Zendo, play by forum

[Simon]

ACK
TRACK
TRALE
WHILE

-- Simon

[ccexplore]

ACK - black
TRACK - black
TRALE - white
WHILE - white

[Clam]

BLAC
BLAK
BLA
KCALB

[geoo]

Yeah, ccx is correct about my rule. Sorry for not responding, internet was out here at the institute.

EDIT: Got an idea: Koan has buddha-nature iff the number of vowels in it is even.

If not:
K
C
X
TACK
TAC
TAK
TAE
TC
TK

[ccexplore]

BLAC - white [thus counterexample to geoo's rule-guess]
BLAK - white
BLA - black
KCALB - black
K - white
C - white
X - white
TACK - white
TAC - black
TAK - black
TAE - white
TC - black
TK - black

[geoo]

Ok so, then, number of consonants is odd?

(A bit of a coincidence that all the koans until my guess had odd length, thus making my two guesses equivalent until then...)

[ccexplore]

Yep, you got it. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/cool.gif" alt="8)" title="Cool" class="smiley" />  (I did initially consider using primality instead of parity, but hey, err on the easier side right?)

Simon's guesses were indeed all odd-length, though some of Clam's weren't, except I wasn't able to reply to his before you posted.

[mobius]

can I start a new round? [I'll be better as master than a guesser]

Initial white koan: STOOGE (this follows the secret rule)
Initial black koan: GATES (this doesn't follow the rule)

[mobius]

geoo's guesses from IRC:

spoon - black
koan - white
tooges - white
oogest - white
ogesto - white
egoots - white
atesg - black
tesga - black

[Simon]

BUDDHA
BUDHA
KOANS
STOGE
OO
O

-- Simon

[mobius]

BUDDHA - black
BUDHA - black
KOANS - black
STOGE - black
OO - black
O - black

[Minim]

OK, I'll have a guess too.

AL
GOO
CONE
AVOID
PANAMA
LULLABY
RAINBOWS

[mobius]

AL - white
GOO - black
CONE - white
AVOID - black
PANAMA - white
LULLABY - black
RAINBOWS - black

[Simon]

RAINBOW
KAN
BUDDHAS
AARDVARK
SOUP

-- Simon

[Minim]

This game sort of reminds me of Mastermind, only a bit more complicated than that, having to guess the rule.

I think I know the rule now: Number of consonants must equal number of vowels in the word, so even a blank answer would make a white koan.