Intellect Sharpeners.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20982, 19 September 1931, Page 5 (Supplement)

Intellect Sharpeners.

r- 5 - .*• - J ' A CIPHER.: ">■ . ——— t BY T. L. BRITON. A cipher-code is, as the reader is aware, much more difficult to unravel than anordinary cryptograph where no (arbitrary signs are used, but although that method has not been followed in the case of the present cipher, it will perhaps be found that much more of the reader's time \yill be taken in decoding it than he has been accustomed to give to solving tho mysteries of the ordinary cryptograph. Still from tho writer's knowledge of the skill of a large number of keen devotees to this column, it is practically certain that they will not be defeated by the present somewhat obscure code. KHDFI ENNQYPNT PQR JDMI NEACUDH ÜBT GYNQVPCRUA, ONDNIS NAKJ NQYMIZNAT UWT lIAAUCY ÜBYKJ GEFOO QMDHT UJSNI WQYNOKM ENDH CJZYUTMV YEM lUCEPO NQDJIYXDMG YUHAAUTY. CURIOUS CONDITIONS. An instance of the curious conditions to be found in tlie bequests of benefactors occasionally came under notice through the newspapers recently. The testator left a certain sum of money to benevolent societies, of which £2750 had to be divided between two classes of charity, one the jhonies for old men, and tho other to the institutions providing similar service for aged women. The sum mentioned .had to be wholly expended in each year, £125 to each of the old men's homes, and £75 to each of the others, and although these amounts were fixed definitely for each organisation every year, there was a further condition which limited the number of years in which the scheme could be operative. This stipulation was that there must be a different number of each class of institution each year. For example there could be in one distribution five women's homes and nineteen places for old men which would wholly absorb the full sum at the respective rates mentioned. Assuming that the authorities of these organisations complied with the conditions of the bequest, how much would be given in this way, when all the different ways of allotting the money were exhausted ? PROBLEM IN "EXCHANGE." Here is a counter problem, which should give tho reader an opportunity of testing his cleverness in these interesting puzzles. The letters of the word " Exchange " fill eight cells of a nine square in the following order:— g a n e c x h E the middle cell in the bottom row being vacant. By moving the letters one at a time horizontally or vertically into an adjoining vacant cell, it would not be a very difficult feat with plenty of time at one's disposal to arrange the counters so that they will have the letters in their proper order reading EXCHANGE, with the last cell in the bottom row vacant. But to accomplish this in the fewest possible number of moves is not so easy. What is the reader's minimum? The distinction between the two " E's " will not be overlooked as that is an important factor. , VENTURE IN FLAX. After investing some funds in half-a-dozen enterprises in his own locality which averaged exactly £IOOO each, though the several sums were different, a man was persuaded to take shares in a new company formed to encourage the production of flax. The sum that he invested in tho flax .concern was considerably more than jie hdd pnt into any of the other enterprises, but not as much as the amount speculated in the six combined, and with the only details available 1 it will make a very interesting question if we inquire how much he invested in the flax industry? This can be readily found when it is stated that the sum so invested amounted to exactly £3OO more than the average for the whole seven different concerns. What amount was it ? PROBLEM REJECTED. " Colenso" sends the following arous- » ing problem which he states was sent by a correspondent to a newspaper in which mathematical problems occasionally appear, but it was not accepted on the grounds that they publish only problems capable of solution. Perhaps the reader may join issue with that contention,, and find in " Colenso's " problem one that involves a pretty and easy calculation with a mathematical -solution. Three women attended the market with their respective husbands, the six Christian names of whom are Gertrude. Kate, Anne, Henry, Edward and Charles, written without regard to conjugal mating. Each purchased on his or her own behalf, and all bought similar articles. Each husbr.nd spent £6 6s more 'than his wife. Henry bought 23 more than Kate, Edward eleven more than Gertrude, and if every buyer purchased as many as he or sho gave florins for one, can the reader say how they are connubially coupled ? LAST WEEK'S SOLUTIONS. j From a Leading Article.—As the days I of negotiation pass the difficulties beset- | ting the Hoover moratorium become moro ! apparent and .they may or may not have j been completely foreseen when tho pro- | posal was made. j Adopting Mean Time.—" A's " watch i showed the correct time. On the Main Highway.—The house is midway between the two places. Family of Four.—24, 16, 12.9 and fortyfive and three-quarters. Weighing the Family.—As the father, no doubt, had a mathematical friend, i there would be no need for him to spend 1 anything on the machine. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. " Puzzled."—Upon the conditions set j down in your statement it is incapable of | solution except by trick, for geometrically j it is not possible. j " Colenso."—Will reply next week.