85

I am organising a lottery and Springer have kindly agreed to donate a copy of LaTeX and Friends.

Joseph Wright has kindly agreed to act a an independent witness/judge and he knows the winning number.

<LEGAL STUFF> The lottery closes when the judges announce the winner. The judges decision is final and there shall be no discussion and or correspondence about the outcome of the lottery. </LEGAL STUFF>

To win the book you must guess a number in the range 1--200. The first person who guesses the right number wins the book. Please note that the time of arrival in TeX-SX is what counts, not the time of sending.

To give everybody a fair chance, you may submit only one number.

There is one exception to the previous rule. If several contestants submit the same number, the contestant whose submission arrived first is valid. The other contestants may resubmit a new number.

Contestants must have been a member of TeX-SX before 13 December, 2012. (Without this restriction, people may start creating fake accounts and submit multiple guesses.)

Please post your guess as an answer to this meta question; not as a comment. Comments will be ignored. Please only put your guess in the body of the answer.

Guesses will be checked every couple of days and the winner will be announced within a few days after.

EDIT: At the winner's request, I can sign the book. (I'm not doing this by default because I know some people want to keep their books pencil and ink free.)

EDIT: There are still plenty of free numbers. I am relaxing the rules. Contestants may submit 2 (valid) guesses.

EDIT: Congratulations to @seadoor for guessing the right number 132. Well done. Thanks to Joseph Wright for helping as a judge and alerting me the right number had been chosen (I hadn't noticed it because it was added as an edit to an existing post). Thanks to everybody for participating. It took a bit longer than anticipated. Next time I should allow a shorter range of numbers.

Finally, please accept my apologies for entering the publicity tag.

Have fun.

Marc van Dongen

The numbers that are already chosen : Running your favorite algorithm-sort... Please Wait...

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 41 42 43 45 47 49 50 51 52 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 64 65 66 67 68 69 71 72 73 74 75 77 78 80 81 83 84 85 87 88 89 91 92 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 105 106 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 135 136 137 138 139 142 143 144 145 147 149 150 151 152 153 154 156 157 160 161 162 164 165 166 167 169 170 171 172 173 174 176 177 180 182 183 185 187 188 190 191 193 195 196 197 198 199 200 250

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|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|044|◖■◗|046|◖■◗|048|◖■◗|◖■◗|
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|◖■◗|◖■◗|053|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|
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|◖■◗|◖■◗|063|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|070|
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|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|076|◖■◗|◖■◗|079|◖■◗|
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|◖■◗|082|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|086|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|090|
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|◖■◗|◖■◗|093|094|095|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|
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|◖■◗|◖■◗|103|104|◖■◗|◖■◗|107|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|
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|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|115|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|
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|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|134|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|140|
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|141|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|146|◖■◗|148|◖■◗|◖■◗|
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|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|155|◖■◗|◖■◗|158|159|◖■◗|
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|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|175|◖■◗|◖■◗|178|179|◖■◗|
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|181|◖■◗|◖■◗|184|◖■◗|186|◖■◗|◖■◗|189|◖■◗|
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\documentclass[border=5mm]{standalone}
\usepackage{pgfplots}

\def\transformtime#1-#2-#3 #4:#5!{
    \pgfkeys{/pgf/fpu=true,/pgf/fpu/output format=fixed}
    \pgfmathparse{#3+#4/24+#5/(24*60)-24}
    \pgfkeys{/pgf/fpu=false}
}

\pgfplotsset{
    timeplot zero/.initial=0,
    timeplot/.style={
        x coord trafo/.code={\expandafter\transformtime##1!},
        x coord inv trafo/.code={%
            \pgfkeys{/pgf/fpu=true,/pgf/fpu/output format=fixed}
            \pgfmathtruncatemacro\days{floor{##1+23}}
            \pgfmathtruncatemacro\hours{(##1+23-\days)*24+24}
            \def\pgfmathresult{\days\ Dec}
            \pgfkeys{/pgf/fpu=false}
        },
    scaled x ticks=false,
    xticklabel=\tick
    }
}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}[
    xcomb,
    timeplot,
    x tick label as interval,
    axis on top,
    xmin=2012-12-13 17:59,
    xmax=2012-12-20 24:00,
    xtick={2012-12-13 17:59, 2012-12-14 0:0.01, 2012-12-15 0:0.01, 2012-12-15 24:00.01, 2012-12-16 24:00.01, 2012-12-17 24:00.01, 2012-12-18 24:00.01, 2012-12-19 24:00.01, 2012-12-20 24:00.01},
    ymin=0, ymax=200,
    width=18cm, height=12cm,
    clip=false,
    extra x ticks={2012-12-13 17:59},
    after end axis/.code={
        \draw (axis cs:2012-12-13 17:59,0) -- (axis cs:2012-12-13 17:59,205) node [inner xsep=0pt, anchor=south west, align=left] {Lottery announced};
        \draw (axis cs:2012-12-17 7:10,0) -- (axis cs:2012-12-17 7:10,205) node [inner xsep=0pt, anchor=south west, align=left] {Relaxed rules:\\two votes allowed};
    }
]
\addplot +[draw=gray!50, mark options={black}, line width=12cm/200] table [col sep=comma] {
Time, Value
2012-12-13 18:22, 42
2012-12-13 18:28, 97
2012-12-13 18:56, 84
2012-12-13 18:58, 117
2012-12-13 19:07, 128
2012-12-13 19:11, 49
2012-12-13 19:19, 137
2012-12-13 19:21, 13
2012-12-13 19:22, 127
2012-12-13 19:28, 250
2012-12-13 19:43, 3
2012-12-13 21:43, 1
2012-12-13 21:47, 67
2012-12-13 22:02, 121
2012-12-13 22:13, 2
2012-12-13 22:29, 39
2012-12-13 22:42, 28
2012-12-13 23:07, 156
2012-12-13 23:27, 73
2012-12-13 23:34, 154
2012-12-13 23:39, 21
2012-12-13 23:55, 43
2012-12-14 0:04, 123
2012-12-14 0:27, 113
2012-12-14 1:12, 66
2012-12-14 1:26, 100
2012-12-14 2:12, 142
2012-12-14 2:31, 17
2012-12-14 2:43, 78
2012-12-14 3:53, 111
2012-12-14 5:38, 12
2012-12-14 7:21, 33
2012-12-14 8:50, 200
2012-12-14 8:52, 29
2012-12-14 9:00, 91
2012-12-14 9:21, 149
2012-12-14 9:25, 69
2012-12-14 9:39, 85
2012-12-14 10:23, 10
2012-12-14 10:36, 8
2012-12-14 11:11, 22
2012-12-14 11:13, 109
2012-12-14 11:45, 191
2012-12-14 12:04, 31
2012-12-14 13:14, 172
2012-12-14 15:56, 131
2012-12-14 14:29, 30
2012-12-14 15:44, 18
2012-12-14 17:06, 144
2012-12-14 17:24, 138
2012-12-14 17:50, 88
2012-12-14 19:47, 177
2012-12-14 20:17, 60
2012-12-14 20:34, 199
2012-12-14 20:51, 27
2012-12-14 21:05, 23
2012-12-14 22:51, 11
2012-12-14 23:48, 101
2012-12-15 1:14, 35
2012-12-15 1:20, 7
2012-12-15 3:16, 119
2012-12-15 4:33, 57
2012-12-15 4:42, 96
2012-12-15 6:13, 170
2012-12-15 9:00, 15
2012-12-15 13:59, 61
2012-12-15 14:58, 167
2012-12-15 16:43, 98
2012-12-15 17:13, 139
2012-12-15 18:15, 110
2012-12-15 18:25, 64
2012-12-15 20:33, 71
2012-12-15 20:46, 58
2012-12-15 23:03, 19
2012-12-16 10:02, 139
2012-12-16 11:34, 99
2012-12-16 13:56, 38
2012-12-16 14:56, 16
2012-12-16 17:42, 47
2012-12-16 18:29, 185
2012-12-16 19:34, 150
2012-12-16 20:45, 9
2012-12-17 6:01, 106
2012-12-17 7:45, 102
2012-12-17 7:50, 81
2012-12-17 7:50, 37
2012-12-17 8:20, 24
2012-12-17 8:20, 54
2012-12-17 8:23, 197
2012-12-17 8:23, 135
2012-12-17 8:36, 160
2012-12-17 8:46, 72
2012-12-17 8:54, 32
2012-12-17 9:52, 9
2012-12-17 10:8, 171
2012-12-17 12:07, 36
2012-12-17 12:20, 120    
2012-12-17 13:20, 169
2012-12-17 13:41, 6
2012-12-17 14:00, 182
2012-12-17 14:38, 163
2012-12-17 14:38, 188
2012-12-17 15:06, 187
2012-12-17 15:52, 129
2012-12-17 16:22, 4
2012-12-17 16:22, 5
2012-12-17 17:07, 80
2012-12-17 17:07, 166
2012-12-17 17:10, 162
2012-12-17 17:22, 55
2012-12-17 17:57, 105
2012-12-17 19:18, 14
2012-12-17 19:34, 147
2012-12-17 19:42, 34
2012-12-17 19:42, 157
2012-12-17 19:55, 112
2012-12-17 20:17, 183
2012-12-17 20:17, 45
2012-12-17 20:20, 198
2012-12-17 20:59, 87
2012-12-17 21:30, 20
2012-12-17 21:51, 116
2012-12-17 22:01, 77
2012-12-17 22:01, 145
2012-12-17 22:35, 133
2012-12-17 22:35, 51
2012-12-17 22:40, 180
2012-12-17 23:30, 151
2012-12-18 3:14, 161
2012-12-18 4:14, 105
2012-12-18 4:14, 106
2012-12-18 4:32, 195
2012-12-18 4:32, 196
2012-12-18 8:45, 190
2012-12-18 10:43, 108
2012-12-18 13:59, 89
2012-12-18 16:11, 65
2012-12-18 16:25, 164
2012-12-18 22:03, 173
2012-12-18 22:03, 174
2012-12-18 23:37, 136
2012-12-19 1:32, 130
2012-12-19 3:5, 75
2012-12-19 3:29, 62
2012-12-19 4:0, 68
2012-12-19 7:58, 125
2012-12-19 9:46, 83
2012-12-19 10:16, 41
2012-12-19 11:29, 92
2012-12-19 11:29, 114
2012-12-19 12:27, 122
2012-12-19 15:9, 143
2012-12-19 15:14, 152
2012-12-19 15:14, 153
2012-12-19 19:53, 74
2012-12-19 20:32, 52
2012-12-19 23:9, 126
2012-12-20 0:21, 50
2012-12-20 10:12, 59
2012-12-20 10:15, 165
};
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}
35
  • 3
    To all: After posting the answer can you please include your number on the list in the question ? If we expect high attendance it will soon go out of hand. Maybe we can collect all the guesses in one answer for ease similar to our package maintainers question.
    – percusse
    Commented Dec 13, 2012 at 22:44
  • 1
    @percusse - Newbies can't edit the question :(
    – Tyler
    Commented Dec 13, 2012 at 23:42
  • @Tyler No problem, I added the number :)
    – percusse
    Commented Dec 14, 2012 at 0:03
  • 6
    What happens if there are < 200 entries and the number you choose hasn't been picked by anyone?
    – Alan Munn
    Commented Dec 14, 2012 at 0:09
  • 3
    @AlanMunn Should there not be a winner by Christmas, I'll come up with a solution. Possible solutions are picking a contestant at random. (It's possible.)
    – user10274
    Commented Dec 14, 2012 at 8:08
  • 2
    FYI There's another book for grabs on comp.text.tex.
    – user10274
    Commented Dec 14, 2012 at 17:32
  • 6
    @AryehLeibTaurog The purpose of the lottery is to give away a book for free.
    – user10274
    Commented Dec 16, 2012 at 17:53
  • 5
    @MarcvanDongen In my defense: (1) I followed the suggestion to add my own number to the list and, before editing, checked the last several revisions before mine. Since the list and graph seemed to be maintained separately, I explicitly mentioned that I didn't update the graph as a courtesy to alert those actively maintaining it. Clearly that worked; my apologies if it offended. (2) I have been a member at TeX.SX since 17 January 2012 and am not sure how you determined otherwise. (3) I've submitted my second entry and updated the graph accordingly this time.
    – Tim Parenti
    Commented Dec 17, 2012 at 17:15
  • 2
    @Stephen It seems the graph is done in UTC according to the time the entry was posted here.
    – Tim Parenti
    Commented Dec 17, 2012 at 20:08
  • 2
    So those who come to enter now stand a much higher change than those of us who have entered already, because there are fewer numbers left for them to choose from :( But I guess we had the chance earlier on to guess before they did.
    – SabreWolfy
    Commented Dec 19, 2012 at 21:04
  • 3
    @SabreWolfy Ohh time for everyone to play Monty Hall
    – David Carlisle
    Commented Dec 20, 2012 at 1:14
  • 1
    @Jake We have a winner.
    – user10274
    Commented Dec 20, 2012 at 17:29
  • 1
    Is there some meaning to 132, or was it chosen randomly?
    – mafp
    Commented Dec 20, 2012 at 20:37
  • 1
    @mafp It was chosen at random. I sent the number to Joseph Wright before I announced the lottery.
    – user10274
    Commented Dec 20, 2012 at 20:40
  • 1
    @Qrrbrbirlbel As a figure of speech:)
    – user10274
    Commented Dec 20, 2012 at 22:44

122 Answers 122

Reset to default
1 2
3
4 5
2

17. Current number of upvotes. Also a number.

Second guess: 56

1

200 .... and some text for the answer.

1

149

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

1

27, because I am 27 years old!

1

i'll go for: 11

because it's more than 10 and less than twelve and also because you need to type at least 30 characters...

1

101 is mine, and this is some text to reach 30 chars

1

35. Because. (Well, I have a reason to choose this number, which I'll disclose if I win:P. Not that I believe it has greater chances or anything like that;).)

1

119 - just a random choice :).

1

96, please. A nicely balanced yet untraditional number indeed.

1

15 - a very nice number indeed!

1

My guess is 167. This should be > 30 characters for an answer now :)

1

110

Donald E. Knuth’s birthday in British/American date format: 1/10.

1

64

The first non-trivial square that is also a cube, of course... does it matter though?

1

I have no preference for any number, so I'll pick one at random:

  $ sudo apt-get install rand   
  $ rand -M 200
  58

And yes, it is easier sample(1:200;1) in R, but is too sort to avoid

Oops! Your answer couldn't be submitted because body must be at least 30 characters.

Well, definitively: 58

1

193

No reason.................

1

<>---<> <>---<>     99     <>---<> <>---<>

1

16, just because it is 7+9. And now the body is sufficiently long.

1

9 - My lucky number forever....

1

102 - Year and month of my daughters birth =)

1

My picks (now that I've been allowed a second number):

n in (38, 171)
1

61

I used R to draw a random number.

> sample.int(200,1)
[1] 61

I tossed a die and came up with 6 as my second number.

1

OK Thanks Marc. This is my second number -- 169

enter image description here

1

80, as my first number.
166, as my second one.

I hope to be lucky!

1

I'd like to choose 14, as it's a random number, and 112.

1

150 - half the number of pages the book has.

As a second guess: 116... for no special reason.

1

190! I choose you!

Just because.

1

19

The hundredth part of the century I was born. ;-)

Edit: I just notice, this could be slightly misleading, but I won’t change it.

Second number, this time using a random generator:

164

0
0

RE(189 + 190i) For the hell of it.

0

I select the number 106. Why not give it a shot?

0

81 is the number I pick. I don't like that 30 character limit thing...

And 37 since we can pick a second number!

1 2
3
4 5