Today’s three challenges are from Han Dongkyu, a talented young puzzle designer from South Korea. The first two will warm you up for the third,…
View More Can you solve it? Another game of brutal genius from South KoreaTag: Mathematics
Mathematicians discover music really can be infectious – like a virus
Pop music is often described as catchy, but it seems you really can infect friends with your music taste. The pattern of music downloads after…
View More Mathematicians discover music really can be infectious – like a virusCan you solve it? Logical philosophers
Today’s three puzzles are mini-dramas featuring well-known philosophers. 1. Late Wittgenstein Wittgenstein has been murdered. The culprit is one of either Friedrich Nietzsche, Lou Andreas-Salomé,…
View More Can you solve it? Logical philosophersNew mathematical record: what’s the point of calculating pi?
Swiss researchers have spent 108 days calculating pi to a new record accuracy of 62.8tn digits. Using a computer, their approximation beat the previous world…
View More New mathematical record: what’s the point of calculating pi?Did you solve it? Are you smarter than Britain’s teenage brainiacs?
Earlier today I set you the following two puzzles. The first is from the UK’s Mathematical Olympiad for Girls: Painting the houses Each of 100…
View More Did you solve it? Are you smarter than Britain’s teenage brainiacs?Did you solve it? Think of a number
Earlier today I asked you the following puzzle. Ask Johnny Johnny thinks of a number between 1 and 1,000 inclusive. Your job is ask him…
View More Did you solve it? Think of a numberCan you solve it? A head for hats
Today’s puzzle concerns these three folk standing in a line, as illustrated below. They are all extremely logical people, and they can only see who…
View More Can you solve it? A head for hatsCan you solve it? The count reaches ‘twenty, twenty-one’
Count von Count will be fizzing with excitement. For the first time since 1920, the coming year, 2021, consists of two ascending, consecutive numbers. Enjoy…
View More Can you solve it? The count reaches ‘twenty, twenty-one’The most exciting scientific breakthroughs of 2020, chosen by scientists
Space travel In 2020 the race to space changed gear. The May launch of the SpaceX vehicle Crew Dragon was the first time a private…
View More The most exciting scientific breakthroughs of 2020, chosen by scientists