| To play the game I get the children or even
adults seated in a circle and then I explain that the box is a miniature
computer and that they have to break the secret code in the computer's
memory.
I begin by counting the number of children and then
dialling this number up on the dummy radio knob. This is to let
the computer know how many people are playing the game.
I then tell the children that I am going to program
the secret code into the computer's memory banks. I press the
white buttons at random until the L.E.D. starts to flash and then press
just one of the buttons again so that it stops flashing.
Now I place the box into the centre of the
circle. I say that each player has three presses to try and break
the secret code and that it is possible for everyone to win a prize with
just three presses (this is perfectly true but has never happened).
One at a time the children are to come up to the box
and press the white switches. They can press the same switch three
times if they wish, they can press one switch once and another one twice
or they can press each switch once. They decide how they use their
three presses. If on their go the light comes on and starts to
flash then they have won a prize. If however it does not flash
then they go and sit down and the next person has their go.
When somebody eventually wins I give them a small
prize then I simply pick up the box press one of the switches and place
it down again. Obviously you do not let the children see which
switch you have pressed.
The Logic of the game
Let us suppose that at the start I press S1 so that the light goes
out. S2 and S3 are closed. If the first person to play comes
out and on their first press they press S1 then the light will come on
and they have won a prize. If however they press one of the other
switches on their first go then there will now be two switches open and
they only have two presses left. To win now they would have to
press that switch again plus S1.
This box works the same way as a 'BETCHA box so you
could play the game using one of those you can also use this box as a 'BETCHA'
box.
The plastic box and the battery test switch were
purchased from Maplins but any suitable box would do. The switches
came from Woolworths. The connector for the PP3 battery was
actually the connector from an old PP3 battery which I took apart.
The coloured spots were from W.H. Smiths.
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