Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/337 - Twenty-Six Matches

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $337$

Twenty-Six Matches

Make a rough square diagram, like the one shown, where the side of each square is the length of a match,

and put the stars and crosses in their given positions.

It is required to put $26$ matches along the lines so as to enclose $2$ parts of exactly the same size and shape,

one part enclosing two stars, and the other part enclosing two crosses.

In the example given, each part is correctly the same size and shape, and each part contains either two stars or two crosses,

but unfortunately only $20$ matches have been used.

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Unclassified Problems: $337$. -- Twenty-Six Matches
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Match Puzzles: $504$. Twenty-Six Matches