The Volokh Conspiracy
Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent
Settlers of Catan puzzles
For those of our readers who play the popular Settlers of Catan board game (basic version):
(1) What is the maximum number of resource cards you can have without being able to trade any in to the bank, or use any to build anything? (Assume that you aren't running out of space on the board, resource cards in the bank, settlements or cities that you are entitled to build, or anything else like that.) Naturally, if you have a port, this maximum number may be less, so assume you don't have a port.
(2) What is the maximum number of resource cards that can be distributed from the bank - not counting cards that come in through trades - in any one player's turn? (Of course, the number varies depending on board configuration, so I'm looking for the maximum under the most favorable possible board configuration.)
(3) What is the maximum number of resource cards that can be distributed from the bank - not counting cards that come in through trades - in any one player's turn to any one player?
UPDATE: I've clarified item 1 to indicate that you haven't run out of settlements or cities that you can build, or otherwise constrained.
