(a) Two monkeys are typing capital letters (A-Z) randomly. The first stops typing when the word COCONUT appears as seven successive letters. The second stops typing when TUNOCOC appears; TUNOCOC is simply COCONUT spelt backwards. Which monkey is expected to type more?

(b) A monkey is typing capital letters (A-Z) randomly. Two squirrels observe the sequence of letters thus generated. The first squirrel wins if COCONUT appears (as seven successive letters) before TUNOCOC. The second squirrel appears if TUNOCOC appears before COCONUT. Which squirrel is more likely to win?

Heard at a math mailing list at Google.

Yet to write.