Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/334 - A Little Match Trick

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $334$

A Little Match Trick

We pulled open a box of matches the other day, and showed some friends that there were only about $12$ matches in it.

When opened at that end no heads were visible.

The heads were all at the other end of the box.

We told them after they had closed the box in front of them that we would give it a shake, and on reopening,

they would find a match turned round with its head visible.

They afterwards examined it to see that the matches were all sound.

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Unclassified Problems: $334$. -- A Little Match Trick
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Match Puzzles: $501$. A Match Trick