The Mathematics of Mastermind and Static Mastermind

Dr. Wayne Goddard

Department of Computer Science
University of Natal

March 1, 2002

Abstract

The game Mastermind involves a CodeSetter who creates a secret code using colored pegs and a CodeBreaker who attempts to determine the secret code using a sereis of questions which are themselves candidate codes. In this talk I review some of the mathematical results on the original game and then explore a version called Static Mastermind. In that version the CodeBreaker must provide at one go a list of questions the answers to which uniquely determine the secret code.