Puzzle of the Week #266 - Base Four Code

I have taken a quotation, and I have replaced each of the letters with the numbers that denote their position in the alphabet. However, I have used the base 4 number system. 

base4.JPG

Be careful, as some sequences of numbers could lead to several words, for instance 31110 could mean CAT (3,1,110), but could equally mean MAD (31,1,10). 

132121333211  1132033  10311033100103  3011110232213213  21103  333010,  11320111102011102 1101131132110121  33102  11211320110121.  132121333211  1132033  231111100103  3011110232213213 1031101121103  121331113213.  1102011  1310211111011103110  11020213213  12133111  3132  1033  21103 231111100  12133111102  31213210  121331113213.

Puzzle of the Week #261 - Su-Dot-U

Your task is to solve this irregular sudoku (the digits 1 to 5 appearing once each in every row, column and 'shape').
Except that I haven't told you where the boundaries between the shapes are; instead I've placed dots in any square where the number to be placed in the square denotes how many squares (including the one with the dot in) until you get to the next boundary line in the direction of the dot.
Clear as mud? Hopefully the attached example 3x3 will help. For instance, the 2 in the middle of the top row, combined with the left and right dots, says that in each direction left and right from that square there are two squares (including the one with the 2 and the dots in) before you get to a boundary line (which happens to be the outer boundary of the entire grid).
In both the example and the puzzle, I have placed dots in every position that I could, according to the rules.

A hint to get you started: if a dot appears next to the outside boundary of the grid, then that square must contain a 1.

sudotu3.JPG

Puzzle of the Week #260 - Semi-grams

Rearrange the letters in each of these ten five-letter words and then pair them up to form five ten-letter words. I’ve completed one of the ten letter words to start you off:

First halves:

(ALERT)    METRO    NOTED TIMES    UPSET

Second halves:

GIANT    (RATIO)    ROAST SENSE    SOUND

Example solution:

ALERT + RATIO = RETAL + IATOR = RETALIATOR

Puzzle of the Week #258 - Su-Dot-U

Back by popular demand!

Your task is to solve this irregular sudoku (the digits 1 to 6 appearing once each in every row, column and 'shape').

Except that I haven't told you where the boundaries between the shapes are; instead I've placed dots in any square where the number to be placed in the square denotes how many squares (including the one with the dot in) until you get to the next boundary line in the direction of the dot.

Clear as mud? Hopefully the attached example 3x3 will help. For instance, the 2 in the middle of the top row, combined with the left and right dots, says that in each direction left and right from that square there are two squares (including the one with the 2 and the dots in) before you get to a boundary line (which happens to be the outer boundary of the entire grid).

In both the example and the puzzle, I have placed dots in every position that I could, according to the rules.

A hint to get you started: if a dot appears next to the outside boundary of the grid, then that square must contain a 1.

sudotu 2.JPG

Puzzle of the Week #256 - Su-Dot-U

Your task is to solve this irregular sudoku (the digits 1 to 5 appearing once each in every row, column and 'shape').
Except that I haven't told you where the boundaries between the shapes are; instead I've placed dots in any square where the number to be placed in the square denotes how many squares (including the one with the dot in) until you get to the next boundary line in the direction of the dot.
Clear as mud? Hopefully the attached example 3x3 will help. For instance, the 2 in the middle of the top row, combined with the left and right dots, says that in each direction left and right from that square there are two squares (including the one with the 2 and the dots in) before you get to a boundary line (which happens to be the outer boundary of the entire grid).
In both the example and the puzzle, I have placed dots in every position that I could, according to the rules.

A hint to get you started: if a dot appears next to the outside boundary of the grid, then that square must contain a 1.

su-dot-u.JPG

Puzzle of the Week #253 - Build-a-Crossword

I have taken a completed crossword grid, removed all the consonants to the end of the row and/or column that they belong in, and then changed all the black squares into random vowels.

Your task is to reconstruct the crossword by figuring out which of the vowels are genuine and which need to become black squares, and by putting the consonants all back into place. Good luck!

BUILDACROSSWORD PUZ.JPG


Puzzle of the Week #251 - Trispace

I have an equilateral triangle, dissected into three trapezoids and a smaller equilateral triangle. The PERIMETERS of the three trapezoids are 52, 66 and 80 respectively. The side length of the overall equilateral triangle (a) is precisely 13 times the side length of the smaller equilateral triangle (b).

What is the value of a?

trispace.JPG

Puzzle of the Week #248 - Quartet

The four numbers 2,3,4 and 8 can be combined in pairs in six different ways, and the product of those six pairs will be

2 x 3 = 6

2 x 4 = 8

3 x 4 = 12

2 x 8 = 16

3 x 8 = 24

4 x 8 = 32

The sum of the original four numbers (2, 3, 4 and 8) is 17.

Can you find a different quartet of POSITIVE numbers whose products of pairs are also 6, 8, 12, 16, 24 and 32, but whose sum is less than 17?