Curious Al
10/01/2001
by K.H. "Wicks" Wickremasinghe
Curious Al just had to know the height of the lightning rod atop the church, which had a foundation that was 20 feet above water level. Being resourceful, he planted a 14-foot-long pole vertically in the ground. He walked 12 feet farther away from the building along the horizontal line joining the bases of the rod and the pole. Lying down and looking back over the pole, he could just see the tip of the rod. Crawling 52 feet down the slope to the water's edge, he looked back and could now see exactly one fourth of the rod. Knowing that the church building was more than 40 feet tall, Al could now satisfy his curiosity.
Can you determine the height of the lightning rod?
Grand Prize Winners
Congratulations to Jing Feng of Kulicke & Soffa (Willow Grove, Pa.) for solving the Purchase Order Quantity puzzle, and to Eddie Tau of Advanced Micro Devices (Austin) for solving CrossNumber 65.
CrossNumber 67
In this puzzle, no number is repeated and none begins with zero. All of the prime numbers are marked with an asterisk (*).
Across
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1. 10 Across + 2 x 11 Across*
4. 26 Down + 2 x 1 Across
7. 11 Across x 24 Down - 2 x 5 Down
9. (10 Across x 12 Down) ÷ 3
10. 11 Across + 28 Down - 22 Across
11. 21 Across squared - 2 x 2 Down
13. 22 Across + 2 x 6 Down
16. (11 Across x 18 Across) ÷ 15
17. 8 Down + 2 x 21 Across
18. 26 Down + 2 x 2 Down
21. (23 Down - 4 Down) ÷ 2*
22. 4 x 5 Down - 5 x 10 Across
25. 2 x 29 Across - 28 Down
27. 21 Across x 16 Across
29. 22 Across + 2 x 4 Across
30. 28 Down + 2 x 4 Across
Down
1. 5 Down + 2 x 11 Across*
2. 22 Across + 2 x 21 Across*
3. 21 Across + 2 x 4 Across
4. 28 Down + 2 x 1 Across
5. 11 Across + 2 x 21 Across
6. 28 Down + 2 x 26 Down*
8. 16 Across + 9 Down - 14 Down
9. 21 Across + 6 x 26 Down
12. 5 Down + 2 x 2 Down
14. 4 Across + 2 x 21 Across*
15. 5 Down + 4 x 18 Across
18. 2 Down + 2 x 28 Down
20. 24 Down + 2 x 1 Down
21. 21 Across + 2 x 11 Across
23. 2 Down + 2 x 24 Down
24. 10 Across + 8 x 21 Across
26. (10 Across + 2 Down) ÷ 2
28. 21 Across squared - 4 x 22 Across*
Contest Rules: All entries must be received by October 24, 2001. The winners of the word puzzle and CrossNumber (can be the same person) will be drawn from all correct entries. Fax all entries to 847-634-4240. All entries must include name, complete address, company affiliation and daytime phone number to be considered.
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Solutions to August's Puzzles
CrossNumber 65
w = 11, x = 3, y = 29, and z = 12
Answer: 270 units.
Solution: Let 100w units be the beginning inventory.
At the end of the first week, the inventory was 90w - 3.
At the end of the second week, the inventory was 95/100 (90 - 3) - 8
At the end of the third week, the balance was 0.9 [ 95/100 (90w - 3) - 8] - 8
After the purchase was made, the inventory was 1.4{0.9[95/100 (90w - 3) - 8]- 8} + 4
1.4[76.95w - 2.565 - 7.2 - 8] + 4 = 100w
107.73w - 24.871 + 4 = 100w
7.73w = 20.871; w = 2.7