Talk:Necklace problem

Solved?
If this problem is really solved, the article could be clearer. Is 6 necessary as well as sufficient, for non-prime large n? Matthew Woodcraft

Clarity of statement
Please someone who understands the problem explain it with "a little more calm" and maybe some examples, for us poor non-mathematicians. --euyyn 21:30, 15 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Well, I am a mathematician and I can tell you I don't understand the description either. I guess the first stage you are told that there is a white bead on distance n from itself and a black bead on distance n from itself, as far as the necklace contains both beads. The second stage you are told for each k if there are two white beads with k beads in between, a white bead and a black bead with k beads in between, two black beads with k beads in between, and a black bead and a white bead with k beads in between. The third stage you are told for each k and each l if there are three white beads with k beads between the first and the second and l beads between the second and the third, etc. Just a guess. --131.174.22.39 (talk) 05:39, 31 March 2009 (UTC)

Clarity of statement, again
The previous talk-page section is over a decade old, and the Formulation section has been totally rewritten since then, and yet: I cannot for the life of me decipher what the information is that you're supposed to be given in this problem. I have read the Alon--Caro--Krasikov--Roditty reference, and I believe I understand it; is this problem supposed to be what they call the "cycle problem"? --JBL (talk) 18:57, 27 September 2020 (UTC)
 * Update: ask, and ye shall receive. --JBL (talk) 20:47, 27 September 2020 (UTC)