Number Generator 1-3: A Fair Pick for a 3-Way Choice: how it works
This number generator 1-3 gives 1, 2 or 3 in one tap, and a first number is drawn as the page opens. Three is the smallest choice a coin cannot settle: three people, three doors, three dinner ideas. Number the options, press once and go with it, or draw all three for a finishing order.
Settle a three-way choice, or rank all three
Say out loud what 1, 2 and 3 stand for before you press, so nobody can rename the winner afterwards. For a finishing order, set How many to 3 and tick No repeats: the numbers come back in one of six possible orders, read as first, second and third.
Pick a number between 1-3: the guessing game
One player presses and hides the screen, and the others guess. A blind guess is right one time in three. Allow a 'higher or lower' hint and the game is solved: guess 2 first, and the second guess cannot miss.
Tips
- Number rock, paper and scissors 1, 2 and 3 and let the tap throw for you: nobody can gain an edge over an opponent who chooses at random.
- Do not read the Even or Odd line as a coin flip here. Two of the three numbers are odd, so Odd shows twice as often.
- With only a six-sided die to hand, halve the roll and round up: 1 or 2 counts as 1, 3 or 4 as 2, 5 or 6 as 3.
Questions and answers
Is a random number from 1 to 3 fair to all three?
Yes. Each press gives 1, 2 and 3 the same chance and takes no notice of earlier presses. Runs are normal: three presses show the same number three times about once in nine tries, so a streak of 2s is luck, not a fault. Fine for chores and games, not for money.
How do I test the three-door puzzle with it?
Set How many to 2 and leave repeats on. The first number is the door hiding the prize, the second is your pick. Sticking wins only when they match, about one press in three. Once the host opens an empty door, switching wins the other two times in three. Tally 30 presses and expect about 10 matches.
Are 1 and 3 included, or only the number between them?
Both are included. A friend who says pick a number between one and three means 1, 2 or 3: read strictly, 'between' would leave only 2, which is no choice at all. If your options are numbered 0 to 2, set the limits on the random number generator. For a fourth option, open pick a number 1-4.