For years I have been perpetually consulted by my juvenile friends about
this little puzzle. Most children seem to know it, and yet, curiously
enough, they are invariably unacquainted with the answer. The question
they always ask is, "Do, please, tell me whether it is really possible."
I believe Houdin the conjurer used to be very fond of giving it to his
child friends, but I cannot say whether he invented the little puzzle or
not. No doubt a large number of my readers will be glad to have the
mystery of the solution cleared up, so I make no apology for introducing
this old "teaser."
The puzzle is to draw with three strokes of the pencil the diagram that
the little girl is exhibiting in the illustration. Of course, you must
not remove your pencil from the paper during a stroke or go over the
same line a second time. You will find that you can get in a good deal
of the figure with one continuous stroke, but it will always appear as
if four strokes are necessary.
[Illustration]
Another form of the puzzle is to draw the diagram on a slate and then
rub it out in three rubs.