Henry Ernest Dudeney/Modern Puzzles/114 - The Pirates' Flag/Solution

Modern Puzzles by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $114$

The Pirates' Flag

Here is a flag taken from a band of pirates on the high seas.

The twelve stripes represented the number of men in the band,

and when a new man was admitted or dropped out a new stripe was added or one removed, as the case might be.

Can you discover how the flag should be cut into as few pieces as possible so that they may be put together again and show only ten stripes?

No part of the material may be wasted, and the flag must retain its oblong shape.

Solution

The illustration will show that the flag need only be cut in two pieces -- along the zigzag line.

If the lower piece is then moved up one step we shall get a flag with the required ten stripes.

Sources

• 1926: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Modern Puzzles ... (previous) ... (next): Solutions: $114$. -- The Pirates' Flag
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Answers: $337$. The Pirates' Flag