394 Answers
- THE NINE SQUARES GAME
I should play MN. My opponent may play HL, and I play CD. (Ifhe had
played CD, I should have replied HL, leaving the same position.) The best he
can now do is DH (scoring one), but, as he has to play again, I win the re-
maining eight squares.
- THE TEN CARDS
The first player can always win. He must turn down the third card from one
of the ends, leaving them thus: 00.0000000. Now, whatever the second player
does, the first can always leave either 000.000 or 00.00.0.0 or 0.00.000 (order
of groups does not matter). In the first case, whatever the second player does
in one triplet the other repeats in the other triplet, until he gets the last card.
In the second case, the first player similarly repeats the play of his opponent,
and wins. In the third case, whatever the second player does, the first can
always leave either 0.0, or 0.0.0.0, or 00.00, and again get an obvious win.
[Victor Meally points out that the first player can also win by first turning
the second card from either end, or the fourth card from either end.-M. G.]
- THE DOMINO SWASTIKA
It will be seen that by placing the four extra dominoes in the positions
shown a perfect swastika is formed within the frame.