On the Subject of Symbol Cycles

Have you ever stared at the logo on the screensaver and hoped that it would bounce exactly into a corner?

• The module has two screens showing symbols, a switch above, and a number display at the bottom.
• The screens change in synchrony, but at different cycles. Each screen may cycle between two, three, four, or five symbols. (Do not tap the screens at this point as doing so will give a strike.)
• The number display at the bottom shows the current cycle number, which steadily increases.
• When you are ready, flip the switch. The screens stop cycling, show two random symbols, and the number display changes to a random number.
• The module now transitions into either the retrotransphasic or the anterodiametric state. Solve this state as described below.

  Retrotransphasic state

  • In this state, tapping the screens changes their symbols.
  • Change the symbols to whatever they would be at the cycle whose number is shown in the display.
  • Note that the order in which the symbols cycle when tapping the screens may not be the same as the order in which they cycled earlier. They may even include extra decoy symbols now.

  Anterodiametric state

  • In this state, tapping the screens changes the number display. One of the screens increments the number, one decrements it.
  • Change the display to the number of any cycle in which the symbols would be as shown in the screens.
• When you are done, flip the switch back up to submit your answer. If it is wrong, the module resets with new symbols and potentially transitions into a different state.