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Related reasons but not the same, 2

This challenge is currently in the process of being closed as 'too-narrow', which in this context means "this challenge is too hard/has too many restrictions, and thus is off-topic".

I don't think we should allow this. Compare to Build a working game of Tetris in Conway's Game of Life. Both are ridiculously hard, but neither have been proven impossible yet.

Do we vote to close challenges because they are too hard?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Somewhat related \$\endgroup\$
    – Riker
    Feb 15, 2017 at 16:11
  • \$\begingroup\$ I think you're strawman-ing a bit. The exact text of the close is I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's too narrow. This question is less likely to be solved than the one for creating Tetris in CGOL. which is a far cry from voting to close challenges as impossible. \$\endgroup\$
    – AdmBorkBork
    Feb 15, 2017 at 16:12
  • \$\begingroup\$ @AdmBorkBork it seems to be being closed as too-hard to me, what else would that message mean? \$\endgroup\$
    – Riker
    Feb 15, 2017 at 16:12
  • \$\begingroup\$ My point is you're asking two questions in your question. Too hard does not equate to impossible, and neither of those address the close reason as being too narrow. \$\endgroup\$
    – AdmBorkBork
    Feb 15, 2017 at 16:16

1 Answer 1

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We should only close challenges that are provably impossible

"Solve the halting problem" should be closed as off-topic because it's provably impossible. The challenge in question here should not be closed for that reason, because it's theoretically possible.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Or even if it's not possible, it still hasn't been proven as such. \$\endgroup\$
    – Riker
    Feb 15, 2017 at 16:11
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Riker That's a subjective problem - one could say it hasn't been proven possible, but one could also say that it hasn't been proven impossible. It's a glass-half-empty versus glass-half-full problem. My stance is, if it's not provably impossible, it's fair game for a challenge. \$\endgroup\$
    – user45941
    Feb 15, 2017 at 16:13

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