Petals Around the Rose

I learned about this little puzzle thing called Petals Around the Rose yesterday (via BoingBoing). It’s sort of a dice game where you have to figure out how to solve the puzzle as you go, and once you know how, you can’t tell anybody else. It took me a while to figure it out, because I tried to over-analyze it. In fact, it’s almost an accident that I figured it out at all, considering the line of thought I was trying to follow. Of course, now I’m sworn to secrecy, so I can’t tell you what that line of thought was…

The name of the game is Petals Around the Rose, and that name is significant. Newcomers to the game can be told that much. They can also be told that every answer is zero or an even number. They can also be told the answer for every throw of the dice that are used in the game. And that’s all the information they get.

The javascript app on the page listed above didn’t work for me in Firefox. I had to use the sample dice rolls detailed in the story about Bill Gates in order to figure it out. As I mentioned before, I’m sworn to secrecy about how to get the answers. But I will say that a child in first or second grade (or even a bright pre-schooler) could give you the answers, once they know the method.

Other Posts of Interest

209 Comments

  1. Posted 9/22/2004 at 8:13 am | Permalink

    Tee hee hee. It is frustrating until you realize it. I have used this at parties to torment people to know end. We actually called it “Polar Bears Around the Ice Hole”:

    “Polar Bears Around the Ice Hole: Like petals around a rose”—[roll dice]—”how many polar bears do you see?”

    When playing this in person, be sure to move very quickly for the first ten rolls or so. I usually play with a group of people watching and pick up the dice after the first right answer is voiced.

    There have been times that groups haven’t figured it out and pestered me for days …

  2. Posted 9/22/2004 at 8:17 am | Permalink

    never got one wrong. guess im a genius.

  3. Skip
    Posted 9/27/2004 at 9:07 am | Permalink

    I’m kidda real stupid and have been trying this for over 3 months. I do give up and would like someone to tell me the secret. Please help Confounded and confused. Skip

  4. howard
    Posted 10/6/2004 at 12:52 pm | Permalink

    kinda funny. http://www.freeworldgroup.com/games/roses/
    it says that the quicker you catch on to this, the dumber you really are. so i guess mr. ethan there is a ****** *******

    [edited by admin]

  5. Posted 10/27/2004 at 7:45 pm | Permalink

    If you catch onto the game fast it doesn’t mean your dumb. It just means you can think in a more abstract manner than others and/or you are more creative than the average person.

    I coded this game to play online..
    http://www.binaryelysium.com/game/bear.php

  6. NIKI
    Posted 11/5/2004 at 8:18 pm | Permalink

    I HAVE JUST STATED THIG GAME AND I HATE IT. IT IS SO COMPETTIVE. I HATE WHEN I LOSE OR DONT GET SOMETHING. PLEASE GIVE ME INFO.

  7. Bob
    Posted 11/5/2004 at 10:50 pm | Permalink

    I played this game for a while to figure it out. How the clue was told to me is this: “The game is in the name and the name of the game is Polar Bears Around the Icehole and in the days of Ghangis Khan, Petals Around a Rose Tree.” I would love to tell the secret, but I am sworn to absolute secrecy in the Polar Bear Club.

  8. Linda
    Posted 11/10/2004 at 12:28 pm | Permalink

    There is an extension to this trick. I believe it’s called roots and petals. If you know this one and know the real name, I would appreciate it. An example roll of five die would be: 5, 2, 2, 3, 1

    In petals around the rose, the answer would be 6.
    In petals and roots, the answer is 8.

  9. Nelson Gayman
    Posted 11/19/2004 at 7:27 am | Permalink

    ITS BORING ONCE U HAVE IT

  10. paula
    Posted 11/26/2004 at 1:21 am | Permalink

    it been a month… haay… its so hard. can you guys give me a clue? anyone?

  11. m todd
    Posted 11/27/2004 at 6:09 pm | Permalink

    OK…cut the BS…what is the rule to this silly game…to hell with how I think…I just want to know…

    Ed. note: minor profanity edit

  12. Kelly
    Posted 12/3/2004 at 7:31 pm | Permalink

    Thank you for not giving the answer to the riddle! I have found out that other websites with the polar bear riddle are expressing the answer. As a very pround polar bear, I think that by posting the answer you are taking away the true pride and joy of hte game!

  13. Anita
    Posted 12/8/2004 at 12:56 am | Permalink

    Okay, I get it. It’s really hard. But nobody as yet has given a clue. Anybody wanna help a non-out-of-the-box thinker some help? :D

  14. Posted 1/10/2005 at 4:51 am | Permalink

    Hi im 12. I need help. I have been thinking and thinking but cant work it out. Can you please just give me the answer. THIS IS SO STUPID!

  15. Ninth
    Posted 1/30/2005 at 8:50 pm | Permalink

    Think outside the box, stop thinking in terms of numbers. All you have to do is add.

  16. karalyn
    Posted 2/3/2005 at 4:24 pm | Permalink

    hi i am so cofused even with the adding i tried different ways but just cant seem to grasp the concept of it. HELP THE CONFUSED ONES OUT PLEASE!

  17. REALLY MAD
    Posted 2/4/2005 at 9:25 pm | Permalink

    Now i have played this game for so long! and everyone gives me the same BS clues. Now i know i am smart but god forbide u dumbies will give me a better clue then always even and it is in the name. I dont care if the name is terds in the toilet plz just emial me the answer at ratedr10110@yahoo.com
    THERE WILL BE A CASH REWARD!

  18. pj
    Posted 2/9/2005 at 4:38 pm | Permalink

    yea i definetly tried adding and it’s not working!!

  19. jon
    Posted 2/19/2005 at 5:52 am | Permalink

    Cash reward? Oh dear! You 12 year olds just don’t know when to quit, do you? … And gosh forbide your dumbies plz in the intellagence genious! ;D

  20. _cipher
    Posted 2/20/2005 at 7:25 pm | Permalink

    [Ed note: Sorry foks, but this was just too much information.]

  21. Mole
    Posted 2/21/2005 at 1:02 am | Permalink

    The solution to this puzzle has nothing to do with numbers and everything to do with the word “around”

  22. Penny
    Posted 2/21/2005 at 10:04 am | Permalink

    I got this on the 2nd go… It is soooo easy.

  23. Posted 2/21/2005 at 1:21 pm | Permalink

    Cipher’s theory works, but i see no relation to the word around.

  24. TO asd
    Posted 2/21/2005 at 5:26 pm | Permalink

    Once you figure out what the ROSE is, it is very simple and cipher’s clue also makes sense.

  25. Person
    Posted 2/21/2005 at 6:30 pm | Permalink

    Ha. A good way to torment people is get four regular dice and then one red or other colord one. It took me three days.

  26. Posted 2/21/2005 at 9:06 pm | Permalink

    Okay, these clues are coming dangerously close to giving the answer away. I’ve already deleted a couple of comments that gave the answer outright. I’m currently debating about deleting some of the other comments.

    1) Please don’t spoil the fun by giving too much of the answer away.

    2) Don’t feel dumb if you haven’t figured it out.

    It’s really only obvious after you know the answer. And trying to over-analyze it will just drive you nuts. Even after I had figured out the math part, it took a while for the meaning of the name to sink in. But if you figure out the meaning of the name first, the math part will just click.

    I will say this: It helps to use real dice (or at least pictures that look like dice) as opposed to just writing down the numbers. That’s the biggest clue I’m willing to give.

  27. Chelsea
    Posted 2/21/2005 at 9:24 pm | Permalink

    i have finally figured it out!!! thank you soo much cipher. as soon as i started getting the right answer i figured what the “around the rose thing was too. but he/she forgot to mention another number. (that technically dosent matter tho)

  28. Iddi
    Posted 2/22/2005 at 9:45 am | Permalink

    I have been trying for months now, and I still haven’t figured it out. I feel so dumb :P

  29. marvin
    Posted 2/22/2005 at 6:26 pm | Permalink

    haha.. i got it.. the rose is [...deleted by admin...] hahaa.. im just helpin everyone that doesnt know it out.. so yeah dont be mad.. n if you are.. aim= marbinlilpunk

    (Ed. note: didn’t I ask everyone not to give the answer away?)

  30. Posted 2/24/2005 at 2:30 am | Permalink

    This is so neat. I found it easy (luck I guess)

    Oh and the answer is …. 42 :-)

    Anyone got links to executable forms of this say a windows program ??

    Thanks
    Chris Taylor
    http://www.nerys.com/

  31. squiral
    Posted 2/24/2005 at 9:17 am | Permalink

    got it, look at [...deleted...]!!!!

  32. susan
    Posted 2/25/2005 at 11:05 pm | Permalink

    i think cipher’s clue makes it really obvious/basically gives away the answer.

  33. Posted 3/3/2005 at 4:00 am | Permalink

    here’s my clue..

    “every rose has it torn” but not every face of the dice have its rose

    good luck to the rest..

  34. Loona
    Posted 3/5/2005 at 10:52 am | Permalink

    hey i need some facts i tried to get the answrer out of my friend kyle but he had to keep the game promise

  35. bb
    Posted 3/8/2005 at 8:02 pm | Permalink

    i’ve been playing for 30 minutes straight and it’s killing me :(

  36. Lily
    Posted 3/11/2005 at 11:09 am | Permalink

    Oh heck this is driving me nuts!!!

    We’ve got a competition on in our Gifted and Talented group for the first person to work out the answer, so far none of us except our tutor has got it!!!!

    So I need to think about “around” and what the rose is……

  37. Lily
    Posted 3/11/2005 at 11:10 am | Permalink

    NO WAIT I’VE GOT IT

    YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOO

    cheers for the clues :D

  38. Darcman
    Posted 3/14/2005 at 4:15 am | Permalink

    Yeah, once you get it down, it’s all good.

  39. angel
    Posted 3/18/2005 at 11:15 am | Permalink

    hahahahaha. i was really pissed and annoyed cause i couldnt get it. played for an hour or so. anyway, those who still cant get the answer, it really has nothing complicated like multiplying or dividing. simple addition and oh, remember the name of the game AROUND the rose (: good luck.

  40. omar
    Posted 3/21/2005 at 2:58 am | Permalink

    I figured it out but people tell me there are TWO ways to find it. Challenge urself tofind the answer TWO different ways

  41. Andy Wells
    Posted 3/21/2005 at 1:04 pm | Permalink

    I worked it out after about 45 minutes but it had nothing to do with the name of the game. I just counted. Sorry if that doesn’t help anyone but there you go.

  42. Yan
    Posted 3/22/2005 at 6:38 pm | Permalink

    Yeahhh….wohoooo.
    after 4 days, I finally got it :D
    excellent puzzle
    kinda stupid if u already got the solution
    but it’s cool

  43. Dan
    Posted 3/24/2005 at 7:04 pm | Permalink

    got it :D

    took me about 30 mins…i started on a website which gave 3 different coloured dice, and was taking that into account, doing all sorts of calculations. prime factors, digital roots etc for quite a while - i always overcomplicate things

    i can see some justification in saying that less academic people will get this quicker than the more mathematically/scientifically able. to get it quickly either requires a very creative, open mind or a very lucky guess. and as we all know, noone with any creative talent is good at maths - and vice versa ;)

    tip for anyone who has been stuck for ages: why the 1?

  44. Dan
    Posted 3/24/2005 at 7:06 pm | Permalink

    just to clarify on my first paragraph - there were 5 dice of 3 different colours

    then again, thats irrelevant, isnt it.

  45. Posted 3/25/2005 at 10:32 am | Permalink

    Figured this out in about 10 minutes by writing down pictures of the different combinations and figuring out what was different. Just tried to remember it was SIMPLE!

  46. Zorpho
    Posted 3/31/2005 at 7:00 am | Permalink

    This game had me hokked for like 2 months,IT WAS DRIVING ME MAD.
    God damn how simple it is when you know the point tought.
    it’s BRILLIANT!

  47. i dont get iiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttttt
    Posted 4/2/2005 at 3:41 pm | Permalink

    got it

  48. really really confused:(
    Posted 4/5/2005 at 6:21 pm | Permalink

    Hi…i just found this game out today and i read all of your guys comments. But it makes absolutely no sence. So let me get this straight. All the solutions have even numbers or zero, AROUND is a big clue for some reason, all you have to do is add, every rose has it torn” but not every face of the dice have its rose (whatever that means), use real dice, question: what is “pedals and roots” supposed to mean? and how can it have nothing to do with numbers if adding is the art of combining numbers. any way all of these clues are doing nothing and i know “you’ve sworn to secrecy” but still son’t say the exact solution but say something that win’t confuse ppl. it makes me feel stupider that i am…oh and what waz cypher’s that gave it away…it just says that “[Ed note: Sorry foks, but this was just too much information.]” ok well i’m gonna go give this thing another try,,,but i don’t see how it’s going to work. Oh and one more question…does it have anything to do with identical numbers in the set of rolled die? ex 54757

  49. Tyler
    Posted 4/7/2005 at 8:15 pm | Permalink

    Crazy game… i was with three friends… two of them knew the game and my other friend and I didn’t. Took both of us around 2 hrs to figure it out. Even with sutile clues still couldn’t get it. Finally did after they told me to look at each individual dice. See it that helps. And remember the name of the game.

  50. jess
    Posted 4/8/2005 at 12:04 am | Permalink

    omg i still dont get it

  51. MRNIMMO
    Posted 4/10/2005 at 4:44 am | Permalink

    That is such a waste of time.

  52. Anonymous
    Posted 4/10/2005 at 4:47 am | Permalink

    LOOK at the dice. Don’t assume it has anything to do with math. Don’t add or multiply. Look for something that is around something else.

    Sworn to secrecy. Secret society my ass. If this is what some geek thinks makes him special… I feel sorry for him.

  53. Davitch
    Posted 4/12/2005 at 6:51 am | Permalink

    well … i must admit that there was no way i was going to figure this one out, but by reading some of the posts of other people, it started to make sense.

    I’ve got it now, but if there’s one piece of advice I can give, it is to figure it out yourself … you’ll regret cheating (unfortunately if youve read this far, youve probably aready got the answer)

  54. Dani
    Posted 4/12/2005 at 2:16 pm | Permalink

    well if u say tht i must be dumb then

  55. Mark
    Posted 4/12/2005 at 3:34 pm | Permalink

    Got it after about 5 hours trying

  56. Posted 4/13/2005 at 4:31 pm | Permalink

    The answer isn’t as easy as people lead you to believe on this forum. I think what most people are trying to say is that the concept is simple, but coming up with the answer can take a lot of time. Someone told me how it works, and if it weren’t for that it would’ve taken me a ton more time. It definitely takes a simple mind to solve it quickly. Not to take anything away from the quick solvers. There are too many different combinations and mathematical situations to think about. The possibility of zero being an answer threw me off pretty hard. So, think simpler than number crunching. It’s pretty wacky.

  57. emily
    Posted 4/14/2005 at 12:14 pm | Permalink

    hello…

    ive just gotten to this game through a friend. took me quite some time (10mins or so?) since i wasnt a really mathematical person, and dices and counting really turns me off…

    contrary to what people have been saying, i feel that i needed to count to get the answer. so its not just look and ‘voila’. the name of the game says alot, but not all… GOOd luck!!…

    Emily

    P.S. i think teetee’s clue is good!

  58. jessica. aka J.lu
    Posted 4/16/2005 at 4:37 pm | Permalink

    i have no cluse how this game works. i’ve been playing it for about 20 mins and ever other of my answers were right at some point. its annoying like heck

  59. jane
    Posted 4/22/2005 at 2:16 am | Permalink

    i tried this for about 20 minutes before i got frustrated and tried loooking it up. the clues give away a lot– after reading all the posts i figured it out in a second. really, though. dont cheat, try it yourself. its so much more fun that way. if you cheat, it just seems really lame.

  60. Jewels
    Posted 4/22/2005 at 10:18 am | Permalink

    I spent over an hour working on it (found the puzzle through another puzzle I was working on), then I started going back and reading the history of the game. There were a lot of hidden clues in the story, but once I stopped thinking linear (logical) and started thinking creatively, the answer to the puzzle came right away.

    Try not to think of it as a mathematical problem and look at it from a more creative point of view, relax, and you’ll see the answer.

  61. Izlude
    Posted 4/24/2005 at 1:29 pm | Permalink

    wow….this was a good 2min challenge….if anyone has any better puzzle that would take me longer, tell me!

  62. syed
    Posted 4/24/2005 at 4:14 pm | Permalink

    man, i’ve only been looking at it for about 30 minutes now, and I think I’ve figured it out, because it works for 2 or 3 rolls, but then it starts failing me. I shall get it though.

  63. Posted 4/29/2005 at 11:01 am | Permalink

    This puzzle is so stupid !!! Dammmmmnnnnnnnnn!!!! It took me about 3 hrs to get the answer to this simple logic game. I solved this puzzle after wasting 5 pieces of paper, 1 pencil, and 2 batts of my calculator. THIS IS BLOODY HELL!!!

  64. Posted 5/4/2005 at 12:09 pm | Permalink

    It is a very simple puzzle. Don’t think too much about it or else you will never get the answer.

  65. babu
    Posted 5/9/2005 at 10:41 am | Permalink

    To you who are struggling with the game: you’ll never find it using logic because everything about this game is flawed.

    “Petals aroud the rose” will not give you the answer. *The* rose is misleading. There may be several roses. And petals are not around *the* rose. They’re all over the place and you’re supposed to magically understand that there is actually just the *one* rose and you’re supposed to magically see those petals around *one* rose.

    The success of the game is based on the fact that people want to belong to the club. They just don’t want to realize they were fooled. Spending days without finding the solution, you can’t admit that the game is dumb. But you can realize that the game is basically flawed.

    And to find the answer all you have to do is use Google. You will *not* regret it. You’ll be happy you didn’t waste too much time on a power trip game. And you’ll still be able to bug the hell out of gullible people.

  66. CRANDALL
    Posted 5/13/2005 at 1:16 am | Permalink

    LOOK AT THE GAME WHAT DOES A ROSE DO WITH ITS PETALS THEY DROP RIGHT? HOW MANY PETALS DOES A ROSE HAVE!

  67. Shy
    Posted 5/15/2005 at 4:25 am | Permalink

    Thanks for the clues. I got it!!!! It took a day to finally get the answer.. Thanks, guys!!! I will always take note of the number in the dice… Thanks!!!

  68. knig7ht
    Posted 5/17/2005 at 8:53 am | Permalink

    i got it! i took half and hour to figure it out! lol!

  69. Spectacle
    Posted 5/25/2005 at 8:21 pm | Permalink

    I’m glad I didn’t rack my brain on it. Google is your friend :)

  70. Old Man
    Posted 6/1/2005 at 12:49 am | Permalink

    OMG !!!!! this quiz is doing my head in ! i been at it since 3 o clock this morning and its almost 6 now
    i know that some of you guys spent a day on it but if i did it for that long i think id rip my head off.
    ARGH !

  71. weeeeeeee
    Posted 6/1/2005 at 1:16 pm | Permalink

    ok, i got it. it sucks.

    I know everyone always says, “don’t think about it too much”, but that’s bs.

    My advice is that you need to see how some dice sides are different from others. Cancel the irrelevant ones out, then count up.

  72. Albert
    Posted 6/2/2005 at 2:44 pm | Permalink

    What is the pharse in induct a polar bear who has sloved the riddle?

  73. Whallbag
    Posted 6/3/2005 at 10:00 pm | Permalink

    Babu clearly doesn’t get it… talking ballauks…

    Got it in a couple of minutes, which I’m rather chuffed about, seeing as in one of his biographies, it’s claimed that Bill Gates never did fathom this game - he memorized the answers from watching people play loads of ‘throws’ in Harvard, but never knew why the answer was what it was.

    :D at the modest Mr. Digital Root ;)

  74. Posted 6/3/2005 at 10:31 pm | Permalink

    I posted this last year, and stumbled across this site again today.

    This is for those of you that SOLVED the easy-peasy petals-around-the-rose game and need something more CHALLENGING:

    http://www.binaryelysium.com/game/bear.php

  75. Chas
    Posted 6/7/2005 at 4:46 am | Permalink

    okok, people who say if u have a maths orientated brain makes it harder, id just like 2 say that is untrue, at least it was in my case. Maths is by far my strongest subject and i got it after my first roll. You just have to keep an open mind, people who are good at maths dont automatically close themselves to simple answers like this one.

  76. KT
    Posted 6/7/2005 at 6:12 pm | Permalink

    This game is F***ing retarded. I swear to god, this is total BS. -_-;;

  77. Chas
    Posted 6/10/2005 at 6:57 am | Permalink

    The game that KC posted is much harder, i got as far as knowing everything but the plankton and then it got really hard, cant see it from this point…

  78. Jessica
    Posted 6/14/2005 at 8:22 pm | Permalink

    Once you figure this game out is soooo easy!

  79. Paige
    Posted 6/19/2005 at 8:16 pm | Permalink

    HAHAHA. got it. so obvious once you get it. kinda stupiiiid. But it does take alot of stress off your shoulders once it’s solved. I had to leave it for a month and came back to it today and it was easy as cake.

    just gotta find out WHAT the rose is, and how many ‘petals’ it has. :-)

    hahaha. Gunna make plenty of people suffer with this one.

  80. blame the dutch
    Posted 6/20/2005 at 10:15 am | Permalink

    FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!!!!! THIS IS MY EVEREST. I CANT FIGURE IT OUT, AND IF ANYTHING THE CLUES HAVE JUST MADE THINGS MORE COMPLICATED…AND IM TOO STUPID TO FIGURE IT OUT ON MY OWN

  81. Emma
    Posted 6/20/2005 at 11:45 am | Permalink

    i cant do it. i give up. there is no point asking for the awnswere because you won’t tell me and if you do it will be edited out. I saw this the first time in a chemistry lesson when we had a cover teach. I have been trying to work it out for the last about 10 hours and now I will give up, pretend I never heard of it and NEVER ROLL A DICE AGAIN! WA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

  82. lakeesha
    Posted 6/21/2005 at 10:57 am | Permalink

    this game is SO FRUSTRATING I JUST CANT GET THIS STUPID GAME RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

  83. Emma
    Posted 6/21/2005 at 11:09 am | Permalink

    yes, it is me again. and I did roll another die and I GET HOW TO DO IT!!!!!!!!!!! WA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! I saw it first in chemistry yesterday and I figured it out in maths today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was just sitting there and I was looking at a five on a dice and I thought it lokked a bit like a rose and it just sort of hit me! I was so surprised and exicited that I yelled out loud, “I’ve got it”, I was very happy, but not for long because my maths teacher then confiscated my dice. I WILL NEVER TELL YOU!!!!!!!! WA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!

  84. Blank
    Posted 6/24/2005 at 2:33 am | Permalink

    Yeah, almost wanna give up, then looked it again and see the answer.

  85. mavercik
    Posted 6/24/2005 at 11:33 am | Permalink

    here’s a clue. do a yahoo search. start with the name of the game “Petals Around the Rose” and then you’ll see the “solution”! LOL

  86. overthinker
    Posted 6/25/2005 at 5:41 pm | Permalink

    OK guys, like most of you I didn’t get it at first. I read over the clues on this site and I had it. Let me tell you its no big secret. Oh by the way I was first intrudeced to it the night before I figured it out. Only played the game about 30 minuets. Its not that complicated.

    Remember its petals AROUND the rose. You are all like me, you are all overthinking the problem. Its very very very smilple and in my opinion DUMB. But hey aparently 87 of us thought it was fun enough to post a messege about it.

    Have fun and enjoy the game. And once you figure it out. Torment everyone you know with it.

  87. sorkia
    Posted 6/27/2005 at 8:31 am | Permalink

    uh….really dumb…i gave a try, then for the nxt few months i left it alone. BUt here are a summary of few clues which i think might be useful….Clues.

    Cipher theory.
    Every rose has its torn, but not every dice have its rose.
    Think outside the box, stop thinking in terms of numbers. All to do is add.
    Nothing to do with numbers, yet everything to do with the word “around”.
    Figure out the word ROSE.
    Cipher’s theory basically gives away the answer.
    Simple addition, AROUND the rose.
    Look for something that is around something else.
    Petals around the rose will not give you the answer.*the *rose is misleading. Petals are not around* the* rose. They are all over the place and there is only *one* rose.
    What does a rose do with it petal they drop.
    Dice sides are different from the other. Cancel the irrelevant ones.

  88. Jason
    Posted 6/29/2005 at 10:02 pm | Permalink

    Hey ive been playing this for almost a year (or so) and i cant get it!!!Clould someone just give me a CLUE (not answer) about how to get it besides “The name of the game is Petals around the rose.The name is very important.The number always has to be even.”
    plz
    Jason@Jesture.com

  89. spoiler
    Posted 7/1/2005 at 2:23 pm | Permalink

    i know it. woo hoo!! so all those who don’t and are desperate to get, HA. At first i thought the clue about the title was rather odd but then i got it…. if you need better hints/ the answer e-mail me @ NiallW2101@hotmail.com and to think i was looking at the positioning of the dice and not looking at the dots

  90. Chas
    Posted 7/3/2005 at 5:23 am | Permalink

    http://www.binaryelysium.com/game/bear.php KC posted this, i dunno if anyone but me went on it but if you’re looking for a bigger challenge try this one, the polar bears and ice holes are easy, i got the fish but it ook a while, i cant figure out the plankton though, post a msg if u have

  91. Valroy
    Posted 7/4/2005 at 5:24 am | Permalink

    If i see a rose, I will rip out the petals and stomp on the stem and dance around the carnage….I hate this game….But I shal try it after a few scotch on the rocks… I am sure to see the answer.

  92. Valroy
    Posted 7/4/2005 at 5:39 am | Permalink

    Un’Bloddy’believable!!! 5 Minutes after posting my comments. I got it….

    The Only Secret to this is:
    Close your eyes
    Take a deep breath
    And Play ‘Around’

    After you get it. You never want to play the game again.

    Then maybe you want to try..http://www.binaryelysium.com/game/bear.php

  93. Geeta
    Posted 7/4/2005 at 6:30 am | Permalink

    I think its a waste of time. No less than a destructive virus.

  94. Emma
    Posted 7/6/2005 at 1:04 pm | Permalink

    WA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think it is easier if you think of polar bears around the ice hole rather than petals around the rose. I don’t know how much this clue gives away but here it is: is polar bears are standing AROUND and ice hole, where must the hole be?… Also, look at the number 5 on the dice face what does it look like from above?. i think the one with the how many fish in the sea and how many plankton is really haed.

  95. Emma
    Posted 7/8/2005 at 1:39 pm | Permalink

    http://www.binaryelysium.com/game/bear.php

    Try this website WA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAA if you solved the petals around the rose thingy. I can get the number of holes, bears, and fish right but the plankton puzzels me because it’s such a big number.

  96. sleepless nights
    Posted 7/8/2005 at 9:10 pm | Permalink

    Took me about 3-4 tries to figure this one out, although i have to admit i would never have solved it without taking a deep breath, thinking about the name of the game.
    Now to the point: the polar bear thing with fish and plankton is driving me nuts. I have had about 4-5 hours of sleep every night instead of 8-9 hours (guess what i’m doing instead :p ). Anyone have a clue about the plankton? Still havent figured the fish out but i wanna get that one on my own.

  97. Posted 7/13/2005 at 4:48 pm | Permalink


    [ed.: comment deleted by admin.]

  98. Emma
    Posted 7/16/2005 at 2:08 pm | Permalink

    I am really annoyed that Kryten Lister gave it away!!!!!!! BURN! BURN!http://www.binaryelysium.com/game/bear.php (try this website)

  99. Zeus
    Posted 7/19/2005 at 1:01 pm | Permalink

    wowwww…. that was fairly simple, im very happy that i didn’t come down and see Kryten Listers comment before i solved it my self. Haha my friend who is a mathimatical genius is begging me to inform him, quite the amusing challege

  100. Emma
    Posted 7/25/2005 at 8:05 am | Permalink

    Kryten Lister, this is a message to you: YOU DO NOT DO ANYONE ANY FAVOURS BY GIVING IT AWAY! IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME HOW IT WAS DONE I WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY ANNOYED!!!!!! everyone, try this puzzle: http://www.binaryelysium.com/game/bear.php

  101. annoyed
    Posted 7/25/2005 at 8:06 am | Permalink

    DONT GIVE IT AWAY! ITS SO STUPID

  102. rose
    Posted 7/26/2005 at 11:51 am | Permalink

    I agree with Emma and annoyed. Poeple might want to work it out themselves. what was the point of spioling it for everyone you git!

  103. Emma
    Posted 7/27/2005 at 1:19 pm | Permalink

    THANK YOU FOR FINALLY EDITING OUT KRYTEN LISTER’S COMMENT. IT JUST GAVE IT AWAY!

  104. Emma
    Posted 7/27/2005 at 1:21 pm | Permalink

    If anyone is thinking of telling the awnwere, some poeple might just want a clue and figure it out for themselves. Also, it stops people from being able to annoy others with this riddle.

  105. Emma
    Posted 7/27/2005 at 1:26 pm | Permalink

    http://www.binaryelysium.com/game/bear.php try this puzzle if you can already do the petals around the rose one.

    p.s. the anwswere is …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… just count the petals that are around the rose

  106. super confused
    Posted 8/4/2005 at 2:26 am | Permalink

    My teacher was trying to teach my class this game and like 2 people got it. I thought about it for so long and I listened to the clues but I just can’t get it. some of the clues that people give on this website are so confusing! My brain hurts!!!

  107. Nani Nino
    Posted 8/11/2005 at 3:42 pm | Permalink

    I was introduced to “Petals around the Rose” in “Second Life”, a 3D interactive game. I have spent countless hours trying to figure it out in Second Life and in Real Life. I don’t consider myself a dumb person but I do tend to over analize things. But now, I am completely immersed in trying to solve this ’simple’ mind game. However, until I figure it out: “DAMN YOU, JEFFREY GOMEZ! (Second Life resident name) for doing this to me!!”
    Now,hopefully soon, the next post will probably read… “I got it! But still, DAMN YOU, JEFFREY GOMEZ For doing this to me!!”
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH…damn

  108. Nani Nino
    Posted 8/11/2005 at 3:56 pm | Permalink

    err..!! wahooo!!!! I GOT IT!!!! yeepeee!!!! HOO!!HOO!!! (doing a goal dance!)
    I really got it~ Damn you, Jeffrey Gomez.. this is rally stupid! But oh, the joy of having solved it… hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
    Folks, it really helps to read the clues, walk away, clear your mind and look at the die again… hardee,har,har!!!

  109. Tinkerspy
    Posted 8/15/2005 at 3:20 pm | Permalink

    Finally! Now I can torture all my workmates! Yeee-Haha! It would have taken me so much longer without the clues on this site. Simple really though!

  110. Guest mensan
    Posted 8/19/2005 at 12:45 pm | Permalink

    I’ve solved the Bears around the holes puzzle: the planktons were an interesting mathematical puzzle in themselves but they were no match for me… time for solving was around 30 minutes.

  111. Guest mensan
    Posted 8/19/2005 at 12:49 pm | Permalink

    If you *really* want to know how it’s solved, nmdemo@hotmail.com

  112. Kristina
    Posted 8/23/2005 at 1:23 am | Permalink

    I got it in 5 rolls, >.> it says the smarter you are the longer it takes you to get it. My friend introduced me to this game, the first try I totally over analyzed it, I was thinking it was some complex thing, and I started looking for patterns and different ways to add the dice and dots and such. But my friend couldn’t keep her mouth shut, it was really when she put emphasis on the name of the game, said to look at the dice independantly instead of in a large group, and that it was really simple and she had been trying crazy patterns that just didn’t work, that I had a fleeting thought, and went with it. At first I didn’t actually realize what I had done to get the right answer :D!

  113. boywonder
    Posted 8/25/2005 at 3:21 pm | Permalink

    5 rolls? not very difficult when your friend keeps throwing hints your way, huh??? really :)

  114. Emma
    Posted 8/30/2005 at 5:59 am | Permalink

    I’d like to know what Kristina is doing on this page at 1:23am!

  115. Emma
    Posted 8/30/2005 at 6:01 am | Permalink

    Same to super confused at 2:26am!

  116. Emma
    Posted 8/30/2005 at 6:03 am | Permalink

    Looking at this now, they might have put the wrong times on as my messages say 5:59 and 6:01 am and it is actually 11:02 am

  117. boywonder
    Posted 8/31/2005 at 5:52 pm | Permalink

    It’s called a different timezone.

  118. boywonder
    Posted 8/31/2005 at 5:53 pm | Permalink

    Either that, or a bad clock. ;-)

  119. Andre
    Posted 9/5/2005 at 6:10 pm | Permalink

    It took me over an hour. I think Dan gave me the best advice when he said “why the 1?” for some reason I got it after that.

  120. Switch
    Posted 9/8/2005 at 5:13 pm | Permalink

    Got it in first go… And yes its stupid… Not worth wasting your time… Was reading a blog and came to know about this… Waste of time…

  121. can't get it
    Posted 9/9/2005 at 8:25 pm | Permalink

    it can’t get it. even with all of the clues and hints i still can’t get it and this is my 3rd days working on. please help me some one

  122. Posted 9/20/2005 at 4:33 am | Permalink

    finally i figured it out, it took me like 15 minutes. it is boring. its fairly easy once you know it. there is a clue on here that helped me a lot. and its not the adding clue.

  123. angel
    Posted 9/20/2005 at 5:26 pm | Permalink

    will some one just tell me how to play it trust me i won’t be mad

  124. angel
    Posted 9/20/2005 at 5:27 pm | Permalink

    will some one just tell me how to play its game trust me I won’t be mad I will be happy

    help,
    angel

  125. angel
    Posted 9/20/2005 at 5:37 pm | Permalink

    if anyone want to help me im me befor the day is over at glitterangle15@yahoo.com

    pleas help me

  126. Micah
    Posted 9/20/2005 at 11:56 pm | Permalink

    Only two things you need to figure this out…replies # 47 (last line) and #53…use them together and it’s pretty easy.

  127. bud3863665282
    Posted 9/22/2005 at 12:20 pm | Permalink

    text me the aannsswweerr pppplllllleeeeeeeeeaaaaaassssssssseeeeeeeeee

  128. bud3863665282
    Posted 9/22/2005 at 12:22 pm | Permalink

    text me the answer please my number is 386-366-5282

  129. josh
    Posted 9/29/2005 at 1:57 am | Permalink

    What a name for a dice game! As for me, I am currently researching on the most obscure dice games in the world. I’ll share a few with you at another time. Do you know the Filipino egg balut? That one featured in Fear Factor? Well, another Filipino thing, because it came from there is balut- the dice game! You’d better believe it.

  130. spro
    Posted 10/6/2005 at 6:48 pm | Permalink

    Not every dice is important. Most of the time, most are insignificant.

  131. Tara
    Posted 10/7/2005 at 11:03 pm | Permalink

    I figured out the petals and the roses in 2 rolls, and the whole polar bear/hole/fish/plankton thing in about an hour. Here are some clues for the polar bear game:
    *think outside the box. or rather, outside the square.
    *if you got the fish thing, keep thinking in that direction. you are on the right track to the plankton, just keep working at it!
    I hope that wasn’t giving too much away. I wanted to find the answer to it, but now I’m really glad I figured it out.

  132. Emma
    Posted 10/11/2005 at 1:53 pm | Permalink

    I got the fish on the polar bears thingy pretty fast but i still havn’e got the plankton thingy. but … i haven’t even looked at it for about a month … just forgot about it wa ha ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah WA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  133. anon
    Posted 10/16/2005 at 1:39 am | Permalink

    think metaphoically. The petals around the rose is a metaphor for the dice symbols. I throw the dice, how many roses are there?

  134. Atreus
    Posted 10/16/2005 at 2:11 am | Permalink

    Funny little game. Solved in 5 minutes with the help of my toilet seat. :D
    It’s all in the name. The funny thing was that I started to guess the corect answer before I even knew how.

  135. bdesign
    Posted 10/16/2005 at 11:57 am | Permalink

    So I got the rose one in 8 rolls, but can’t get the darn polar bear one now! Obviously the holes and the polar bears are easy, but thefish and the plankton stump me. Oh well.

  136. gid
    Posted 10/16/2005 at 11:31 pm | Permalink

    I just immediately looked at the javascript code to figure out how to calculate the answer. I don’t really consider that cheating, I call it being resourceful. :) I probably “rolled” the dice 20 times before I actually bothered to think about “why” it was the way it was. My response: “that’s gay”

  137. rc
    Posted 10/16/2005 at 11:59 pm | Permalink

    straightforward mathematical answer … really stupid reason.

  138. Paul
    Posted 10/17/2005 at 5:12 pm | Permalink

    When I first saw this site, I throught it was referring to a dice puzzle I recently saw and would very much like to purchase. The object on question is a six-sided flower-like shaped with each node encasing a die. Each of these outer dice are numbered 1-6. Incased in the center is also a die, but this is number in by units of ten - 10-60. Moving the while object against a flat surface ransomly spins each of the dice. The object is to provide an equation that will equal the center die plus one other outer die that is already designated. For example, you might start with the nuymber 53. And your five outer die read: 1, 2, 2, 5 and 6. Can you use addition, subtraction, fractions, multiplication, exponents, etc. using these number to reach 53?
    Even bringing my not inconsiderable librarian’s skills to bear, I haven’t been able to find the object anywhere.
    The name MAY be “math Magic” or possibly “Math Matic.” Can anyone who knows what I am referring to PLEASE email me with the name and or company which manufacture(s)(ed) this puzzle/game?
    Thank you! phoffman@neb.rr.com

  139. Paul
    Posted 10/18/2005 at 5:23 pm | Permalink

    Whew. I was able to discover the answer after stepping back from the computer — faaaar back from the computer — and unclenching my fists — and thinking metaphorically. Or maybe metametaphorically: that is, how are those who find a solution quickly attacking this puzzle?
    The answer, when it comes, is a little like the “aha” moment when you get the answer to the (in)famous riddle: “What do a raven and a desk have in common?”

    Remember:
    “Puzzles worthy of attack, prove their worth by hitting back.”
    – Piet Hein

  140. Kellie
    Posted 10/18/2005 at 10:38 pm | Permalink

    I HATE this stupid petal game!!!!!!!!!! I’m convinced that being anal retentive and super logical about everyting does you absolutley no good with this game. GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  141. mickey
    Posted 10/19/2005 at 2:09 am | Permalink

    look at the picture forget the numbers

  142. Emma
    Posted 10/20/2005 at 11:37 am | Permalink

    I HATE PLANKTON!!! but ican dot the holes, fish and bears thing!!! WA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAA

  143. tay
    Posted 10/24/2005 at 5:34 pm | Permalink

    I can’t figure it out i keep tring but it never works

  144. katja
    Posted 10/27/2005 at 8:14 pm | Permalink

    my friend has been bugging my whole choir with this stupid thing and I finally figured it out!!!!!!

  145. N HYM
    Posted 10/28/2005 at 6:03 pm | Permalink

    Actually I hear that the smarter you are the Harder it is….
    SO maybe your not a genious

  146. maqhfturvsej
    Posted 11/1/2005 at 8:14 pm | Permalink

    this is a game i never figured out

  147. Emma
    Posted 11/2/2005 at 1:03 pm | Permalink

    its not the smarter you are, the harder it is. its just it isn’t particuly important to be smart to figure it out.you don’t need to bee good at maths or anything beyond basic counting. I suppose people say its harder if you are smarter because if you are very good at mathsy stuff then you may try to figure it out like that and make it seem complicated when it is simple.

    WA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

  148. Emma
    Posted 11/2/2005 at 1:04 pm | Permalink

    I SPELT ‘BE’ WRONG. I WROTE ‘BEE’ WHOOOOOOOOOOOOPS

  149. aaaaa
    Posted 11/5/2005 at 2:49 pm | Permalink

    I HATE thsi stupid game. I am smart but i cant get it

  150. Katie
    Posted 11/6/2005 at 7:05 pm | Permalink

    My teacher asked us this question at school. After a little while my brother helped me and we found out the answer it is really easy. I am only in sixth grade so my teacher will be really impressed with me!!!!!

  151. Katie
    Posted 11/6/2005 at 8:12 pm | Permalink

    i got it after about 5 min……… LOL

    i am only 12 hahhahahahhahahhahahhahahahhahahaha

  152. JR
    Posted 11/10/2005 at 2:34 am | Permalink

    Got it. I found reply #56 to be the most helpful.

  153. DS
    Posted 11/12/2005 at 7:10 am | Permalink

    Fact: the smarter a person is the lower are his chances to find the correct answer to the game due to the fact that he can think of more ways of trying to solve it. This doesn’t necessarily mean that if you found the solution in a fast time you are dumb, it can also mean that you were lucky with choosing the way to try and solve it.
    So it’s not the smarter you are the harder it is, it’s the smarter you are the higher the chances are for it to be hard.

  154. Posted 11/29/2005 at 9:03 pm | Permalink

    you guys are freat all i had to do to figure the game out is read a couple of your remarks on it and i got it instantly. plus that bill gates web site gives it away right away they practicaly hold your hand through the whole thing telling you how to do it.

  155. Posted 11/29/2005 at 9:04 pm | Permalink

    i meant to say great

  156. Posted 11/29/2005 at 9:06 pm | Permalink

    guess you broke your secrecy!

  157. Mike Reynolds
    Posted 12/14/2005 at 11:11 am | Permalink

    I’m in eigth grade and I love pedals around the rose. We play it in math class only we call it the Polar Bear Club. It took me awhile to figure it out but it’s really simple once you finnaly understand it and figure out you were heading in the wrong direction.

  158. Kiraela
    Posted 12/15/2005 at 8:37 pm | Permalink

    Holy crap… It took me FOUR YEARS to get this stupid thing. and now that i have it… hehe. i’m tormenting everyone i know. I CAN’T BELIEVE IT WAS SO SIMPLE. i tried everything from numerology to advanced algegbra…. YARRR….. and then i’m looking at it and oh wow yay i SEE IT.

  159. D.B.
    Posted 12/15/2005 at 8:41 pm | Permalink

    It’s all in the name.

  160. williams
    Posted 12/20/2005 at 9:13 am | Permalink

    it took me over a year to figure it out( i played it once then the next year i played it again). it took my brother around an hour to figure it out. when i figured it out i took the polar bear promise. i could have kicked myself it that easy!!!!

  161. Edward
    Posted 12/24/2005 at 6:51 am | Permalink

    got it first time wooh yeah too easy watcin every1 round me take 2 hours 2 get it was fun yey!

  162. Edward
    Posted 12/24/2005 at 6:52 am | Permalink

    got it first time wooh yeah too easy watcin every1 round me take 2 hours 2 get it was fun yey! and i did it with real dice nd no pointers except being given the name of the game nd told 2 find the number

  163. Edward
    Posted 12/24/2005 at 6:52 am | Permalink

    got it first time wooh yeah too easy watcin every1 round me take 2 hours 2 get it was fun yey! and i did it with real dice