[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by clarknova

Spoiler:

I dunno why, but my 'puter tells me it's white every time.

#!/usr/bin/perl
use List::Util 'shuffle';

my (@pot,@pile);

for (my $i=0; $i<300; $i++) {   # Add 300 black beans to the pile
  push (@pile,'B');
}

for (my $i=0; $i<150; $i++) {   # Add 150 black beans to te pot
  push (@pot,'B');
}

for (my $i=0; $i<75; $i++) {    # Add 75 white beans to the pot
  push (@pot,'W');
}


while (scalar(@pot) > 1) {      # Loop until one bean remains in the pot.
  @pot = shuffle(@pot);         # Stir the pot.
  my $b1 = pop(@pot);           # Grab Bean 1 from the pot
  my $b2 = shift(@pot);         # Grab Bean 2 from the pot
  if ($b1 eq 'B') {             # Bean 1 = Black Bean
    push(@pile,$b1);            # Put it in the Pile
    push(@pot,$b2);             # Throw the other in the pot (could be w or b)
  } elsif ($b2 eq 'B') {        # Bean 2 = Black Bean
    push(@pile,$b2);            # Put it in the Pile
    push(@pot,$b1);             # Throw the other in the pot (it's white)
  } else {                      # Both are White, discard them.
    $b1 = pop(@pile);           # Grab one from the pile.
    push(@pot,$b1);             # Put it in the pot.
  }
}                               # Rinse, Wash, Repeat.

print "Last Bean: $pot[0].\n";

I admire the coding effort, but it is possible to solve this without the the use of a computer. Even if you do have the right answer.