In the game of mancala there is a board with 2 rows of 6 holes.(To make this easier imagine these rows travelling from left to right)

In each of these holes there are 4 gems. Also, At the end of each row is a special cup. (this cup is not included as one of the 6 holes) Everytime you drop a stone into this cup you guarantee yourself that gem.

In order to get gems into that cup you must pick up all the gems in any 1 hole and drop 1 gem in every hole ahead of it in order from left to right. If you drop it in your rightmost hole you then drop 1 in your cup and proceed dropping along your opponents cups from right to left.(still from your point of view.) For those who are still confused you are pretty much picking up all the gems in one hole and dropping them one at a time counter-clockwise in every hole and cup you come across.

If the last gem you drop lands in your cup you get to go again.

So the question I ask you is this: What is the maximum number of gems that can be on your side that can be sunk on 1 turn(including everytime you get to go again)? Also, how would they have to be set up?

(Still not clear on the rules? Play it here)

(In reply to There's an error in the solution by Erik O.)

Actually, the error seems to be in the problem itself.  In mancala as I know it, you always skip the opponents special cup.  Also, there's a way of stealing gems from the opponent's cups, but I assume that rule was removed to put a limit on this puzzle.  I believe there are many variations of mancala, so I could be wrong about Alan's intentions.

Posted by Tristan on 2005-03-05 03:02:24