Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/192 - The Submarine Net/Solution

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $192$

The Submarine Net

The illustration is supposed to represent a portion of a long submarine net,

and the puzzle is to make as few cuts as possible from top to bottom,

to divide the net into two parts,

and so to make an opening for a submarine to pass through.

Where would you make the cuts?

No cut can be made through the knots.

Only remember the cuts must be made from the top line to the bottom.

Solution

The $8$ cuts that are needed are shown in red.

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Solutions: $192$. -- The Submarine Net
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Answers: $418$. The Submarine Net