Named after a Greek Serpent Goddess, this term is used inter-changeably with a less formal way to describe the process to which one experiments varying methods by exhausting all efforts to obtain a definate result, however they do differentiate considerably. What are the two terms, and how is it also related to a famous fictional bear?

lanfranco

I'm going to posit that this is "Ariadne's Thread," sometimes used interchangeably with "trial and error," to refer to multiple means of solving certain types of puzzles. My husband the Sudoku fan appreciates the concept. Ariadne has been identified with the Minoan snake goddess. However, the bear is eluding me. Perhaps someone else would like to jump in on that? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariadne%27s_thread_%28logic%29 Feb 12 07, 5:13 PM

gmackematix

Let's get the easy past out of the way before someone else steps in, i.e. Ariadne's Thread and trial-and-error. Feb 12 07, 5:14 PM

gmackematix

Grrrrr! Feb 12 07, 5:15 PM

peasypod

My my, a growly Gerard. Don't you just love time-stamping? ;) Ok, I'm sure Frankiebabe will let you have some of the banana to play with, especially if you chime in and mention that Ariadne was also a play by A.A. Milne... Feb 12 07, 5:23 PM

tragic_flawed

Medusa Feb 12 07, 5:33 PM

peasypod

And you plonked Medusa down here, why? Feb 12 07, 5:36 PM

lanfranco

Oh, gmack's welcome to part of the banana, since I'm not quite back up to speed yet. Grrr? Is that a growly-bear thing? Gmack seems to have growling on the brain today .... Feb 12 07, 5:37 PM

gmackematix

Ah, just "Ariadne". So that's why that time googling "Ariadne's thread" with "Winnie the Pooh" or "Paddington" or "Rupert" or "Baloo" wasn't a constructive use of time, but a good demonstration of both trial and error. Feb 12 07, 5:38 PM

lanfranco

I tried that, too, Gerard, and I gave up completely. Feb 12 07, 5:40 PM

peasypod

You don't think I give away bananas that easy, do you? You guys should know half my 'connections' are usually a long shot. Feb 12 07, 5:49 PM

queproblema

Maybe Professor Barry Powell thinks Ariadne was Crete's snake goddess, but I will need something more authoritative than that. So, Peasy, you actually told them the answer to the bear part? Feb 12 07, 7:36 PM

peasypod

Oh, I've got a soft spot for gmack. ;) Feb 12 07, 8:08 PM