In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure-dome decree where Alpha, the sacred river, ran through caverns measureless to man down to the desk of Doctor E! As well he should, because what is more pleasurable than the fourth problem of this season's Wright Challenge puzzle contest? Every fortnight, the mysterious Doctor E supplies another puzzle for you to think about, and at the end of the semester, prizes of $60, $40 and $20 go to the top three finishers, with handsome certificates, suitable for framing, going to all sufficiently high-scoring finishers. Eligible contestants include University of Northern Iowa students, Iowa high school students, and Illinois high school students!

Turning in the correct solution to this week's puzzle by November 21st will earn 2 puzzle points. A correct solution along with the name of an Iowa politician whose name anagrams to "new or old labels" will get 3 puzzle points!

When it was Doctor E's last birthday, his friend Doctor Livingstone gave him some nice organic wine, some organic beef and chocolate, a pint of organic ice-cream, an organic necktie, and a bottle of Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap. Not one to be outdone, when it was Doctor Livingstone's birthday, Doctor E gave her a shiny new compass.
She was overjoyed. She immediately drew three circles of radius 1, with each circle passing through the centers of the other two:

What is the area enclosed by this figure?

The deadline for sending in solutions has expired. But feel free to take some time to work on this one, and click here to see the answer. Alternatively, click here to see the current challenge.

Web Page design: Doug Shaw