Project Euler Forum

The problem states:

B TAKEs n times and GIVEs n times after which the game finishes.

Do these happen in this order or can they happen in any order? For example, if n=2, is (TAKE, TAKE, GIVE, GIVE) the only valid order of taking and giving allowed?

Any order is allowed and chosen by B, otherwise A would just choose 0,0,1,2 to end up with 4 gold at the end for n=2. Haven't solved the problem myself so if I'm wrong feel free to correct me, but that's my interpretation.

I don't really like the current wording of the problem. I would clarify that B can choose to TAKE if B has chosen TAKE (strictly) fewer than $n$ times previously, and similarly B can choose GIVE if B has chosen GIVE fewer than $n$ times previously. So this way you can see that B can always make a choice, but may sometimes have no choice as to which.