Listener 4101 - Primordial by Viking

[daagg]

Oh dear, that was far too easy! A quick trawl through my Dictionary of Interesting Numbers and a short jigsaw puzzle.

[Count-A-Strong]

Show off! ;-)

[daagg]

I'm just so excited to have beaten Midazolam this week! You're quite right though - it is just showing off - sorry.

[naomirod]

its numbers then eh? thats me off to the coast

[contendo]

Well at least I can get the lawn mown now. Nice to be able to forget about numericals for the next 13 weeks.

[midazolam]

i agree daagg easy numerical this one, but then I am not complaining (before anyone starts)

I listed the possibilities and then fitted them in like a jigsaw, as you said.

[daagg]

On reflection, it does have a certain elegance.

[Ruthrobin]

Yeah, show-offs! Someone told me you'd finished already - I haven't a single number in so cheer up all the other number dummies!

[starwalker]

Numbers is numbers, but it doesn't mean that I have to like them. Coloured highlighters helped, as did re-reading the preamble.
"Dictionary of Interesting Numbers" - ye gods, what next ???
Two consecutive Listeners by its editors - is this a first ?

[daagg]

"The Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers" to be precise. It is still available, and the Amazon reviews include "Not to be read all at once" and "Best read from front to back" - so take your pick! It has very useful tables of squares, cubes, primes, Fibonacci numbers etc.

[tweaker]

Yes, easy. It took me a while looking in totally the wrong direction, then it cracked! very much like a jigsaw. Nice one Viking.

[midazolam]

It is elegant in the way Viking realised that every prime with odd numbers can be fitted into a 9x9 grid with 90deg symmetry.

[tweaker]

midazolam I agree, thats how the jigsaw style fits neatly, find the right numbers to fit!

[Zabadak]

Simples. A bit like doing a sudoku, when you're quite surprised when the last digit you put in is still possible.

[Lewap]

As a mere mortal, I will have to wait until the morning to get my copy of 4101. I actually enjoy the numericals - I rarely finish them however, so I am hoping tomorrow will be successful. And if I complete quickly, I have just spotted an email in my inbox from Chris Lear...
PS Daagg - how did you get on with 5x4x3 in the Magpie?

Lewap

[Speravi]

I agree with Zabadak, very much like Sudoku. Numerical, yes, and an exercise in logic, but hardly mathematical, so a gentle introduction to this quarterly variation for anyone who is new to this type of frolic.

[daagg]

Lewap, it's not the end of the month yet, but I am hopeful. It was the hardest numerical I have ever attempted.

[Ruthrobin]

It's the early hours and I have just completed my first ever numerical. It was actually enjoyable! Yes, indeed, this was very different from all the others we have seen - just like a jigsaw and such a pleasure when the last piece fitted (and hadn't been eaten by the dog or dropped under the table). Have a go at this one all the other number phobes!

[AHearer]

Perhaps the editors are trying to lure a few more solvers into the numericals. This was, indeed, quite straightforward. I usually find the numericals an unrewarding slog, but I quite enjoyed this one. For those who haven't come across them, the other Curious and Interestings by David Wells, Puzzles and Geometry, are fun too. Spend the time you saved because this was an easy numerical by retiling the bathroom with a Voderberg tessellation!

[daagg]

Well done RR, there is hope for you yet! Another of the Amazon reader reviews says that it is ideal for leaving in the loo, though I don't think they were thinking of getting tiling ideas from it.

[Clamzy]

As usual when it's a number puzzle I got out my calculator, but on this occasion it was put away again unused. I agree with the above remarks - not very mathematical and obviously "pour encourager les autres" which seems to have had some success with RR:-)