English

The solution to an open problem for a caching game

Optimization and Control 2015-12-08 v3

Abstract

In a caching game introduced by Alpern et al., a Hider who can dig to a total fixed depth normalized to 11 buries a fixed number of objects among nn discrete locations. A Searcher who can dig to a total depth of hh searches the locations with the aim of finding all of the hidden objects. If he does so, he wins, otherwise the Hider wins. This zero-sum game is complicated to analyze even for small values of its parameters, and for the case of 22 hidden objects has been completely solved only when the game is played in up to 33 locations. For some values of hh the solution of the game with 22 objects hidden in 44 locations is known, but the solution in the remaining cases was an open question recently highlighted by Fokkink et al. Here we solve the remaining cases of the game with 22 objects hidden in 44 locations. We also give some more general results for the game, in particular using a geometrical argument to show that when there are 22 objects hidden in nn locations and nn \rightarrow \infty, the value of the game is asymptotically equal to h/nh/n for hn/2h \ge n/2.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1507.08425,
  title  = {The solution to an open problem for a caching game},
  author = {Endre Csóka and Thomas Lidbetter},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1507.08425},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

15 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-22T10:22:12.907Z