> > > Somebody PLEASE help me with Prof. Stefansen's math puzzle!
> > > I've been at it until my eyes started to cross, so at this point, I'd be grateful if someone would walk me through it, step by step!
> >
> > I've got this far:
> >
> > [X] [O] [X]
> > [X] [O] [O]
> > [X] [O] [X]
> >
> > Please post or email me a hint (or the answer!)
> >
> > Thanks!
>
> I won't walk you through it, but I will give you some logic to try.
>
> Well, try working backward. Think about the target position. Using the transformations, there's only one position that's one move away from the target (obviously not counting rotations and reflections). You should easily be able to find that position. You should also be easily able to find the three positions that are one move away from that position, and therefore these three are two moves away from the target.
>
> Lucky "As it happens, one of those three positions is very easy to reach from your current position" Wizard


I finally got it...thanks a million, Lucky Wizard! I'm usually great at logic puzzles, but I think my brain was on overload :-)