Every Boy's Book: A Complete Encyclopaedia of Sports and Amusements Part 116

A person let his house to several inmates, who occupied different floors, and having a garden attached to the house, he was desirous of dividing it among them. There were ten trees in the garden, and he was desirous of dividing it so that each of the five inmates should have an equal share of garden and two trees. How did he do it?

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2. THE VERTICAL LINE PUZZLE.

Draw six vertical lines, as below, and, by adding five other lines to them, let the whole form nine.

3. THE CARDBOARD PUZZLE.

Take a piece of cardboard or leather, of the shape and measurement indicated by the diagram, cut it in such a manner that you yourself may pa.s.s through it, still keeping it in one piece.

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4. THE b.u.t.tON PUZZLE.

In the centre of a piece of leather make two parallel cuts with a penknife, and just below a small hole of the same width; then pa.s.s a piece of string under the slit and through the hole, as in the figure, and tie two b.u.t.tons much larger than the hole to the ends of the string.

The puzzle is, to get the string out again without taking off the b.u.t.tons.

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5. THE CIRCLE PUZZLE.

Get a piece of cardboard, the size and shape of the diagram, and punch in it twelve circles or holes in the position shown. The puzzle is, to cut the cardboard into four pieces of equal size, each piece to be of the same shape, and to contain three circles, without cutting into any of them.

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6. THE CROSS PUZZLE.

Cut three pieces of paper to the shape of No. 1, one to the shape of No.

2, and one to that of No. 3. Let them be of proportional sizes. Then place the pieces together so as to form a cross.

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7. THREE-SQUARE PUZZLE.

Cut seventeen slips of cardboard of equal lengths, and place them on a table to form six squares, as in the diagram. It is now required to take away five of the pieces, yet to leave but three perfect squares.

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8. CYLINDER PUZZLE.

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Cut a piece of cardboard about four inches long, of the shape of the diagram, and make three holes in it as represented. The puzzle is, to make one piece of wood pa.s.s through, and also exactly to fill, each of the three holes.

9. THE NUNS.

Twenty-four nuns were arranged in a convent by night by a sister, to count nine each way, as in the diagram. Four of them went out for a walk by moonlight. How were the remainder placed in the square so as still to count nine each way? The four who went out returned, bringing with them four friends; how were they all placed still to count nine each way, and thus to deceive the sister, as to whether there were 20, 24, 28, or 32, in the square?

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10. THE DOG PUZZLE.

The dogs are, by placing two lines upon them, to be suddenly aroused to life and made to run. Query, How and where should these lines be placed, and what should be the forms of them?

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11. CUTTING OUT A CROSS.

How can be cut out of a single piece of paper, and with one cut of the scissors, a perfect cross, and all the other forms as shown in the cuts?

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12. ANOTHER CROSS PUZZLE.

With three pieces of cardboard of the shape and size of No. 1, and one each of No. 2 and 3, to form a cross.

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13. THE FOUNTAIN PUZZLE.

A is a wall, B C D three houses, and E F G three fountains or ca.n.a.ls It is required to bring the water from E to D, from G to B, and from F to C, without one crossing the other, or pa.s.sing outside of the wall A.

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14. THE CABINET-MAKER'S PUZZLE.

A cabinet-maker had a circular piece of veneering, with which he has to veneer the tops of two oval stools; but it so happens that the area of the stools, exclusive of the hand-holes in the centre, and the circular piece, are the same, (as that of the circle.) How must he cut his stuff so as to be exactly sufficient for his purpose?

15. THE STRING AND b.a.l.l.s PUZZLE.

Get an oblong strip of wood or ivory, and bore three holes in it, as shown in the cut. Then take a piece of twine, pa.s.sing the two ends through the holes at the extremities, fastening them with a knot, and thread upon it two beads or rings, as depicted above. The puzzle is to get both beads on the same side, without removing the string from the holes, or untying the knots.