, 39, 4.
Here each pair when multiplied by its single neighbour makes the number
in the middle, and only five of the sacks need be moved. There are just
three other ways in which they might have been arranged (4, 39, 156, 78,
2; or 3, 58, 174, 29, 6; or 6, 29, 174, 58, 3), but they all require the
moving of seven sacks.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

4.--_The Knight's Puzzle._

The Knight declared that as many as 575 squares could be marked off on
his shield, with a rose at every corner. How this result is achieved may
be realized by reference to the accompanying diagram:--Join A, B, C, and
D, and there are 66 squares of this size to be formed; the size A, E, F,
G gives 48; A, H, I, J, 32; B, K, L, M, 19; B, N, O, P, 10; B, Q, R, S,
4; E, T, F, C, 57; I, U, V, P, 33; H, W, X, J, 15; K, Y, Z, M, 3; E, a,
b, D, 82; H, d, M, D, 56; H, e, f, G, 42; K, g, f, C, 32; N, h, z, F, 24;
K, h, m, b, 14; K, O, S, D, 16; K, n, p, G, 10; K, q, r, J, 6; Q, t, p,
C, 4; Q, u, r, i, 2. The total number is thus 575. These groups have been
treated as if each of them represented a different sized square. This is
correct, with the one exception that the squares of the form B, N, O, P
are exactly the same size as those of the form K, h, m, b.

5.--_The Wife of Bath's Riddles._

The good lady explained that a bung that is made fast in a barrel is like
another bung that is falling out of a barrel because one of them is _in
secure_ and the other is also _insecure_. The little relationship poser
is readily understood when we are told that the parental command came
from the father (who was also in the room) and not from the mother.

6.--_The Host's Puzzle._

The puzzle propounded by the jovial host of the "Tabard" Inn of Southwark
had proved more popular than any other of the whole collection. "I see,
my merry masters," he cried, "that I have sorely twisted thy brains by my
little piece of craft. Yet it is but a simple matter for me to put a true
pint of fine old ale in each of these two measures, albeit one is of five
pints and the other of three pints, without using any other measure
whatever."

The host of the "Tabard" Inn thereupon proceeded to explain to the
pilgrims how this apparently impossible task could be done. He first
filled the 5-pint and 3-pint measures, and then, turning the tap, allowed
the barrel to run to waste--a proceeding against which the company
protested; but the wily man showed that he was aw