Mastermind (Q753814)

In the game ``Mastermind'' a player must determine a vector \((x_ 1,...,x_ n)\), \(1\leq x_ i\leq k\). He guesses a vector \((q_ 1,...,q_ n)\) and is told the number of i for which \(q_ i=x_ i\) and the maximum number, over all permutations \(\phi\) on \(\{\) 1,...,n\(\}\), of i with \(q_ i=x_{\phi_ i}\). For \(n=4\) and \(k=6\) this is a popular commercial game. The strategy of selecting vectors q at random is examined and shown to be close to optimal in some cases.