Turing Machine

To set up, place the hexagonal machine tile in the center of the play area. Organize the punch cards by their numerical values (1-5) into the slots of the provided tray. Select a problem from the rulebook or the turingmachine.info website. The problem will indicate which sections of the machine (A-F) to use, which criteria cards to place face-up next to those sections, and which verification cards to place face-down on the outside. Use the dry-erase marker to mark the corresponding machine section letter on the back of each verification card. Finally, each player takes a note sheet from the pad and a player aid, which doubles as a screen to hide their notes.

The objective of Turing Machine is to be the first player to correctly deduce a secret three-digit code. Each digit in the code can be a value from 1 to 5. Players will ask the machine questions about their proposed codes and use the machine's responses to logically narrow down the possibilities for the secret code.

A round consists of four steps. First, players simultaneously compose a three-digit number (each digit from 1-5) on their note sheets and then assemble the corresponding punch cards from the tray. Second, players question the machine by selecting up to three sections (A-F) to test their proposed number against. They slide their assembled punch cards behind the chosen criteria card and its corresponding verification card to reveal a checkmark (agreement) or an X (disagreement), which they secretly record on their note sheet. Players cannot change their proposed number during a round. Third, players analyze their new information, updating their note sheets with deductions about possible code digits. Fourth, players decide if they want to attempt to deduce the secret code.

At the end of a round, players who believe they have deduced the secret code give a thumbs-up. These players write down their guessed code. They then secretly check their answer against the solution provided in the rulebook or on the website. If a player's answer is incorrect, they are eliminated. If all players who gave a thumbs-up are eliminated, the game continues with remaining players. If only one player remains, they automatically win. If one or more players correctly deduce the code, the player who used the fewest questions (indicated by marks on their note sheet) wins. If there's a tie in correct answers and fewest questions, those players share the victory.

The game ends immediately when a player successfully deduces the secret three-digit code and verifies it as correct. If multiple players achieve this in the same round, tie-breaking rules are applied to determine the winner.