-problem between times that you check it, how will you be able to know who solved the meta-problem without missing them? Maybe it can be that when we finish it, we should post that we did on a separate thread for that problem? · 3 years, 4 months ago

I was actually just in the middle of making a post saying that you were the second person to solve it. I was sort of worried last night that if more than 15 people solved it I wouldn't be able to figure out who the top ten were but only Aastha had solved it overnight. I know there are a few people who have solved 3 out of the 4 problems recently or all of them but have yet to solve the final problem so hopefully there will be some more solvers soon. I'll make a separate note right now where people can post that they solved it. I'll add you on the leaderboard for 9 points. Thanks for sharing the note and the problem! · 3 years, 4 months ago