MISCELLANEOUS PUZZLES
blocks ; that is, blocks bearing the ten digits, or Arabic figures—1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0. The particular puzzle that they have
been amusing themselves with is to divide the blocks into two groups
of five and then so arrange them in the form of two multiplication
sums that one product shall be the same as the other. The number
of possible solutions is very considerable, but they have hit on that
arrangement that gives the smallest possible product. Thus, 3,485
multiplied by 2 is 6,970, and 6,970 multiplied by 1 is the same.
You will find it
quite impossible to
get any smaller re-
sult.
Now, my puzzle
is to find the largest
possible result.
Divide the blocks
into any two groups
of five that you like,
and arrange them
to form two multi-
plication sums that
shall produce the
same product, and
the largest amount
possible. That is
all, and yet it is a
nut that requires some cracking. Of course, fractions are not
allowed, nor any tricks whatever. The puzzle is quite interesting
enough in the simple form in which I have given it. Perhaps it
should be added that the multipliers may contain two figures.
94.—
Foxes and Geese.
Here is a little puzzle of the moving counters class that my readers
will probably find entertaining. Make a diagram of any convenient
size similar to that shown in our illustration, and provide six counters
109
