THE CANTERBURY PUZZLES
88.—
The Eccentric Market-Woman.
The smallest possible number of eggs that Mrs. Covey could have
taken to market is 719. After selling half the number and giving
half an egg over she would have 359 left; after the second trans-
action she would have 239 left; after the third deal, 179 ; and after
the fourth, 143. This last number she could divide equally among
her thirteen friends, giving each 11, and she would not have broken
an egg.
89.—
The Primrose Puzzle.
The two words that solve this puzzle are BLUEBELL and
PEARTREE. Place the letters as follows : B 3-1, L 6-8, U 5-3,
E 4-6, B 7-5, E 2-4, L 9-7, L 9-2. This means that you take B,
jump from 3 to 1, and write it down on 1 ; and so on. The second
word can be inserted in the same order. The solution depends on find-
ing those words in which the second and eighth letters are the same,
and also the fourth and sixth the same, because these letters inter-
change without destroying the words. MARITIMA (or sea-pink)
would also solve the puzzle if it were an English word.
90.—
The Round Table.
Here is the way of arranging the seven men :—
A
A
A,
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
C
D
G
F
E
C
D
B
E
G
F
E
G
F
C
D
B
B
C
D
E
G
F
F
E
G
B
r
6
D
B
C
F
E
G
B
C
D
D
B
C
F
E
G
E
G
F
E
G
F
G
F
E
C
D
B
C
D
B
F
E
G
C
D
B
F
E
G
G
F
E
D
B
C
G
F
E
D
B
C
D
B
C
B
C
D
G
F
E
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