THE CANTERBURY PUZZLES
2.—
The Pardoner s Puzzle.
The gentle Pardoner, " that straight was come from the court of
Rome," begged'to be excused, but the company would not spare him.
" Friends and fellow
pilgrims/* said he, " of
a truth the riddle that I
have made is but a poor
thing, but it is the best
that I have been able to
devise. Blame my lack
of knowledge of such
matters if it be not to
your liking." But his
invention was very well
received. He produced
the accompanying plan
and said that it repre-
sented sixty-four towns
through which he had to pass during some of his pilgrimages,
and the lines connecting them were roads. He explained that the
puzzle was to start from the large black town and visit all the other
towns once, and once only, in fifteen straight pilgrimages. Try to trace
the route in fifteen straight lines with your pencil. You may end
where you like, but note that the apparent omission of a little road
at the bottom is intentional, as it seems that it was impossible to go
that way.
3.—
The Millers Puzzle.
The Miller next took the company aside and showed them
nine sacks of flour that were standing as depicted in the sketch.
" Now, hearken all and some," said he, " while that I do set
ye the riddle of the nine sacks of flour. And mark ye, my
lords and masters, that there be single sacks on the outside, pairs
next unto them, and three together in the middle thereof. By Saint
Benedict, it doth so happen that if we do but multiply the pair, 28,
by the single one, 7, the answer is 196, which is of a truth the
3
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