[Illustration:  Fig. 1.  Fig. 2.]

solutions are indicated by the numbers on the diagram.  The duplication of the numbers can lead to no confusion, since every successive number is contiguous to the previous one.  But whichever direction you take from the top downwards you must repeat from the bottom upwards, one direction being an exact reflection of the other.

1, 4, 8. 1, 4, 3, 7, 8. 1, 4, 3, 7, 10, 9. 1, 4, 3, 7, 10, 6, 5, 9. 1, 4, 5, 9. 1, 4, 5, 6, 10, 9. 1, 4, 5, 6, 10, 7, 8. 2, 3, 4, 8. 2, 3, 4, 5, 9. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 9. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 7, 8. 2, 3, 7, 8. 2, 3, 7, 10, 9. 2, 3, 7, 10, 6, 5, 9. 2, 3, 7, 10, 6, 5, 4, 8.

It will be seen that the fourth direction (1, 4, 3, 7, 10, 6, 5, 9) produces the solution shown in Fig. 2.  The thirteenth produces the solution given in propounding the puzzle, where the cut entered at the side instead of at the top.  The pieces, however, will be of the same shape if turned over, which, as it was stated in the conditions, would not constitute a different solution.

291.—­THE GRAND LAMA’S PROBLEM.

The method of dividing the chessboard so that each of the four parts shall be of exactly the same size and shape, and contain one of the gems, is shown in the diagram.  The method of shading the squares is adopted to make the shape of the pieces clear to the eye.  Two of the pieces are shaded and two left white.

The reader may find it interesting to compare this puzzle with that of the “Weaver” (No. 14, Canterbury Puzzles).

[Illustration:  THE GRAND LAMA’S PROBLEM.

+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+
o   :    :    :    :    :    :    : 
I...I...+===+===+===+===+===+===+
|:::| o |:::::::::::::::::::::::|
I...I...I...+===+===+===+===+...I
|:::|   o   :    :    :    |:::|
I...I...I...I...I===+===+...I...I
|:::|   |:::| o |:::::::|   |:::|
I...I...I...+===I===+...I...I...I
|:::|   |:::::::|   |:::|   |:::|
I...I...+===+===+...+...I...I...I
|:::|   :    :    :    |:::|   |:::|
I...+===+===+===+===I...I...I...I
|:::::::::::::::::::::::|   |:::|
+===+===+===+===+===+===+...I...I
|   :    :    :    :    :    :    |:::|
+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+

]

292.—­THE ABBOT’S WINDOW.

THE man who was “learned in strange mysteries” pointed out to Father John that the orders of the Lord Abbot of St. Edmondsbury might be easily carried out by blocking up twelve of the lights in the window as shown by the dark squares in the following sketch:—­

[Illustration: 

+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+
|   :    :    :    :    :    :    :    |
I...+===+...+...+...+...+===+...I
|   IIIII   :    :    :    IIIII   |
I...+===+===+...+...+===+===+...I
|   :    IIIII   :    IIIII   :    |
I...+...+===+===+===+===+...+...I
|   :    :    IIIIIIIII   :    :    |
I...+...+...+===+===+...+...+...I
|   :    :    IIIIIIIII   :    :    |
I...+...+===+===+===+===+...+...I
|   :    IIIII   :    IIIII   :    |
I...+===+===+...+...+===+===+...I
|   IIIII   :    :    :    IIIII   |
I...+===+...+...+...+...+===+...I
|   :    :    :    :    :    :    :    |
+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+

]