70. Ten draughtsmen are placed in a row. The puzzle is to lift one up
and passing over two at a time (neither more nor less) to place it on
the top, or to “crown” the next one, continuing in this fashion until
all are crowned. In passing over a piece already crowned, it is to be
reckoned as two pieces.
71. In the centre of a pond 20 feet square there is a small island,
on which is growing a tree. Two boys notice there is a bird’s nest
on the top of the tree, but the difficulty is to reach the island,
as they have 2 short planks that only measure 8 feet each. After a
little while they hit on an ingenious plan, and, without nailing the
planks together, manage to place them so they can reach the tree in
safety. How did they do it?
TEACHER--“Now, I want all the children to look at Tommy’s
hands, and see how clean they are, and see if all of you cannot come
to school with cleaner hands. Tommy, perhaps, will tell us how he
keeps them so nice?”
TOMMY--“Yes ’m; mother makes me wash the breakfast things
every morning.”