On 7/16/2022 1:44 PM, henh...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> pls share a memorable quote (or joke) related to math...

"It's not obvious." -- John Horton Conway

(Or perhaps "It isn't obvious." My memory is imperfect, and I've
been unable to locate the source -- it must have been among Martin
Gardner's writings; perhaps someone else will come up with the
accurate quote and the correct context. Anyhow, the imperfectly-
recalled scenario went somewhat like this: Gardner was speaking to
Conway at a party or something, and told him of a construction or
puzzle someone else had come up with -- something to do with a
generalization of N-ominoes, possibly. Gardner mentioned that the
originator was still struggling with a question concerning the
three-dimensional analogs of his construction -- maybe "Can they
tile three-space?" -- and Conway immediately said "Well, it's
obvious that..." and broke off. He maintained silence for some
macroscopic time span during which Gardner wondered what magical
realms of higher thought Conway might be exploring, then finally
remarked "It's not obvious" and walked away.)

(If you're the first to run down the original story, I will donate
one thousand electrons to the charity of your choosing.)

--
esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid
Look on my code, ye Hackers, and guffaw!

On 17/07/2022 1:18 am, Eric Sosman wrote:
> On 7/16/2022 1:44 PM, henh...@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>> pls share a memorable quote (or joke) related to math...
>
> "It's not obvious." -- John Horton Conway
>
> (Or perhaps "It isn't obvious."  My memory is imperfect, and I've
> been unable to locate the source -- it must have been among Martin
> Gardner's writings; perhaps someone else will come up with the
> accurate quote and the correct context.  Anyhow, the imperfectly-
> recalled scenario went somewhat like this: Gardner was speaking to
> Conway at a party or something, and told him of a construction or
> puzzle someone else had come up with -- something to do with a
> generalization of N-ominoes, possibly.  Gardner mentioned that the
> originator was still struggling with a question concerning the
> three-dimensional analogs of his construction -- maybe "Can they
> tile three-space?" -- and Conway immediately said "Well, it's
> obvious that..." and broke off.  He maintained silence for some
> macroscopic time span during which Gardner wondered what magical
> realms of higher thought Conway might be exploring, then finally
> remarked "It's not obvious" and walked away.)
>
> (If you're the first to run down the original story, I will donate
> one thousand electrons to the charity of your choosing.)

Try Martin Gardner's Mathematical Games: The Entire Collection of
His "Scientific American" Columns. Just saying it's worth a look,
not that it's definitely in there.

It's a story I have always treasured, but evidently not enough.

--
Richard Heathfield
Email: rjh at cpax dot org dot uk
"Usenet is a strange place" - dmr 29 July 1999
Sig line 4 vacant - apply within

On Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 6:05:01 PM UTC-7, Richard Heathfield wrote:
> On 17/07/2022 1:18 am, Eric Sosman wrote:
> > On 7/16/2022 1:44 PM, henh...@gmail.com wrote:
> >>
> >> pls share a memorable quote (or joke) related to math...
> >
> > "It's not obvious." -- John Horton Conway
> >
> > (Or perhaps "It isn't obvious." My memory is imperfect, and I've
> > been unable to locate the source -- it must have been among Martin
> > Gardner's writings; perhaps someone else will come up with the
> > accurate quote and the correct context. Anyhow, the imperfectly-
> > recalled scenario went somewhat like this: Gardner was speaking to
> > Conway at a party or something, and told him of a construction or
> > puzzle someone else had come up with -- something to do with a
> > generalization of N-ominoes, possibly. Gardner mentioned that the
> > originator was still struggling with a question concerning the
> > three-dimensional analogs of his construction -- maybe "Can they
> > tile three-space?" -- and Conway immediately said "Well, it's
> > obvious that..." and broke off. He maintained silence for some
> > macroscopic time span during which Gardner wondered what magical
> > realms of higher thought Conway might be exploring, then finally
> > remarked "It's not obvious" and walked away.)
> >
> > (If you're the first to run down the original story, I will donate
> > one thousand electrons to the charity of your choosing.)

> Try Martin Gardner's Mathematical Games: The Entire Collection of
> His "Scientific American" Columns. Just saying it's worth a look,
> not that it's definitely in there.
>
> It's a story I have always treasured, but evidently not enough.
> --

thanks! for the great info !

https://www.alaricstephen.com/main-featured/2017/5/20/polycube-snakes

Martin Gardner's
[The Colossal Book of Mathematics: Classic Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Problems ]
Page 203 ---

On 7/20/2022 10:55 AM, henh...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 6:05:01 PM UTC-7, Richard Heathfield wrote:
>> On 17/07/2022 1:18 am, Eric Sosman wrote:
>>> On 7/16/2022 1:44 PM, henh...@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>
>>>> pls share a memorable quote (or joke) related to math...
>>>
>>> "It's not obvious." -- John Horton Conway
>>>
>>> (Or perhaps "It isn't obvious." My memory is imperfect, and I've
>>> been unable to locate the source -- it must have been among Martin
>>> Gardner's writings; perhaps someone else will come up with the
>>> accurate quote and the correct context. Anyhow, the imperfectly-
>>> recalled scenario went somewhat like this: Gardner was speaking to
>>> Conway at a party or something, and told him of a construction or
>>> puzzle someone else had come up with -- something to do with a
>>> generalization of N-ominoes, possibly. Gardner mentioned that the
>>> originator was still struggling with a question concerning the
>>> three-dimensional analogs of his construction -- maybe "Can they
>>> tile three-space?" -- and Conway immediately said "Well, it's
>>> obvious that..." and broke off. He maintained silence for some
>>> macroscopic time span during which Gardner wondered what magical
>>> realms of higher thought Conway might be exploring, then finally
>>> remarked "It's not obvious" and walked away.)
>>>
>>> (If you're the first to run down the original story, I will donate
>>> one thousand electrons to the charity of your choosing.)
>
>
>> Try Martin Gardner's Mathematical Games: The Entire Collection of
>> His "Scientific American" Columns. Just saying it's worth a look,
>> not that it's definitely in there.
>>
>> It's a story I have always treasured, but evidently not enough.
>> --
>
>
> thanks! for the great info !
>
> https://www.alaricstephen.com/main-featured/2017/5/20/polycube-snakes
>
> Martin Gardner's
> [The Colossal Book of Mathematics: Classic Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Problems ]
> Page 203 ---

Splendid! I've shipped your thousand-electron reward via DHL;
here's the tracking link:

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/2016931/costa-rica.jpg

--
esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid
Look on my code, ye Hackers, and guffaw!