Minus' Solution to

Is Swaggering Sam Smart?
Posted July 14 - 20, 1997

This is how Swaggering Sam deciphered Ophelia's phone number:

A = 7, B = 9, C = 5
Either A or B equals 9.
Either A or B equals 7.

Either B or C equals 9.
Either B or C equals 5.

Since B is shared by both, B = 9.
Thus A = 7 and C = 5.
5 + D = 2D + E
5 = D + E So (D,E) equals one of the following pairs:
(1,4), (4,1) It cannot be (5,0), since E must be a non-negative number.
It cannot be (2,3), since if D = 2 and E = 3, then F = 6 and there is no solution for G.
It cannot be (0,5) since then F would equal 10.
It cannot be (3,2), since if D = 3 and E = 2, then F = 4, and there is no solution for G.
It could be (1,4), since if D = 1 and E = 4, then F = 8, and G = 3.
Then the telephone number would be 795-1483.

It could be (4,1), since if D = 4 and E = 1, then F = 2 and G = 1.
The telephone number then would be 795-4121.

Swaggering Sam dialed both numbers to arrange a date, but unfortunately she was already busy seeing some brainy dude named Minus?!!

It looks like Minus stumped a lot of you this week. There were plenty of would-be chefs, but only two got the recipe right. Candice provided a good entree, while Julia added a little side-dish to the meal.

Presenting this week's premiere chef...Candice [candices@town.nd.edu.au]! Why don't you take a bow for creating this lovely dish.

You are given the clues:

A*B=63          7*9=63
B*C=45          9*5=45
C+D=2D+E        5+D=2D+E
2E=F            2E=F 
F=3G-1          F=3G-1

After trial and error I found that there are two possible solutions for Ophelia's phone number: If all the digits are to be different: 795-1483.

If it the digits aren't all different: 795-4121.

I checked them both:

(1)                 (2)
7*9=63             7*9=63
9*5=45             9*5=45
5+1=(2*1)+4        5+4=(2*4)+1
2*4=8              2*1=2
8=(3*3)-1          2=(3*1)-1

Ophelia's phone number is either: 795-1483 or 795-4121