75

Friends, the contest is over! The winning number was 3, picked by R. Schumacher. Thanks everybody for joining the contest!

'ello, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, ducks and mallards, children of all ages! It is time for organizing another amazing community lottery, our beloved duck giveaway 2016! Quack!

The prize

The prize will be a lovely duck! Not a real one, I am afraid (note to self: organize another lottery with real ducks in the future), it will be a hand puppet duck:

Quack!

Lovely, isn't it?

Again, why a duck? Why not a lion?

As I mentioned in the thread linked here, I always like to provide examples with ducks when I write answers. To my surprise, the theme got a very positive feedback from the community and it spread to everybody. Of course, a lion would be better, but hey, it's free! And it's a duck! :)

Why a hand puppet?

This will be our second lottery offering a duck puppet and I still have absolutely no idea. But since I got this duck again, I thought it would be a good idea to start a contest! :)

Rules

Rules from last lottery still apply:

  • To win the duck you must guess a number in the range 1-200. The first person who guesses the right number gets the duck.

  • Contestants may submit 2 valid guesses.

  • Please post your guess as an answer to this meta question, not as a comment.

  • Contestants must have been a member of TeX.sx before 1 March, 2016.

Two additional mentions:

  • If two or more people choose the same number, only the oldest entry will be considered. The other guesses will be automatically disqualified.

  • If you win the contest, I will need your real name and address for shipping and customs purposes (you can contact me through email, so only I will have privileged access). If you seek anonymity, we advise you to not enter this contest.

Please don't forget to edit the punch card with your numbers.


The lottery

As seen in the last lottery, I'll use the following code to pick the winner (special thanks to the awesome LaTeX Project for LaTeX3):

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}

\usepackage{expl3}
\usepackage{xparse}

\usepackage{pgf}
\pgfmathsetseed{\number\pdfrandomseed}

\ExplSyntaxOn

\prop_new:N \g_duck_contest_prop
\int_new:N \g_duck_contest_upper_limit_int
\bool_new:N \l_duck_contest_winner_bool
\bool_set_false:N \l_duck_contest_winner_bool
\tl_new:N \l_duck_contest_winner_tl
\int_new:N \l_duck_contest_winning_number_int

\NewDocumentCommand { \person } { m m }
{
    \clist_map_inline:nn { #1 }
    {
        \prop_if_in:NnTF \g_duck_contest_prop { ##1 }
        {
            Hey! ~ #2 ~ wants ~ to ~ be ~ naughty! ~
            The ~ number ~ ##1 ~ was ~ already ~ chosen! \par
        }
        {
            \prop_gput:Nnn \g_duck_contest_prop { ##1 } { #2 }
            \int_gset:Nn \g_duck_contest_upper_limit_int
            {
                \int_max:nn { \g_duck_contest_upper_limit_int } { ##1 }
            }
        }
    }
}

\NewDocumentCommand{ \winner } { }
{
    \bool_do_until:Nn \l_duck_contest_winner_bool
    {
        \pgfmathrandom{1, \g_duck_contest_upper_limit_int}
        \prop_get:NoN \g_duck_contest_prop { \pgfmathresult } \l_duck_contest_winner_tl
        \quark_if_no_value:NF \l_duck_contest_winner_tl
        {
            \bool_set_true:N \l_duck_contest_winner_bool
        }
    }
    \int_set_eq:NN \l_duck_contest_winning_number_int \pgfmathresult
    \l_duck_contest_winner_tl
}

\cs_generate_variant:Nn \prop_get:NnN { No }

\NewDocumentCommand{ \winningnumber } { }
{
    \int_to_arabic:n \l_duck_contest_winning_number_int
}

\ExplSyntaxOff

\begin{document}

% add yourself here
% ==============================
% For example, in the following line
% I picked 1 and 27, but I'm not
% participating in the contest :)
% \person{1,27}{Paulo Cereda}
\person{5,29}{Ulrike Fischer}
\person{42,108}{Christian Hupfer}
\person{0,201}{David Carlisle}
\person{1,200}{egreg}
\person{88,97}{yo'}
\person{6,28}{Matsmath}
\person{17,23}{Martin Schröder}
\person{13,111}{cfr}
\person{50,150}{Werner}
\person{199,91}{Kurt}
\person{133,55}{Arun Debray}
\person{123,132}{A Feldman}
\person{2,198}{Peter Grill}
\person{52,190}{Paul Gaborit}
\person{7,70}{Henri Menke}
\person{8,63}{Ignasi}
\person{84,157}{Sigur}
\person{18,67}{EngBIRD}
\person{131,68}{percusse}
\person{119,120}{Marijn}
\person{101,102}{runartrollet}
\person{80,112}{Alan Munn}
\person{113,86}{barbara beeton}
\person{3,197}{R.\ Schumacher}
\person{16,109}{Przemysław Scherwentke}
\person{64,144}{Mico}
\person{57,167}{ppr}
\person{4,76}{René B.\ Christensen}
\person{161,33}{Rmano}
\person{26}{Davïd} % pick another number
\person{22,171}{Claudio Fiandrino}
\person{9,11}{marczellm}
\person{39,196}{ebo}
\person{19,99}{Alenanno}
\person{187,115}{JP-Ellis}
\person{125,147}{silvascientist}
\person{128,32}{Mathias711}
\person{191,192}{azetina}
\person{41,43}{jknappen}
%\person{31,62}{Emre} % user does not meet criteria
\person{122,175}{mvkorpel}
\person{48,53}{martin}
%\person{53,187}{Penbeuz} % both numbers were taken
\person{69,96}{Saravana Kumar}
\person{38,77}{daleif}
\person{142,184}{Romain Picot}
\person{10,100}{Kevin}
\person{179,40}{carnendil}
\person{21,12}{Jon Mark Perry}
\person{92,90}{Canageek}
\person{93,105}{Ethan Bolker}
\person{167,103}{Saz} % 167 was taken
\person{20,46}{Vadim}
\person{83,98}{MattAllegro}
\person{165,166}{Douba}
\person{31,118}{ArTourter}
\person{121,141}{Azor-Ahai}
\person{74,193}{Diaa Abidou}
\person{51,127}{rekire}
\person{24,89}{Thoge}
\person{135,155}{jat255}
\person{61,172}{Kevin}
\person{37,73}{John}
\person{65,47}{Matthew Leingang}
\person{178,15}{Fran}
\person{54,154}{Calvin Khor}
\person{49,81}{Peter LeFanu Lumsdaine}
\person{168,169}{Oxinabox}
\person{164,45}{Habi}
\person{14,25}{Jake}
%\person{2,25}{Xylius} % user does not meet criteria
\person{136,58}{jaam}
\person{85,100}{SHY.John} % 100 was taken
\person{36,153}{wipet}
\person{137,170}{Earthliŋ}
\person{27,71}{FvD}
\person{129,134}{Andreï Kostyrka}
\person{82,195}{Kumaresh}
\person{35,78}{Akiiino}
\person{186,177}{Mostly Harmless}
\person{181,182}{biozic}
\person{126}{Shane} % pick another number
\person{72,79}{Alvaro Carril}
\person{173,107}{TobiO}
%\person{106,107}{pfuhlert} % user does not meet criteria
\person{30,34}{Kurt Pfeifle}
\person{87,116}{Jason Zentz}
\person{114,56}{Brydon Gibson}
%\person{17,89}{René G} % both taken
\person{163,145}{Eridan}
\person{66,110}{JCSalomon}
% ==============================

% the announcement
The winner is \winner, with \winningnumber! Congratulations!

\end{document}

I will run this code with all the contestants, post a video of it and announce the winner. The "accepted answer" in this thread will reflect the winning number.

The date

Hopefully, I will get the code running on July 1, 2016 (Friday), and announce the winner. There will be enough time for guessing the numbers!

Good luck! And by the way, welcome to TeX.sx, the friendliest and most awesome community in the whole StackExchange network! They give us hats, right? We give ducks! Quack! :)


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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|044|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|058|059|060|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|◖■◗|062|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|075|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|094|095|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|104|◖■◗|106|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|117|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|124|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|130|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|138|139|140|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|◖■◗|◖■◗|143|◖■◗|◖■◗|146|◖■◗|148|149|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|156|◖■◗|158|159|160|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|◖■◗|162|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|174|◖■◗|176|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|180|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|◖■◗|◖■◗|183|◖■◗|185|◖■◗|◖■◗|188|189|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|194|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|◖■◗|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

◖■◗

Results

The winner of the duck in this edition is R. Schumacher, and the chosen number was 3! I recorded the results in my terminal and the session is available here. Thanks everybody for joining the contest! And thanks for being part of this amazing community! Quack! :)

22
  • 13
    Me wants duck! ;-)
    – user31729
    May 27, 2016 at 21:00
  • 2
    Mae angen hwyaden arna fi ... ;)
    – cfr
    May 27, 2016 at 23:28
  • :'( I have been member only since April, 2016 :'( I'll have to wait till the real duck lottery :'(
    – CarLaTeX
    May 29, 2016 at 5:13
  • 2
    @CarLaTeX: Oh I am so sorry to hear. But there will be other contests in which you can participate. The most important thing is that you are now part of the community. Welcome! May 29, 2016 at 16:43
  • Thank you, @PauloCereda!
    – CarLaTeX
    May 30, 2016 at 4:50
  • 2
    It's not letting me edit the punch card! Jun 1, 2016 at 4:10
  • 2
    @silvascientist: we will update accordingly at some point, do not worry. :) Jun 1, 2016 at 10:42
  • 2
    @PauloCereda: The downvote shows a bad attitude really -- (what I've read by some questions/posts here), there's not much of well-designed humorous games/contests on other SE sites. We should be glad to have this one here!
    – user31729
    Jun 4, 2016 at 8:20
  • 1
    I've already got one, so I won't enter, but I can confirm it's a cute duck hand puppet :-) Jun 4, 2016 at 11:53
  • @NicolaTalbot You don't think it is lonesome for its own kind, then?
    – cfr
    Jun 10, 2016 at 2:09
  • 2
    @cfr It sometimes hangs out with a parrot hand puppet for a bit of company. :-) Jun 10, 2016 at 9:03
  • I'd be quacking to this if i could :-)
    – Georges
    Jun 13, 2016 at 7:29
  • The {ducks} tag has only 2 questions and 0 followers. This is a sorry state of affairs indeed.
    – onewhaleid
    Jun 14, 2016 at 23:01
  • You should organise a lottery with a prize bobcat delivered via postal service (hello xkcd). Jun 14, 2016 at 23:43
  • @onewhaleid: check the tag description. :) Jun 22, 2016 at 14:10

89 Answers 89

4

129 and 134.

Just for fun: I did some research and found out that if two numbers are distributed evenly on [0;1], the expected value of their absolute difference should be 1/3 (e.g. not too far apart). Of course no prior research can leverage guessing a random number... But I love birds so much! Keeping decorative chickens and quails at many points in time, and also consuming foie gras with great pleasure! Does everyone remember the hunter (played by Graham Chapman) in Monty Python’s flying circus? “I love animals. That’s why I kill ’em!” So any kind of duck will do: a puppet, a live animal or a nice package of sliced duck breast... Yummi!

Rick Dees and his Disco Duck

Last but not least... Rick Dees and his Disco Duck (A.K.A. if only wearing those bell-bottom jeans in 2016 paid off for me!).

1
  • Oh my, another MP fan! :) Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 20, 2016 at 0:36
3

119 and 120, because they are neighbors!

1
  • 1
    ooh neighbours! Thank you for joining the contest! May 28, 2016 at 17:32
3

101,102 \person{101,102}{Runar Kristoffersen}

Awesome duck!

1
  • 1
    Thank you for joining the contest! Good luck! May 28, 2016 at 17:33
3

As in the previous context was already taken, I'll go for 022 this time. Second: 171

1
  • 1
    Grazie mille, Claudio! May 29, 2016 at 20:27
3

Since duck shall be the answer, and since even random seems to be duck-dependant in this case, I choose:

  • 39 because DUCK = 4+21+3+11
  • 196 because DUCK = 4*21*3*11 = 2772 and 2*7*7*2=196
2
  • Thank you for joining the contest! May 30, 2016 at 10:24
  • And 1*9*6 = 54 and 5*4 = 20 and 2*0 = 0.
    – Karlo
    Jan 29, 2019 at 10:32
3

16 and 109 (the present year and my reputation modulo 200, corrected from 108 as in comments).

Duck, duck. Quack, quack!

3
  • Quack! Thank you for joining the contest! May 29, 2016 at 10:59
  • @PauloCereda :-). And, because Alan Munn observed that 108 is already taken, may I change it to a first free number above it? I would simply write that it is 109, but 1st free above 108 is a safer formulation. May 29, 2016 at 20:39
  • ooh safer formulations :) Jun 2, 2016 at 11:22
3

41 and 43 for they are the smallest available twin primes.

1
  • Thank you for joining the contest! Jun 1, 2016 at 10:41
3

Others have used random number generators to come up with their guesses. But ultimately, random number generators still depend on physical processes. They have stochasticism, but I can do better. By selecting numbers myself, using my own imagination and creativity to do so, I am tapping into something that is neither deterministic nor random, but something yet more unpredictable - the free will of the human spirit! Controllable, yet not controlled by the rules of nature!

Um, I'll go with 10 and 100. That sounds good.

4
  • (I know that 1 and 2 were already selected. I'm not a very active member on this site, so I think a more veteran user deserves the prize. I just thought it would be fun to join in with a silly post :D)
    – Kevin
    Jun 2, 2016 at 18:27
  • Hi Kevin! C'mon buddy, pick two valid numbers! Everyone in this community is important! Think of the possibility of winning a duck! Please, reconsider. :) Jun 2, 2016 at 18:31
  • If you insist :) I'll go with 10 and 100, two suitably uninspired numbers.
    – Kevin
    Jun 2, 2016 at 18:38
  • Thank you very much! Jun 2, 2016 at 18:42
3

93 (because 91 - the only number less than 100 that looks like a prime but isn't - is taken)

105 (because it's 3*5*7 and what 7 subway tokens cost in NY years ago)

1
  • 2
    Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 3, 2016 at 18:06
3

Let's take 20 and 46 since they are the only left numbers in the duck-duck-goose game sequence http://oeis.org/A182459 :)

1
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 4, 2016 at 0:40
3

1 (bronze badge) and 179 (my reputation). That's me today.

1 is taken, but I think 40 (my age) is available.

1
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 2, 2016 at 19:48
3

I let the great oRacle to speak for me:

> sample(1:200,2)
[1] 178  15
1
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 9, 2016 at 11:10
3

54 and 154? has a non-mathematical ring to it.

3
  • I can't edit the punchcard :( Jun 9, 2016 at 18:11
  • Hi, thanks for joining the contest! Jun 9, 2016 at 20:45
  • Thanks @PauloCereda ! :) Jun 9, 2016 at 22:40
3

14 and 25, because those are the lowest numbers that are still available.

2
  • Thanks for joining the contest, Jake! Jun 14, 2016 at 10:32
  • @PauloCereda: Thanks for organising it!
    – Jake
    Jun 14, 2016 at 10:49
3

82 (year of birth)

195 (height in centimetre)

1
  • 1
    Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 20, 2016 at 0:36
2

009 and 011.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwSWEJmQgkE

2
  • Thank you for joining the contest! May 29, 2016 at 21:08
  • @PauloCereda 11 then.
    – marczellm
    May 29, 2016 at 21:42
2

My choice: 052, 190 ............

1
  • @PauloCereda I changed my choices... May 30, 2016 at 5:07
2

Well, I'll choose

019 and 099

because they are my fave numbers. :D

2
  • Thanks for joining the contest, buddy! May 30, 2016 at 11:21
  • @PauloCereda Always a pleasure :D
    – Alenanno
    May 30, 2016 at 11:22
2

Umm umm umm ... I'm thinking.. Umm.. 167 and 103

3
  • Thank you for joining the contest! Jun 3, 2016 at 23:17
  • oops! 167 already chosen by ppr. please try again. Jun 4, 2016 at 1:17
  • As barbara mentioned, 167 is already chosen. Could you please pick another number? :) Jun 11, 2016 at 13:50
2

83 and 98...years of birth of me and my brother :)

1
  • 1
    Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 4, 2016 at 11:02
2

165, 166. Because. An answer is an answer is an answer.

1
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 6, 2016 at 11:19
2

I'll go for 031 and 118. not the same method to get these numbers but couldn't get two available numbers using the same so here you go!

5
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 7, 2016 at 12:16
  • It seems Emre already chose 31. Could you pick another number? :) Jun 11, 2016 at 13:53
  • ok although the comments on the answer seem to suggest that it would not be considered due to the account be too recent.
    – ArTourter
    Jun 11, 2016 at 14:38
  • Oh indeed. Sticky situation. I was just collecting answers, deeply sorry. Jun 11, 2016 at 14:56
  • No worries Paulo
    – ArTourter
    Jun 11, 2016 at 16:22
2

121 and 141 because I like palindromes and there's something nice about an even number being flanked by odd numbers.

1
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 7, 2016 at 12:16
2

I take 051 because my current IP ends with that number and 127 because it is 0x1111111. :)

3
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 7, 2016 at 11:47
  • @PauloCereda would you be so kind to delete my numbers from the question? I have too less reputation to do that.
    – rekire
    Jun 7, 2016 at 11:57
  • Done, punchcard edited. :) Jun 7, 2016 at 12:16
2

I guess 74 and 193

Good duck ;)

2
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 7, 2016 at 11:08
  • Many thanks, I didn't notice before.
    – Diaa
    Jun 7, 2016 at 12:24
2

135 and 155, please! (30char)

1
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 7, 2016 at 20:20
2

61 and 172 -- just two random numbers :)

2
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 7, 2016 at 22:41
  • Thanks for hosting!
    – Kevin
    Jun 8, 2016 at 2:06
2

I choose my lucky number 37 and its reverse 73. Oh how I want that duck!

1
  • Wishing you luck! :) Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 8, 2016 at 13:42
2

I'll take the first two numbers given by random.org that weren't taken: 65 and 47.

1
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 8, 2016 at 14:49
2

I will take in 168, 169 Thankyou

Could someone with >2K rep punch for me?

1
  • Thanks for joining the contest! Jun 10, 2016 at 8:04

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