This little puzzle may be solved in as few as nine moves. Play the
engines as follows: From 9 to 10, from 6 to 9, from 5 to 6, from 2 to 5,
from 1 to 2, from 7 to 1, from 8 to 7, from 9 to 8, and from 10 to 9.
You will then have engines A, B, and C on each of the three circles and
on each of the three straight lines. This is the shortest solution that
is possible.
223.--A RAILWAY MUDDLE.
[Illustration: 1]
[Illustration: 2]
[Illustration: 3]
[Illustration: 4]
[Illustration: 5]
[Illustration: 6]
Only six reversals are necessary. The white train (from A to D) is
divided into three sections, engine and 7 wagons, 8 wagons, and 1 wagon.
The black train (D to A) never uncouples anything throughout. Fig. 1 is
original position with 8 and 1 uncoupled. The black train proceeds to
position in Fig. 2 (no reversal). The engine and 7 proceed towards D,
and black train backs, leaves 8 on loop, and takes up position in Fig. 3
(first reversal). Black train goes to position in Fig. 4 to fetch single
wagon (second reversal). Black train pushes 8 off loop and leaves single
wagon there, proceeding on its journey, as in Fig. 5 (third and fourth
reversals). White train now backs on to loop to pick up single car and
goes right away to D (fifth and sixth reversals).
224.--THE MOTOR-GARAGE PUZZLE.
The exchange of cars can be made in forty-three moves, as follows: 6-G,
2-B, 1-E, 3-H, 4-I, 3-L, 6-K, 4-G, 1-I, 2-J, 5-H, 4-A, 7-F, 8-E, 4-D,
8-C, 7-A, 8-G, 5-C, 2-B, 1-E, 8-I, 1-G, 2-J, 7-H, 1-A, 7-G, 2-B, 6-E,
3-H, 8-L, 3-I, 7-K, 3-G, 6-I, 2-J, 5-H, 3-C, 5-G, 2-B, 6-E, 5-I, 6-J. Of
course, "6-G" means that the car numbered "6" moves to the point "G."
There are other ways in forty-three moves.
225.--THE TEN PRISONERS.
[Illustration]
It will be seen in the illustration how the prisoners may be arranged so
as to produce as many as sixteen even rows. There are 4 such vertical
rows, 4 horizontal rows, 5 diagonal rows in one direction, and 3
diagonal rows in the other direction. The arrows here show the movements
of the four prisoners, and it will be seen that the infirm man in the
bottom corner has not been moved.
226.--ROUND THE COAST.
In order to place words round the circle under the conditions, it is
necessary to select words in which letters are repeated in certain
relative positions. Thus, the word that solves our puzzle is "Swansea,"
in which the first and fifth letters are the same, and the third and
seventh the same. We make out jumps as follows, taking the letters of
the word in their proper order: 2-5, 7-2, 4-7, 1-4, 6-1, 3-6, 8-3. Or we
could place a word like "Tarapur" (in which the second and fourth
letters, and the third and seventh, are alike) with these moves: 6-1,
7-4, 2-7, 5--2, 8-5, 3-6, 8-3. But "Swansea" is the only word,
apparently, that will fulfil the conditions of the puzzle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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