Puzzle Lab

What is Puzzle Lab?

Welcome to Puzzle Lab: At the Junction of Linguistics and AI!
This fun and interactive puzzle-solving experience is your gateway to the logical worlds of Linguistics and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
If you enjoy playing with words, solving logic puzzles, and cracking codes then this event is made just for you! It’s the perfect way to get a sneak peek into how language and AI work in exciting ways.
This activity will set you on a path toward national and international Linguistic Olympiads: Panini Linguistics Olympiad (PLO) with the association of IIIT-Hyderabad, Asia Pacific Linguistics Olympiad (APLO), and the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL). The AI Olympiad from India is also joining this year with ACM India handling the selection. The AI path will lead to International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI).

Register Now! Take your test!

Why should you join Puzzle Lab?

Fun with Learning: Enjoy solving puzzles that are both tricky and entertaining.
Discover Linguistics and AI: Get hands-on experience with challenges that mix language skills, logic, and artificial intelligence.
Prepare for Future Olympiads: This event will introduce you to the techniques used in national and international competitions like Panini Linguistics Olympiad, APLO, and IOL, IOAI.
No Pressure, Just Fun: It’s all about learning and having a good time, with no pressure to compete or win.
Puzzle Lab is more than just a puzzle activity—it’s your first step into the fascinating world of Linguistics and AI. We invite you to join this journey, where every puzzle is a key to unlocking new ideas and possibilities.
So, are you ready to challenge your mind and have some fun? Join the Puzzle Lab and start your exploration into the amazing world of Linguistics and AI today!

Who can participate?

Puzzle Lab is open to all students from 6th to 12th standard. If you've ever wondered how languages work or how computers think, this is your chance to dive into that world!
Whether you're just beginning or already love puzzles, this activity is designed to be fun and easy to join.
Although this competition is intended for school students (6th-12th standard), the website is public and anyone is welcome to give it a try! 😀

How does it work?

This is a 90-minute online puzzle session that serves as an introduction to the linguistics and AI olympiads.
This isn’t a competition—it’s a puzzle adventure! We don’t have leaderboards or scores. The aim is to let you enjoy solving puzzles that give you a taste of what it’s like to work with Linguistics and AI. You’ll learn the techniques and strategies that can help you in future Olympiad rounds without any pressure of ranking or competition.

When and Where is it happening?

The Puzzle Lab will be held online, so you can participate from anywhere! It’s set to go live on 17 November 2024, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM on our dedicated webpage.
You’ll have the flexibility to solve these puzzles at your own pace—no rush, just fun!

Contact

For any queries contact plo@iiit.ac.in

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a registration fee to participate in Puzzle Lab?
- No, participation in Puzzle Lab is completely free! However, the registration process for the Panini Linguistic Olympiad is separate and includes a nominal fee.
How does the Puzzle Lab compare to the PLO set of problems?
- The Puzzle Lab is designed to be easier and more accessible, with a focus on introducing you to the types of questions you might encounter in the PLO.
- Unlike the PLO, which has a higher difficulty level and is conducted offline, the Puzzle Lab is an introductory online experience with flexible timing.
How many problems should I expect?
- There will be 15 MCQ questions and 3 long (integer based) questions.
What is the selection process for the Panini Linguistics Olympiad (PLO)?
- For detailed information about the selection process for the PLO, please refer to the official PLO website.
Are the Panini Linguistics Olympiad (PLO) and AI Olympiad (AIO) the same competition?
- No, they are two separate Olympiads with different problem styles and focuses.
- PLO is centered around linguistics and leads to the IOL (International Linguistics Olympiad), while AIO focuses on artificial intelligence and leads to the IOAI (International Olympiad of AI).
What sort of problems in linguistics can I expect?
- To get a feel, you can try the two problems below. Refer to the resources section on the PLO website for detailed solutions.

Want to try sample Problems?

Akamu Table

Adapted from "Compilation of Russian Olympiad problems between 1965 and 1975" by Vladimir Belikov, Elena Muravenko, Alekseev Mikhail Egorovic

"Did you know that the Hawaiian language and the Maori language spoken by the Maori people of your country are related?" said Akamu, the tourist guide, to Tia, the tourist from New Zealand, who was visiting Hawaii for the first time. "That's impossible!" exclaimed Tia. "The two archipelagos are separated by 7500 km of water. How could two languages spoken in islands so far apart could be similar?" Akamu smiled. "Well, it is not only these two languages. There are at least 30 other languages spread across the islands of the Pacific Ocean that evolved from the same common ancestor. Linguists call this the Polynesian family of languages". He took out a piece of paper and wrote down the words for the cardinal numbers (first, second, third etc.) in 5 Polynesian languages that he could recall. He handed it over to Tia and said "You don't have to believe me; see it for yourself. How would a set of unrelated languages have so similar words for the cardinal numbers?"

Tia looked at Akamu's table with utmost surprise (' and wh are specific consonants):

Language	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Hawaiian	kahi	lua	(a)	ha	lima	ono	hiku	walu	(b)
Maori	tahi	rua	toru	wha	(c)	ono	whitu	waru	iwa
Nuku Hiva	tahi	(d)	to'u	ha	(e)	ono	(f)	va'u	(g)
Rarotonga	ta'i	(h)	(i)	'a	rima	ono	'itu	varu	iva
Samoa	tasi	lua	(j)	(k)	lima	ono	fitu	(l)	iva

It was not hard to see the pattern. Akamu had forgotten some of the words — the gray cells in the table. Tia could fill in the gaps simply by studying the pattern. She showed Akamu her guesses, and Akamu exclaimed "Woah! You got everything right. When did you learn all these languages?" "It's actually simple", said Tia.

Assignment 1 [Answer Booklet]: Guess the 12 missing words.

Assignment 2:Explain the rules that you used to convert words from one language to another. Here is one example rule (as well as a hint) for you: 'the consonant l in Hawaiian is transformed to r in Maori.

Hawaiian	k	h	h	l	w
Maori	t	h	wh	r	w
Nuku Hiva	t	h	h	'	v
Rarotonga	t	'	'	r	v
Samoa	t	s	f	l	v

Suraj passes by an ice cream cart every day on his way home. Each day:

There is a 20% chance that Suraj feels tempted to buy ice cream.
If he feels tempted, Suraj will only buy ice cream if the cart has his favorite orange flavor, which is available 40% of the time.

Assume each day is an independent event, and the events in conditions 1 and 2 are also independent. What is the expected number of days until Suraj buys and eats his favorite orange ice cream? Round your answer down to the nearest integer.

Probability of Suraj buying ice cream on any given day (p) = Probability of Suraj being tempted x Probability of orange flavor being available
p = 0.2*0.4 = 0.08 (since these are independent events)

Let n be the first day Suraj gets to buy the orange ice cream. Since that implies no purchase on the preceding (n-1) days,
the probability is given by p(1-p)^(n-1)

Expected numbers of days for first ice cream purchase = Expectation of this distribution = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} np (1-p)^{n-1} = 1/p = 12.5 days.

Rounding down to the nearest integer, we get 12 days.