| CBC Radio | Posted: September 1, 2026 10:16 PM | Last Updated: September 1

A longstanding mathematical problem has finally been solved

Image | 20260811-eric-dice

Caption: Mathematician Eric Harshbarger stands in front of giant versions of the dice he helped invent, displayed at Auburn University in Alabama. The dice are designed to eliminate ties when determining who goes first in a board game. (Submitted by Auburn University)

LISTEN | Full interview with mathematician Eric Harshbarger :

Media Audio | As It Happens :

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During a dinner conversation at a gaming convention in 2012, Eric Harshbarger was asked by a board game designer if he could come up with dice that would determine who goes first — without the possibility of a tie.

The idea was simple: settle the first turn quickly and get on with the game.

“The goal [is] to save everyone a few precious seconds so they can get…