Mastermind - About

About The Developer

Dave J. Horrocks is a junior software developer with a passion for problem solving and logical processes. This playable version of Mastermind is his second-ever JavaScript creation.

The parameters of the game and the simple styling allowed a deep dive into the world of JavaScript. Hopefully, the result provides an enjoyable experience for all users.

Learning many things along the way and always eager to learn more, feel free to find out more about him. If you found a bug...definitely get in touch!

@DaveyJH LinkedIn

Donald E. Knuth

An algorithm was devised in the late 1970s which allows a player to decipher the code within five guesses, as long as the following conditions are set:

There are four balls in the solution

The number of colours available is six

Colours are repeatable within the solution

The first step is to guess a sequence of 1122, where each integer 1-6 represents a colour. The algorithm continues by choosing a sequence that could eliminate the highest number of possible solutions each time. The number of possible solutions to this particular set-up is 6⁴ = 1296!

That would take you quite a while to work through on paper. It would be almost impossible to calculate and keep track of in your head. Therefore, this algorithm is done far quicker by machines - if coded correctly to do so!

To find out more about the steps involved, and for the original document written by Donald E. Knuth, please consult the links below.

If you still can't get your head around it, contact Dave J. Horrocks via one of the methods above and he will do his best to explain each step in the algorithm.

About The Developer

Contact Via Email