MASTERMIND(6) BSD MASTERMIND(6)
NAME
mastermind - Mastermind guessing game
SYNOPSIS
/usr/games/mastermind
DESCRIPTION
This program plays the game of "mastermind". The playing field is a
number of slots, in which a number of colored pegs can be placed. The
object of the game is to guess what color peg is in each slot. You and
the program take turns trying to guess each other's configuration.
Before play begins, mastermind asks you whether you want instructions.
Respond by typing a "y" for yes or an "n" for no. Following this, you
have a chance to decide how many slots and how many colors you want to
use. When you enter a guess, type the names of the colors, separated by
spaces. When the program makes a guess, respond with two digits separated
by spaces.
A guess consists of a possible sequence of colored pegs. The guesser's
opponent answers with two numbers: the number of pegs in the guess that
exactly match the corresponding pegs in the configuration, and the number
of pegs in the guess that match in color but not in position. For
example, suppose you are playing with five slots, and the following
situation occurs:
my configuration: red red yellow blue brown
your guess: blue red green red red
The two numbers would then be 1 and 2. The 1 applies because both you and
the program have a red peg in the second slot. In addition, your blue
matches the program's blue, though the position is wrong, and one of your
reds matches the program's red in the first slot. Only two of your reds
match because the program only has two reds in its configuration.
Any time it is your turn to enter a guess, you can ask the program what
happened by typing "review" instead of your guess. You get one point for
each guess that the program has to make, and it gets one point for each
guess that you have to make.