I wonder how many of my readers are acquainted with the puzzle of the
"Dutchmen's Wives"--in which you have to determine the names of three
men's wives, or, rather, which wife belongs to each husband. Some thirty
years ago it was "going the rounds," as something quite new, but I
recently discovered it in the _Ladies' Diary_ for 1739-40, so it was
clearly familiar to the fair sex over one hundred and seventy years ago.
How many of our mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, and aunts could
solve the puzzle to-day? A far greater proportion than then, let us
hope.
Three Dutchmen, named Hendrick, Elas, and Cornelius, and their wives,
Gurtrün, Katrün, and Anna, purchase hogs. Each buys as many as he (or
she) gives shillings for one. Each husband pays altogether three guineas
more than his wife. Hendrick buys twenty-three more hogs than Katrün,
and Elas eleven more than Gurtrün. Now, what was the name of each man's
wife?
[Illustration]