#006: Bagels

Release Date: October 1972

Platform: Mainframe

Genre: Puzzle

Developer(s): Diane Resek, Pete Rowe

Publisher(s): People's Computer Company

Here we have another of 1972's number guessing games. This one is also a variant of the classic Bulls & Cows (a.k.a. Mastermind) game. I don't think I've actually covered a variant of this game yet. There's plenty of them going around, and this isn't the first we know of - it just happens to be the first one not lost to us.

To quickly summarise the Bulls & Cows game type for you if you're unfamiliar, it's a number / code guessing game, usually between 2 players. One player picks a number, usually between 3 and 5 digits, and the other player has to guess the number. The guessing player is provided with clues as they guess, which vary in form, but typically indicate if a number is correct, correct but in the wrong position, or altogether incorrect.

This Bagels (or Bagles, as it's spelled in in 101 BASIC Computer Games) variant uses word clues:

• PICO - Indicates a correct number in the wrong position.
• FERMI - Indicates a correct number in the correct position.
• BAGELS - Indicates no correct numbers.

The misspelled entry in 101 BASIC Computer Games. What IS that picture, David??

Some variants also tie their clues to each digit, but this is not one of those variants. It's up to you to figure out which digit the clues are referring to.

Bagels is a common variant of the Bulls & Cows format, with it having many computer renditions over the years. This one was done up by D. Resek and P. Rowe, two staff members from the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California. It took me a little digging to find out more info on these two, and I was able to find a decent amount of info on them. Diane Resek was a maths teacher, who taught the game to Pete Rowe, leader of the hall's computer program. This info was found at armoredpenguin.com. Got to make sure I cite my sources!

Rowe programmed the game, and it was featured in the debut newsletter of the People's Computer Company. The newsletter authors describe the Hall as "one of our favourite sources of computer games," citing Bagels as one of their favourites from the Hall. They only preview the game, and don't actually include the source code for the game. That would only happen once David Ahl got a hold of the game, including it in 101 BASIC Computer Games in 1973. Bagels is also one of the games to remain unchanged in the 1978 microcomputer edition of the book, which makes my job easy.

PCC newsletter's feature of Bagels.

Opening the game, it does the usual thing early text games do: ask if you'd like the instructions. Always a good idea to say yes.

Clearly explains the rules of play. But where do the clue names originate?

As you can see, the instructions are brief and concise. Doesn't need to be overly complicated for this sort of game.

Well, that's not technically all the instructions Bagels has. If you've played Bulls & Cows or Mastermind in any form, you probably have an idea of the strategies to use for guessing the number. One such strategy is targeting a couple of numbers at a time, meaning your first guess might be something like 001, or 112 like I did.

Doing this leads you into an apparent trap set in the game, with the computer exclaiming,

"OH, I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT THE NUMBER I HAVE IN MIND HAS NO TWO DIGITS THE SAME."

Great. Thanks for the heads up. Couldn't that have just been in the instructions? Or is this a vain attempt to add some "personality" into the game? Either way, the game at the very least doesn't increment your guess count for falling into its trap.

You can't fool me. Computers never forget unless they're told to forget. You lie.

Okay, so I'll have to use a slightly modified strategy, and go 123 instead. The game gives me a "PICO," indicating that one of these numbers is correct, but in the wrong spot. From there, I figured the next best guess would be 234, as if the PICO disappeared, I'd know that 1 was the correct number, and 2 and 3 weren't in the number.

Instead, I get a "FERMI." That means that one of 2 or 3 is the correct number, and now it's in the right spot. Just need to figure out which of the two it is. I go with 245, as that should hopefully tell me. I get BAGELS, which is actually a great result, as I now know that 3 is the middle digit, and that 2, 4 and 5 aren't in the number.

From here, it's simply about running down the list of available numbers and combinations. I waste a bit of time with the next set of guesses until I confirm that 9 is the last digit, when the game gives me two FERMIs. I didn't realise at first it'd do this, but I was glad it did. One clue for each digit, if said digit is a correct number.

Hmm, I think I might be forgetting something...

I was a bit confused at this stage. Astute readers might know what I missed here, but it took me a minute to figure it out. I'd used all the numbers, so what was the solution?

Well, the solution was that I forgot zero. Oops. I often do that, in all honestly. I've played a few variants of this before, and I regularly forget that zero is in play. So I quickly input 039, and the game is won. Hooray.

The game has decided that, no matter what, you don't get to play again.

At this point, I ran into an error in the game. It asks if you want to have another go, as most games of this vintage do. However, it's bugged. Your game will be ended, regardless if you typed yes or no. This is one of the very few bugs that I've run into thus far, so it sticks out. I guess Bagels won't be getting a perfect functionality score...

Speaking of, that's it for Bagels. There's nothing else to the game, other than to re-open it if you wanted to have another go. There aren't any variables, such as increasing the number size to 4 or 5 digits, so there's not much point. Score time!

Time Played: 5 minutes

Difficulty: 1/10 (Very Easy)

It's the simplest form of Bulls & Cows you could have. Only 3 digits, no repeating numbers, and unlimited guesses means you'll always win eventually.

Gameplay: 2/20

Bagels is on the same level as Trap in my opinion. They're similar number guessing games, though the methods for guessing are different. As a Bulls & Cows variant, Bagels is, again, the simplest variant possible, and I don't think it's better for it. I find it very lacking in substance. An option for a 4, or even 5 digit number would've added some extra challenge and replay value, while having repeating numbers would have also added to the challenge and strategic elements. 

I'm also confused as to why the instruction that there are no repeating numbers wasn't in the instructions, but only appears after you make that mistake in-game. It's like the game is trying to troll you.

Controls: 5/10

Standard fare for text-games. I'm glad you don't have to input a comma in between each number.

Visual: 5/10

Again, text game standard. It works as required. Nothing of particular note to discuss here.

Functionality: 4/5

Bagels has one bug - the "Play again?" command will exit you out of the game regardless of if you answer yes or no. Other than that, the actual game itself works as intended.

Accessibility: 3/5

Standard accessibility for a text-based game. It's not too complicated a game, but requires a lot of reading.

Fun Factor: 2/20

I don't mind Bulls & Cows variants. There's logic and strategy to be applied, even if only on a primitive level. It gets repetitive very quickly, however. And again, Bagels' lack of game options and base simplicity kills its replay value.

Bagels earns a paltry score of 21 (30%). This actually places it below both Trap and Mathdice. I think that comes down to Bagels' functionality and accessibility. It ends up getting a spot in the E-tier between PDP Basketball and Gamnim. There are better versions of this style of game out there, meaning there's not much incentive to try this one out.

If you think we're done with the guessing games, ha. No. Of course we aren't. We haven't done letter guessing games yet, silly. That'll be next on the blog, before we hit the next landmark. My secret project will take priority over that landmark, as the two are interrelated, meaning that the secret project needs to be completed and released before tackling the landmark game. 

I know I'm being vague, and these things can be easily figured out by looking at my master list, but it builds a bit of suspense, right?