h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I didn't quite know what to expect when I set that "Greek Technique" geometry puzzle yesterday (see F131941?thread=8298270), and in terms of variety entertainment, you didn't let me down.

The intended solution is probably going to be a bit of a let down after some of those artistic, not to say exotic, suggestions. I'm about to reveal it, so if you're still wresting with the problem, look away now.

* * *
What you have constructed is a regular pentagon, inscribed within the circle. The points A, B, C, D and E are its vertices. I omitted the final step which was to draw the lines between them (A to B, B to C, etc), as I thought this might make the solution a bit obvious.

Clearly, you are now looking at your effort which resembles a Picasso interpretation of Mickey Mouse and thinking either "Where did I go wrong" or, less likely, "Why didn't I spot that?"

Well, you'll be pleased to know that someone's provided a step-by-step animation explaining it all here:

http://www.mathopenref.com/constinpentagon.html

* * *

I normally announce winners at this point, but I can't decide between 2legs and Vip.

With all the interesting suggestions abounding, I wasn't sure if I'd drawn it right. Looking at the animation I am now pleasantly surprised to find that my sketch is correct, though I confess that I didn't work out the significance.

Oh well.


Geggs

Me too. Very nice!

How many people started with CM horizontal instead of upright to the viewer? And then put S on the top (North) of the circle? That way your pentagon is not ABCDE but ABDEC, which is rather less of a leading clue.

That's what I did!

Also I couldn't decide which point was N and which was P - the two points were the line crosses the little circle.


Geggs

I could have tried to stipulate conditions to ensure that ABCDE appeared in order, but I felt it would have cluttered it up a bit.

I still reckon it looks like the Death Star. Or possibly a Pokeball. I hang around with gamers too much.

OK... I did follow instructions correctly, and I did experience pareidolia. I wish I had a convenient way to show what I thought I saw as it's quite cute.

I'll try this link. I hope it works.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/51h9kef03WTP5BdkuKfsSXoWJCE1Uz1LOT-vnt1x4OI?feat=directlink

Wow, that's scary!

Not if you imagine it as a soft fuzzy Muppet character.

My veiled reference to the Pentagon as the site of sex scandal wasn't picked up on, then?

Oh, and by the way, A13083202.

I assumed you'd drawn an oval office, Gnomon.

()

Orif.... oh, office!

Y'all are awful.

If people drew the thing upside-down or sideways, does that mean Icy is encouraging Satanic activity?

Baron Grim's sketch looks like an eyeless penguin to me. Nice and fuzzy though. Mine was similar without the fuzz but with the construction lines.

Eyeless?

That eye is HUGE.

I read that as a head with a beak pointing at the camera.