How Many Letters
How many letters does the correct answer to this puzzle contain?
SOLUTION
Four – the only number which has the same number of letters as the number itself.
Seven Bridges
This is a map of old-time Kongsberg. The green shapes are bridges which connect the different parts of the city. Can you find a path through the city which goes through every bridge exactly once?
SOLUTION
No, you cannot. Notice that, except for the first city and the last city section you finish, the number of bridges used in every other section is even. However, there are three sections with an odd number of bridges, and therefore you cannot use all bridges exactly once.
Illusion Maze
Find a path between the two squares in this Illusion Maze, created by Dave Phillips.
SOLUTION
The solution is shown below.
Funky Mate
Place only 2 rooks and 1 knight on the board, so that the Black player is mated.
SOLUTION
You can place the rooks on c5 and e5, and the knight on f5.
Puzzle Sum 3
What two Italian cities do these sums spell?
SOLUTION
OVEN – O + ICE = VENICE
REEL – EEL + DOME – D = ROME
Apples or Strawberries
What is heavier – 1 pound of apples or 1 pound of strawberries?
SOLUTION
They are equally heavy – 1 pound each.
Never Walks
What can run but never walks,
Has a mouth but never talks,
Has a head but never weeps,
Has a bed but never sleeps?
SOLUTION
The answer is RIVER.
Missing Pawns
White to play and mate in 4 moves.
Remark: The position on the diagram is one which occurs in actual play.
SOLUTION
Notice that the black queen and the black king have switched positions. However, this can happen only if some pawns have been moved. Therefore, we can conclude that the bottom row on the diagram is actually the 8th row of the chessboard. All black and all white pieces have reached their respective opposite sides of the board.
Now, White’s first move is Kb8-d7. The only moves black can play are with the knights. If Black plays Kb1-a3, Kb1-c3 or Kg1-h3, white mates in 2 more moves – Kd7-c5 and Kc5-d3. If Black moves Kg1-f3, then after Kd7-c5 Black can delay the mate by playing Kf3-e5. However, after the white queen takes it with Qxe5, Kc5-d3 is unavoidable.
Marathon
You are running a marathon and right at the finish line, you pass the runner in the 2nd position. In which place do you finish the marathon?
SOLUTION
You finish 2nd. Before passing the runner you were at 3rd place.
Puzzle Sum 2
What two cities do these sums spell?
SOLUTION
CHIN – N + CAGE – E + O = CHICAGO
ROPE + N – PEN + CHEST + ENGINEER – ENGINE = ROCHESTER