Tonight I tried the MU Puzzle:

Let's suppose to have the symbols M, I, and U which can be combined to produce strings of symbols or "words". The MU puzzle asks to start with a the "axiomatic" word MI and transform it into the word MU using in each step one of the following transformation rules:

1. At the end of any string ending in I, you can add a U, such as changing MI to MIU.
2. You can double any string after the M (that is, change Mx, to Mxx), such as changing MIU to MIUIU.
3. You can replace any III with a U, such as changing MUIIIU to MUUU.
4. You can remove any UU, such as changing MUUU to MU.

Using these 4 rules is it possible to change MI into MU?

Woo-Hoo!! I solved it!

1. MII (rule 2)
2. MIIII (rule 2)
3. MIIIIU (rule 1)
4. MIUU (rule 3)
5. MIUUIUU (rule 2)
6. MIUUIUUIUU (rule 2)
7. MIII (rule 4)
8. MU (rule 3)

...then I learned that there is no solution. Thanks Wikipedia for making me feel like an idiot. Can you spot my mistake?

Posted by J.P. Cummins ● Comments (0)