How difficult is The Witness? A group of mathematicians tries to give us a scientific answer - article
The Witness is a very special game. For some it is an example of pretentiousness, for others it is a complex mathematical model. The rules of the game are explained by symbols positioned on grids that at first glance may seem simple, but which are far from trivial below that someone has decided to study their problems using their mathematical knowledge.
Erik Demaine, a professor of computer science at MIT, applies research methodologies to his teaching and often asks his students to solve problems by joining in groups. To do this, use a research style called supercollaboration.
According to Demaine's website (linked above), supercollaboration is an innovative research method that allows researchers to solve complex problems by putting aside the own ego. In short, we super-collaborate in the sense that teamwork takes precedence over individual inputs. Below you can see a video of a class at work, if you are curious about it.
To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings Demaine is among the main authors of a 2018 research called Who witnesses The Witness? , which represents a perfect example of super-collaborative research and at the same time talks about what makes The Witness a game worthy of being studied by mathematicians and doctors in computer science. The answer, mainly, lies in its difficulty.
