Not original
Joe remembered a puzzle he solved years ago. In an alley, two ladders, each with their feet against the base of a wall, were leaning against the opposite wall. The distances (whole numbers of centimetres) above the ground where they touched the walls were given, and Joe had to calculate how high above the ground the ladders crossed. The answer was 105 centimetres. He also calculated that the ladders could have been 315 centimetres and 261 centimetres long. What was the width of the alley?
WIN 拢15 will be awarded to the sender of the first correct answer opened on Wednesday 5 September. The Editor鈥檚 decision is final. Please send entries to Enigma 1709, 快猫短视频, Lacon House, 84 Theobald鈥檚 Road, London WC1X 8NS, or to enigma@newscientist.com (please include your postal address).
Answer to 1703 G&Ts all round: Amy was given a value of 36 for T
Advertisement
The winner John Shrimpton of Grizebeck, Cumbria, UK
When this Enigma was first posted, the sentence 鈥淭he answer was 105 centimetres鈥� was omitted by accident