The Labourer’s Puzzle
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During one of his rambles, Professor Rackbrane chanced to come across a man digging a deep hole.
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“Good morning”, he said. “How deep is that hole?”
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“Guess”, replied the labourer. “My height is exactly 5 feet 10 inches”.
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“How much deeper are you going?” asked the professor.
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“I am going twice as deep”, was the answer, “and then my head will be twice as far below ground as it is now above ground.”
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Rackbrane now asks if you could tell how deep that hole would be when it was finished.
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The Abbey
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In 1890 Henry E.Dudeney was responsible for a new innovation, that of magic word squares complete with clues which were provided in the form of a verse entitled The Abbey. The object was to replace the seven numerals in the verse with seven words, which when listed in their given order form a magic word square, where the seven words read the same both across and down.
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‘Twas spring. The abbey woods were decked with second.
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The abbot with his fifth, no trouble reckoned;
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But shared his meats and seventh which every man
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Who loves to feast has first since time began.
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Then comes a stealthy sixth across the wall,
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Who fourths the plate and jewels, cash and all,
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And ere the abbot and the monks have dined,
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He thirds and leaves no trace or clue behind.
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