Dice design solves board gaming's most surprisingly complex problem—who goes first?

Phys · Aug 17, 2026 · 1247 words · By Abbey Crank

Academic Achievement Institutional Promotion (Auburn University) Mathematical Curiosity

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The article describes a 15-year mathematical effort led by Eric Harshbarger and a global group of collaborators to design a set of dice that determines who goes first in a board game without ties. The project culminated in a solution using five 60-sided dice, which Harshbarger has since turned into a large-scale wooden sculpture for Auburn University's STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex.

Propaganda risk 10%

Claims checked 9

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center75%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Phys reports: Dice design solves board gaming's most surprisingly complex problem—who goes first?.

Why it matters

Lisa Lock Scientific Editor Robert Egan Senior Editor It took nearly 15 years, researchers around the world and enough computing power to search through a universe of possibilities to answer one question: Who goes first?

Common ground

Eric Harshbarger was at a gaming convention with a friend, who was a board game designer, when a dinner conversation turned to one of the simplest parts of playing a game: deciding who gets the first turn.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Academic Achievement story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that They eventually found a solution using four 12-sided dice and the numbers 1 through 48 [where] the dice could never tie, and each player had an equal chance of rolling the highest number?
How does this story connect Academic Achievement with Institutional Promotion (Auburn University) over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-08-dice-board-gaming-complex-problem.html

analyticsAnalysis

10%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 100%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Exaggeration / Hyperbole 80% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4

verified Verified By Reference 3

help Insufficient Evidence 1

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “They eventually found a solution using four 12-sided dice and the numbers 1 through 48 [where] the dice could never tie, and each player had an equal chance of rolling the highest number.”

CORROBORATED

The existence of a solution using four 12-sided dice to eliminate ties and ensure equal winning probability is confirmed by both 'The Bama Buzz' and a specialized dice design article.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A die (plural: dice, sometimes also used as singular) is a small, throwable object with marked sides that can rest in multiple positions. Dice are used for generating random values, commonly as part o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dice

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Go First Dice are a set of dice in which, when rolled together, each die has an equal chance of showing the highest number, the second highest number, and so on. The dice are intended for fairly deci…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_First_Dice

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A set of dice is intransitive (or nontransitive) if it contains n > 2 {\displaystyle n>2} dice, X …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intransitive_dice

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “Then came a solution using five identical 120-sided dice.”

CORROBORATED

The discovery of a solution using five identical 120-sided dice is confirmed by multiple independent sources, including CBC Radio and a dice design article.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Researchers found several five-player solutions, but many required dice so complex they weren't practical to make. Then came a solution using five identical 120-sided dice.
https://phys.org/news/2026-08-dice-board-gaming-complex-prob…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The dice are designed to eliminate ties when determining who goes first in a board game.During that process, a researcher in Australia joined the group and came up with a more practical solution: a se…
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/dice-mystery-board-game…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — After years of searching, mathematicians have found dice that can allow five players to fairly decide who moves first in a board game, with a winner guaranteed.
https://www.soz6.com/news/dice-discovered-that-solve-decade-…

help

Claim 3: “Auburn was building the STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex, which would become the new home for COSAM.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the construction of the STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex at Auburn University.

info

Claim 4: “Robert Ford is an Auburn mathematics alumnus who now teaches at Dalton State College.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim is specifically reported by 'The Bama Buzz', which identifies Robert Ford as an Auburn mathematics alumnus teaching at Dalton State College. No other independent sources in the provided evidence corroborate this specific biographical detail.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2021 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cougars played their home games at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas, co…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Houston_Cougars_football_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Texas_Longhorns_football_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam_Newton

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “Around 2023, Canadian researcher Paul Meyer contacted Harshbarger with something better: five 60-sided dice.”

CORROBORATED

CBC Radio and Scientific American both report that Canadian researcher/software engineer Paul Meyer contacted Harshbarger with a more practical solution using five 60-sided dice.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A breakthrough from Canada. Paul Meyer, a Canadian software engineer, reached out to Harshbarger and asked for some of his old results. Three months later, Meyer emailed Harshbarger with exciting news…
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/dice-mystery-board-game…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Five 60-sided dice, in blue, black green, purple and red, sit on a wooden surface. A die-sized copy of the Go First Dice for Five Players. Eric Harshbarger via Office of Communications and Marketing, …
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/unique-mathematic…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — likelihood of getting a 4, a 5 and a 6 on the roll of three dice.
https://www.thoughtco.com/probabilities-for-rolling-three-di…

verified

Claim 6: “Eric Harshbarger is a senior lecturer in Auburn University's College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM).”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Multiple sources, including Wikipedia and the official Auburn University faculty page, confirm Eric Harshbarger is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics within the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Elise Marie Stefanik ( stə-FAH-nik; born July 2, 1984) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 21st congressional district since 2015. From 2021 to 2025, she…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elise_Stefanik

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Eric C. Harshbarger (born c. 1971) is a Senior Lecturer of mathematics at Auburn University. He previously was an Alabama-based builder of large-scale Lego brick mosaics and sculptures. From around 20…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Harshbarger

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This list of Auburn High School people includes graduates, former students, administrators, trustees, faculty, and staff of Auburn High School in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The list includes peop…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Auburn_High_School_peo…

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 7: “Over roughly 15 years, Harshbarger estimated 12–20 people contributed to the research, with a core group of about six.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant search results (Wizz Air, Dice.com, etc.) and does not contain any information regarding the number of contributors or the duration of Harshbarger's research.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 3.15.20 is the fourth studio album by the American actor and rapper Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was initially uploaded to the website donaldgloverpresents.com on March 15,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3.15.20

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Between the Buttons is the fifth studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 20 January 1967 in the UK and 23 January in the United States. Reflecting the band's brief foray …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Between_the_Buttons

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The S-300 (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) is a series of long-range surface-to-air missile systems developed by the former Soviet Union. It was produced by NPO Almaz for the Soviet Air Defence For…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-300_missile_system

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 8: “The discovery received international attention, including a 2012 story in The Guardian.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While the evidence contains general information about The Guardian, there is no specific evidence provided in the search results that confirms a 2012 story was published by The Guardian regarding these specific dice.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Guardians (German title: Schutzengel) is a 2012 German action film directed and written by Til Schweiger. It stars Til Schweiger, Luna Schweiger, and Moritz Bleibtreu.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardians_(2012_film)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Mail & Guardian, formerly the Weekly Mail, is a South African weekly newspaper and website, published by M&G Media in Johannesburg, South Africa. It focuses on political analysis, investigative re…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_&_Guardian

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Guardian is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, The …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guardian

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 9: “Researchers found several five-player solutions, but many required dice so complex they weren't practical to make.”

CORROBORATED

Both Scientific American and a specialized dice design article confirm that five-player solutions existed but were often too complex or impractical to manufacture.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Although unwieldy sets were known to be possible, these weren’t easy to manufacture into rollable dice, to sell to enthusiasts or, for Harshbarger, to carve into nice-looking sculptures. This is where…
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/unique-mathematic…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — They are smart, but they were not built just for math and can sometimes make mistakes. Our AI Math Solver is a math expert. It was made specifically to solve math problems, so you can trust our answer…
https://solvely.ai/ai-math-solver

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — What Are the Probability Outcomes for Rolling Three Dice?
https://www.thoughtco.com/probabilities-for-rolling-three-di…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.