It is time to name three fun facts about Iowa.  ONE: The state motto is "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain."   TWO: It is home to the Wright Challenge, a math contest open to any University of Northern Iowa student or Iowa high school student.  Prizes of $60, $40 and $20 go to the top scorers, with handsome certificates, suitable for framing, going to the runners up.  Kadon Enterprises, makers of fine gamepuzzles since 1980, will supply additional prizes- make sure to check out their website!  THREE: It is home to the Herbert Hoover Birthplace and Library.

Turning in the correct solution to this week’s puzzle by Tuesday, November 13 will earn 2 puzzle points. Turning in a correct solution along with the origin of the word orange will earn 3 puzzle points.

Four travelers are shipwrecked on an island. The only thing to eat on the island is a bunch of coconuts, which are all on a tree too high to climb. There is a monkey in the tree. The travelers find that if they throw a stone at the monkey, the monkey will respond by throwing a coconut at them. They do this until they wind up with a big pile of coconuts, which they put in the hold of the remains of their boat, for safekeeping. They all then retire to bed.

The first traveler thinks: “Hey, my companions may be tempted to steal my share of coconuts!” He sneaks to the pile, intending to take his fair share, and hide it. He divides the pile into four smaller piles. It does not divide evenly; there is one coconut left over. He hides his portion, takes the remaining three piles and puts them back together, and gives the extra coconut to the monkey.

An hour later, the second traveler thinks: “Hey, my companions may be tempted to steal my share of coconuts!” He sneaks to the pile, intending to take his fair share, and hide it. He divides the pile (which has already been altered by the first traveler) into four smaller piles. It does not divide evenly; there is one coconut left over. He hides his portion, takes the remaining three piles and puts them back together, and gives the extra coconut to the monkey.

An hour later, the third traveler also divides the pile (which has already been altered by the first two travelers) into four smaller piles. It does not divide evenly; there is one coconut left over. He hides his portion, takes the remaining three piles and puts them back together, and gives the extra coconut to the monkey.

An hour later, the fourth traveler also divides the pile (which has already been altered by the first three travelers) into four smaller piles. It does not divide evenly; there is one coconut left over. He hides his portion, takes the remaining three piles and puts them back together, and gives the extra coconut to the monkey. He is, of course, puzzled how the pile was smaller than he remembered it.

Where do you come in? Your job is to figure out how many coconuts there were originally!

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.

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