Puzzles

Here is a puzzle for those who like to solve them:

Arrange eight squares so there are four rows of three squares each.

I accidentally did this when I was trying to develop a design pattern. Not being a puzzle person, I was rather astonished to see what I had done. This may not qualify as a real puzzle if there is a criterion for such.

The Sunday morning PBS radio program usually has a few minutes devoted to puzzles and word games interspersed among their current news and book reviews that I like to listen to, but I rarely have success solving them.

My dear sister-in-law, Mary, got me started on crossword puzzles, but I only do those advertised as ‘Easy, No Dictionary Required’. Even so, I cheat by checking the spelling; ‘el’ or ‘le’. When stumped, I wait about 10 seconds for a brain wave to kick in, but if it doesn’t, I peek at the answers. Mary is a real crossword puzzle person. For years she has done the daily crossword in the newspaper and finishes them before her second cup of coffee!

All forms of math puzzles are enigmas to me. I do try simple Sudoku problems but scanning for the solution is tedious and I get impatient. I prefer the more visual puzzles like Tangrams or Mazes. Fractals and jigsaws are classes unto themselves. Puzzles are problems posed as entertainment AND, they are also diabolically clever and frustratingly tricky.

The Diamond 16 puzzle can be seen at: http://finitegeometry.org/sc/16/puzzle

For a tamgram go to: http://www.enchantedmind.com/puzzles/tangram/tangram.html

(editor's note: solution will be shown in a few days)