"NUTS!"

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 138, 13 June 1931, Page 21

"NUTS!"

(By T.'Tj. Briton.)

INTELLECT SHARPENERS , All rights reserved.

Keaders with a little ingenuity will find in' this column an abundant store of entertainment and amnsement, and the solving of the problems . should provide excellent mental exhilaration. While some i or* the "nuts" may appear harder than others, it will be found that none will require a sledge-hammer to crack them, ANOTHER CODE. Correspondence)" from readers indicates that an occasional mystery puzzle such, for instance, as a cryptograph, ia appreciated, and the tenor of the comment upon, the subject suggests a somewhat ronidntic side to these interesting problems. Apart from the im.-, plied challenge to one's intellect it reveals a universal weakness for things occult, and the very human desire to discover a secret in whatever guise it may. appear. In this cryptograph the idea adopted is new, so far as the writer is aware, but it will perhaps be sufficient for the would-bo solver to know that the words are formed by a uniform, transposition of letters, and if it, is further stated that some of the letters used as not essential, being without orthographical value, it is to. be hoped that the secret has not been entirely given away. XBMHQT MTRXA MFO EIEXHMT NOXITCQURTMSNXOC, ELMBIGJITjMLETNJT. MOT XESOJHXT MOHXW QAVOMNK XBMHQT JYEXK, XDNQA MESQIWRXEHJTO MOT XESOJHXT MOHXW OMD QTXON, JSAXH NEEJXB MQDEIDXUTMS ROXF SEtEQUTXNEMC, XDNQA GNXIEQUD RAXW ROM NOILXQLEJBEBM KIEXHJT TXCERJROXC NOIXTATJERPXRETMNIZ MSXI MFO XTAJERZG ECXTVQREMS MOT XEMHQT METISXOPQMPOJ MEDXJISZ XFMI DMEXREQVMOCSXTD. WITH TEN COUNTERS. Hero is a little arithmetical problem'that should test the ingenuity of the reader, and afc the same time provide him with an interesting game of "solitaire." Take the nine digits 1 to 9, ana the cipher 0, and place them in the form of a y eirele im: the following order, reading ill the direction that the hands of a timepiece move: 6, 3, 2, 8, 9, 0, 7, 1, 5, 4. The problem is to divide tbese ten counters into three groups so that the number represented by one of them multiplied by that of anothor will uiako a product as indicated by the number in the third grciup, the figures when forming the groups to be retained in the order given. An example of grouping is: 71 —5^0 —312890, but- in that case the arithmetical part of tho puzzle does not conform with tho conditions laid down. There is no mathematical rule nor any formula by which the arrangement may be discovered, and for that reason alone the problem will no doubt provide the reader with half an hour of mental recreation. A SIMPLE GEOMETRICAL PUZZLE. ■ What is the largest number- of parts into which a circle^ say, in the form of a ■ circular piece of paper, may be divided with six straight complete cuts of.a scissors or other suitable instrument, it being immaterial,. of course, what size the circle is? This problem may bo better solved by a diagram, and tho use of a pencil instead of .a cutting instrument will not invoke .Hie wrath of tho maid when cleaning the room next. day, .but .in any, caso the question assumes that "the "cuts" will be made through tho whole circle, and the pieces not moved or piled. If therefore the reader will draw six straight lines through the circle in tho proper way so that they will show the maximum number of divisions, it may surprise him to find what a large number of separate pieces (should tho "cutting" process be adopted) into which the circular paper can be divided^ by morely making this number of straight complete cuts or lines. Can the reader find what the maximum number is? There is a simple formula for,problems v of this kind ■ which will-, appear • with the solution. IN A NINE-SQUARE. Whilst in the vein, here is another little problem to test the reader's ingenuity more than his mathematical skill, but it is more of the armchair variety than the one above. Number nine counters 1 to 9 respectively, and place one in each of the cells in a nine square, so that the throe-Sgnre number in the bottom row equals three times that in the top row, and the latter number exactly one-half of the number shown in tho middle row. Hero is one example: — 327 ' 654 9SI Can-the reader find any others irix which tho top aM middle rows' are equivalent to one-third and tAVOrthirds respectively of the bottom row? UP AND DOWN HILL. The simplest questions, particularly those involving figures, are very often apt to trip tie unwary, and sometimes others who are constantly on the "lookout" for pitfalls are caught by'the most innocent-looking problems. There is no trap in this one, though possibly it may necessitate the would-be solver donning his thinking-cap. I took the mountain road from a certain point to walk up to the rest house three thousand feet above sea-level, and during the ascent averaged a rate of walking of one and a half miles per hour. Coming down by the samff track to the starting point my average walking speed was three times as.much as on the upward journey, and .the simple little question is how far is it from the, starting point to the rest house by the route taken if the time occupied there and back was exactly six hours? For problem purposes it may be assumed that there was no perceptible delay between the time of arrival at and tho departure from the mountain resort mentioned. "LAST WEEK'S SOLUTIONS. A CRYPTOGRiPH. The heavy decrease in Moslem pilgrimages to Mecca, one result _of the world-wide depression, is affecting the Hedjaz revenues. King Ibn Saud has, therefore, ordorod propaganda by films to show the wonders of Mecca, including the Prophet's grave, to attract the faithful from all parts of the world. MEASURING THREE GALLONS. Eight, minutes fifteen seconds . for eleven operations. SIX PENS. Sixteen is the fewest number possible under the conditions, and they are: D. C. B. D. C. E. A. B. D. C. E. D. B. A. D. E., A MUTILATED NUMBER PLATE. 9801. . ' AN UNEXPECTED HAPPENING. As the terms of the will implied that a son was to receive twice as much as the mother, and the latter twice that of a daughter, the former should get four-sevenths, the mother two-sevenths, and the other twin one-seventh. Corresppndoricc should T>o adrlrrssod care of P.O. Box. 1033.