Chequered floor and Diamond palindrome

Chequered floor and Diamond palindrome

SOLVITUR AMBULANDO

On this chequered floor, paved with slabs each a foot square, the palindrome word ROTATOR can be traced in various ways.

If a man walks over it, taking one slab at every step, and never lengthening his strides, how many steps will he take in tracing every possible variation of the word, and how many such variations are there?

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|=R=| O | T | A | T | O |=R=| O | T | A | T | O |=R=|

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| O |=R=| O | T | A | T | O | T | A | T | O |=R=| O |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| T | O |=R=| O | T | A | T | A | T | O |=R=| O | T |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| A | T | O |=R=| O | T | A | T | O |=R=| O | T | A |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| T | A | T | O |=R=| O | T | O |=R=| O | T | A | T |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| O | T | A | T | O |=R=| O |=R=| O | T | A | T | O |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|=R=| O | T | A | T | O |=R=| O | T | A | T | O |=R=|

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| O | T | A | T | O |=R=| O |=R=| O | T | A | T | O |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| T | A | T | O |=R=| O | T | O |=R=| O | T | A | T |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| A | T | O |=R=| O | T | A | T | O |=R=| O | T | A |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| T | O |=R=| O | T | A | T | A | T | O |=R=| O | T |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| O |=R=| O | T | A | T | O | T | A | T | O |=R=| O |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|=R=| O | T | A | T | O |=R=| O | T | A | T | O |=R=|

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

A DIAMOND PALINDROME

Within the four corners of this Mystic Diamond the Palindrome, NAME NO ONE MAN, can be traced in 16,376 different directions, in straight lines, or at right angles, starting from the centre or from the borders.

N

NaN

NamaN

NamemaN

NamenemaN

NamenonemaN

NamenooonemaN

NamenoonoonemaN

NamenoonenoonemaN

NamenoonemenoonemaN

NamenoonemamenoonemaN

NamenoonemaNamenoonemaN

NamenoonemamenoonemaN

NamenoonemenoonemaN

NamenoonenoonemaN

NamenoonoonemaN

NamenooonemaN

NamenonemaN

NamenemaN

NamemaN

NamaN

NaN

N

A. Cyril Pearson, TwentiethCentury Standard Puzzle Book, George Routledge & Sons, London, 1907.

Photo: pngwing

Palindromes:  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Read More »

Poetical Conundrums

 

Poetical Conundrums

There’s a word composed of three letters alone,
Which reads backwards and forwards the same;
It expresses the sentiments warm from the heart,
And to beauty lays principal claim.

(Eye)

Your initials begin with an A,

You’ve an A at the end of your name,

The whole of your name is an A,

And its backward and forward the same.
(Anna!)

Dean Rivers, Conundrums,Riddles and Puzzles (Containing one thousand of the latest and best conundrums, gathered from every conceivable source, and comprising many that are entirely new and original), Philadelphia, 1903.

Photo: Pixabay/GDJ 

Palindromes:  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Read More »

Biblical Conundrums about Adam and Eve

At what time of day was Adam created? A little before Eve.

Spell “Adam’s Express Company” with three letters. E-v-e.

When were walking-sticks first mentioned in the Bible? When Eve presented Adam with a little Cain (cane).

What fur did Adam and Eve wear? Bear (bare) skin.

Who was the fastest runner in the world? Adam, because he was first in the race.

The following is a good sell if properly led up to: Who was the first man? Adam? Who was the first woman? Eve. Who killed Cain? The answer will very likely be Abel.

What three words did Adam use when he introduced himself to Eve which read backward and forward the same? Madam, I’m Adam.

Why was the first day of Adam’s life the longest? Because it had no Eve.

How were Adam and Eve prevented from gambling? Their pair o’ dice was taken away from them.

What stone should have been placed at the gate of Eden after the expulsion? Adam aint in (adamantine).

What did Adam and Eve do when they were expelled from Eden? They raised Cain.

Why did Adam bite the apple Eve gave him? Because he had no knife.

Why was Eve made? For Adam’s express company.

What evidence have we that Adam used sugar? Because he raised Cain.

Who was the first man condemned to hard labor for life? Adam.

Why was Eve not afraid of the measles? Because she’d Adam (had ’em).

What church did Eve belong to? Adam thought her Eve-angelical.

Dean Rivers, Conundrums,Riddles and Puzzles (Containing one thousand of the latest and best conundrums, gathered from every conceivable source, and comprising many that are entirely new and original), Philadelphia, 1903.

Photo: Pixabay/GDJ 

Palindromes:  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Read More »

Palindromic rebuses

1.

Forwards, backwards, read my name,

In sound and meaning I’m the same.

Infants, on their mother’s knee,

Often smile at sight of me.

Add a letter, strange, but true,

A man I then appear in view.

2.

It is a compound word, and belongs to the mineral, and sometimes vegetable kingdom. The whole word is used to contain the first. There are six letters in the first, and two vowels. The last word spelled backward, is a toy that boys play with. The first two letters of the last word is the name of a river in Europe. The first word spelled differently, but pronounced the same, is a substance of which an important article of food is made.

3.

I am a proper name of two syllables.

My first syllable is a place where wild beasts may often be found.

My first syllable backward is a boy’s nickname.

My second syllable backward is the worst thing in the world.

4.

What wicked deed is that which, read backward, gives what is generally the cause of it?

5.

Four letters, just, compose my name,

Read forward, backward, both the same

Will readily appear;

A Prophetess, I stand confess’d,

Who once the Mediator bless’d,

With reverential fear.

6.

I am something very beautiful, which you can look at, but never touch: spell me backward, and I do a great deal of mischief.

Solutions to the rebusses

1. Pap, Papa.

2. Flower-pot.

3. Dennis.

4. Murder (red rum)

5. Anna

6. Star, rats.

John H. Tingley, The Santa Claus' Book of Games and Puzzles (A Collection of Riddles, Charades, Enigmas, Rebuses, Anagrams, Labyrinths, Acrostics, etc. With a Hieroglyphic Preface), New York, 1864.

Photo: Pixabay/pngwing 

Palindromes:  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Read More »

The Canterbury Puzzles

The Amulet

A strange man was one day found loitering in the courtyard of the castle, and the retainers, noticing that his speech had a foreign accent, suspected him of being a spy.

So the fellow was brought before Sir Hugh, who could make nothing of him. He ordered the varlet to be removed and examined, in order to discover whether any secret letters were concealed about him.

All they found was a piece of parchment securely suspended from the neck, bearing this mysterious inscription:

A
B B
R R R
A A A A
C C C C C
A A A A A A
D D D D D D D
A A A A A A A A
B B B B B B B B B
R R R R R R R R R R
A A A A A A A A A A A

Today we know that Abracadabra was the supreme deity of the Assyrians, and this curious arrangement of the letters of the word was commonly worn in Europe as an amulet or charm against diseases.

But Sir Hugh had never heard of it, and, regarding the document rather seriously, he sent for a learned priest.

"I pray you, Sir Clerk," said he, "show me the true intent of this strange writing."

"Sir Hugh," replied the holy man, after he had spoken in a foreign tongue with the stranger, "it is but an amulet that this poor wight doth wear upon his breast to ward off the ague, the toothache, and such other afflictions of the body."

"Then give the varlet food and raiment and set him on his way," said Sir Hugh. "Meanwhile, Sir Clerk, canst thou tell me in how many ways this word 'Abracadabra' may be read on the amulet, always starting from the A at the top thereof?"

Place your pencil on the A at the top and count in how many different ways you can trace out the word downwards, always passing from a letter to an adjoining one.

...

The puzzle was to place your pencil on the A at the top of the amulet and count in how many different ways you could trace out the word "Abracadabra" downwards, always passing from a letter to an adjoining one.

A

B B

R R R

A A A A

C C C C C

A A A A A A

D D D D D D D

A A A A A A A A

B B B B B B B B B

R R R R R R R R R R

A A A A A A A A A A A

"Now, mark ye, fine fellows," said Sir Hugh to some who had besought him to explain, "that at the very first start there be two ways open:

whichever B ye select, there will be two several ways of proceeding (twice times two are four); whichever R ye select, there be two ways of going on (twice times four are eight); and so on until the end.

Each letter in order from A downwards may so be reached in 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc., ways.

Therefore, as there be ten lines or steps in all from A to the bottom, all ye need do is to multiply ten 2's together, and truly the result, 1024, is the answer thou dost seek."

Henry Ernest Dudeney, TheCanterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems, Thomas Nelson and Sons, Ltd. London, Edinburgh, and New York, 1919.

Photo: Pixabay/DavidZydd

Palindromes:  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Read More »