Counting Chestnuts

Old Chestnuts 2

In the second of our series of posts looking at the old chestnuts of puzzling, we learn a valuable lesson about number puzzles and enjoy a couple of classic puzzles that are just crying out 'mathematics', and whispering 'lies'. So break out the calculators and grab a pencil and paper as we jump headfirst into the snowdrift that is number puzzles.

The Christmas Investigations - Adventure Game: Part Two

Christmas Investigations
Part Five

In our Christmas Investigation into The Adventure Game we visited Arg and tried to learn a little something about their culture, their ways of thinking and, most importantly, their currency. The task I set was a simple one:

How can you pay for your ticket home with the exact change.

The Christmas Investigations - The Adventure Game

Christmas Investigations
Part Two

In our second Christmas Investigation we travel to Arg, the planet featured in the classic BBC game show - The Adventure Game. We'll tackle some multi stage lateral thinking puzzles before we get down to the serious business of money and tackle a mathematical problem with a difference.

Can you decipher the hidden values of the Argond currency?

Breaking the Space Time Continuum

Time and Space
Part Three

We're breaking out the sand timers and the jugs again as we search for increasingly well composed solutions to measuring puzzles. Then we attempt the theoretically impossible when we try to break the space-time continuum, with toast.

A Sandy Situation

Time and Space
Part Two

Today it's a day on the sand - and it's still not all it promises. The second cousin of the jugs problem is all about timing. You are generally presented with sand glasses of known duration, or candles of known burn time, and asked to measure a specific length of time.

A Pair of Jugs

Time and Space
Part One

I'm sorry, but you knew there was going to be smut when you entered into this little student-teacher arrangement and this set of puzzles is too good an opportunity to miss.

Of course I'm speaking not about any part of the female anatomy, but one of the oldest and most varied puzzle sets there is - measuring puzzles. 

Hidden Equations

Algebra
Part Three

So far we have looked at simultaneous equations that were hidden in plain sight, as it were.

Of course most puzzles that rely on equations try and hide the method behind flavour; either in the guise of an elaborate story, where a key piece of information is implied but not stated. Or as a diagram, hiding the maths behind abstract imagery.

All X's and Y's

Algebra
Part One

Algebra! There's I've said it, and I'm going to write about it!

Get ready for fun, excitement and interesting puzzles. No i promise you, this is mathematics, but not as you learned it at school.