Puzzles

by Dick Nuenke

 

 


 

 
Check out  Quest  for more brain exercising.

 

 


 

 
The first April cryptogram was: 
IF  I  LIKE  IT  I  SAY  IT'S  MINE.    IF  I  DON'T  I  SAY  IT'S  A  FAKE.  —  PABLO  PICASSO

The second cryptogram was: 

LOGIC  MERELY  ENABLES  ONE  TO  BE  WRONG  WITH  AUTHORITY.  —  DOCTOR  WHO

The last two words were fused by electronic transfer. 

Julia Minturn noted that "Dr. Who was a 'science' fiction show on PBS...." Additionally, I found that Dr. Who was a BBC production 1963-1989 which appeared on PBS with a telemovie beyond that. 

Correct answers to both came from  Delmar BurkittAndrzej DerdzinskiJeff LambAlma LittenJulia MinturnCarla NuenkeKevin SkehanJeff Wolfe,  and  Sally Yocom.   John Jackson  and  Bob Kaplan  also did the first cryptogram.

In the third puzzle, TEN translated into 314.  Andrzej DerdzinskiJeff LambCarla Nuenke,  and  Jeff Wolfe  had the answer correct.

The fourth puzzle answer was the bee travels 233 and 1/3 miles.  The simple approach is the two trains approach each other at 60 miles per hour covering a total of 350 miles.  The bee travels at 2/3 the speed for the same length of time and will cover 2/3 of the distance or 700/3 = 233.33.... 

Correct answers came from  Andrzej DerdzinskiBob KaplanJeff LambJeff Wolfe,  and  Sean Jerig.  Although this is his first puzzle answer, Sean indicates he will soon be leaving us, but wishes us well. 

The puzzle is from "CBT Solutions Magazine", July/August 1997.  They suggest that what went "through the bee's mind just before it got squished" was its abdomen.  Our Mensans suggested:  its behind, its stinger, and the windshield.  Or how about, "I should have stopped for a bite to eat in Ft. Wayne"?  Finally, I particularly liked Kevin's reminder:  "O Death, where is thy sting?", by John Donne.


 

 


 

 
This is the first of two cryptograms.  Each letter stands for a different letter in the decoded message.  For an extra challenge, what is the complete name of the author (Q=?) of the quote and who was he?
 
 
S B        O B M Z N R        I B M F        E M H H R E E R E        I B M        U M E S        O B M Z N R        I B M F        C P D N M F R E.       

—  S X B U P E      Q      L P S E B A      E F     

 

 


 

 
The second cryptogram is a bit trickier and is one of those schoolboy boners.
 
 
V Z P C        Y C        N U D T        M F Z T        D T        Z A        U H P Y U U F        O D F O H T        Q C J Y        D A        A C B        U F J C Z A T        C W C F L        L C Z F.       

 

 


 

 
This puzzle is a little different from most we've had.  It's by Peter Morris and is adapted from the column Enigma in the New Scientist by permission.

Harry's car has a license plate formatted as:  one letter, then three digits, and finally three letters.  The other day Harry was driving his car and slowed down to study a direction sign.  The car behind him tooted irritably.  Glancing in the rear-view mirror, he was surprised for a moment to see that the car's license number appeared to be the same as his own, even though the car was much older than his.  The car overtook him and vanished in the distance.  Miles farther on he saw that there had been an accident, and as he showed down at the scene, he saw that it involved the car which had overtaken him and that the car was now resting upside down on the berm.  In spite of his concern, he could not help noticing as he neared that the number on its rear plate appeared again to be exactly the same as his own.

The last three of the four letters of Harry's license number are all different and are in reverse alphabetical order.  The numbers of both cars' license numbers are prime, and are the highest possible under the circumstances.  The letter "I" is not used in license numbers.  What is Harry's license number?


 

 


 

 
Correct answers and puzzle solvers will appear next month.  Send answers by  May 15th  to Dick Nuenke;  1460 Kingsgate Rd.;  Columbus, OH 43221 or call in to 614-326-0452;  fax to 614-292-4118;  or e-mail to rnuenke@columbus.rr.com.

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

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