Solution to the Cracker Barrel Restaurant “Peg Game”
Have you ever played with the peg game while waiting for your dinner to
be served? Me too! Have you ever been frustrated that the winning solution
is so hard to discover? Me too! Have you ever asked for help, rather than
continuing to try failing moves? Me too!
The same is true for the Christian Life. I’ve often been frustrated
that the “winning combination” of relationships and work in life
continues to be an elusive ideal. Meanwhile, I continue to try different
moves. I feel like I’m making some success… until I discover there are
still several isolated pegs left at the end of the game when no more
jumps are possible. Often I’ve been tempted to just give up and accept
defeat. Yet, part of me feels like it would be nice to finally “get it
right.”
Then one day, an intelligent waitress actually showed us the solution to
the puzzle! After seeing someone else work out the winning combination of
moves I finally had the help I needed.
The same is true for the Christian Life. Jesus has set the example, and
invites us to “come, and follow me.” I’ve discovered that a life of
discipleship, living according to the pattern that God has given to us in
the Bible, is indeed a “winning solution” to life’s challenges! Have you
made that same discovery? You are invited to come join us at Bethany
Church as we live out the Christian Life together.
For those interested, here’s a Solution to the Cracker Barrel Restaurant
“Peg Game”
The wooden triangle has 15 holes and 14 pegs (or golf tees.) Position the
puzzle with a long side on your left and the point facing toward the
right. Now consider the layout as five columns with five rows in the
first column. Column 2 has only 4 rows, column 3 has only 3 rows, and so
on. I’ve drawn a grid to visualize the puzzle using a simple notation of
column numbers and row letters.
1A
2A
1B 3A
2B 4A
1C 3B 5A
2C 4B
1D 3C
2D
1E
Begin with 5A
empty. As you “jump” pegs, remove them just as in the game of Checkers. Follow
the pattern of moves provided to solve the puzzle. The last peg ends up in 5A,
the hole that was originally empty at the beginning of the game!
Move# From - To (removing
peg at location)
1. 3A -5A (x4A)
2. 3C -3A (x3B)
3. 5A -3C (x4B)
4. 2D -4B (x3C)
5. 2A -4A (x3A)
6. 1C -3A (x2B)
7. 1E -1C (x1D)
8. 1B -1D (x1C)
9. 4A -2A (x3A)
10. 1A -3A (x2A)
11. 1D -3B (x2C)
12. 3A -3C (x3B)
13. 3C -5A (x4B)
By the way, I’ve
recently discovered another solution that leaves the last peg in hole 1C, in the middle of the long column. Try this pattern
to find another winning solution!
Move# From - To (removing
peg at location)
1. 3A -5A (x4A)
2. 3C -3A (x3B)
3. 5A -3C (x4B)
4. 2D -4B (x3C)
5. 1D -3B (x2C)
6. 3A -3C (x3B)
7. 4B -2D (x3C)
8. 1E -3C (x4D)
9. 1B -1D (x1C)
10. 2A -2C (x2B)
11. 3C -1C (x2C)
12. 1D -1B (x1C)
12. 1A -1C (x1B)
May God bless you
as you meet the challenges of life with that winning combination of faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ, and hope in the promises of the Gospel
message, and love for God, yourself and others.
With my prayers and best wishes, Pastor Doug VanNiel.
I also found some online links:
For a computer analysis perspective of many, many solutions
see
www.danobrien.ws/PegBoard.html
The Cracker Barrel site has the history of the game, some
hints, and a couple of online versions of the game
at http://www.crackerbarrel.com/games-kids.cfm?doc_id=217.
Danceguy has a cool Java applet version of the
game online at http://mywebpages.comcast.net/danceguy/PegGame.html
Venture Manufacturing lists a dozen solutions to the puzzle
at
http://www.pegame.com/sol_orig.html
and of course, a Google search
provides countless other links! Enjoy.
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