this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2025
494 points (99.2% liked)

xkcd

16890 readers
118 users here now

A community for a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
 

xkcd #3125: Snake-in-the-Box Problem

Title text:

Chemistry grad students have been spotted trying to lure campus squirrels into laundry hampers in the hope that it sparks inspiration.

Transcript:

Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com

Source: https://xkcd.com/3125/

explainxkcd for #3125

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] morphballganon@lemmynsfw.com 8 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (4 children)

Either I'm misunderstanding the problem or a length of 8 is possible.

Edit: found my mistake, far left edge has two non-consecutive segments on adjacent corners. Leaving this up in case anyone else tries for a better score.

[–] squaresinger@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

1000052407

This should do it, or am I missing something?

[–] leftzero@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 11 months ago

The head would share an edge with the arse (supposing the arse is on the first bend from the tail).

[–] draycs@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Unless your snake is an ouroboros, I don't think folks will count the head and tail as consecutive

[–] morphballganon@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 11 months ago

The head and tail aren't adjacent if you only look at my blue line and not the original. But my attempt fails due to the far left edge.

[–] RagingHungryPanda@piefed.social 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I'm just nodding along and hoping no one notices i don't know what's happening

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago

you mean the snake didn't know internal affairs was on to them the entire time?

[–] DosDude@retrolemmy.com 1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)
[–] leftzero@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 11 months ago

Your snake has two heads.

Also, one of them shares an edge with the tail.