Henry Ernest Dudeney/Modern Puzzles/172 - A Magic Square Delusion/Solution

by : $172$

 * A Magic Square Delusion

Solution
Make $9$ squares like this one and put them together to form a larger square:


 * $\begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|c|}

\hline 9 & 11 & 18 & 5 & 22 \\ \hline 3 & 25 & 7 & 14 & 16 \\ \hline 12 & 19 & 1 & 23 & 10 \\ \hline 21 & 8 & 15 & 17 & 4 \\ \hline 20 & 2 & 24 & 6 & 13 \\ \hline \end{array}$

Then you can pick out a $5 \times 5$ square in any position and it will be a magic square.

Hence it is seen that you can arrange for any number you like to be in the centre.

This is what is known as a Nasik square (named by after the place in India where he was living).