Give my father a Birthday Present!

**Mark Bolyard** · 12-14-2005, 09:24 PM

Ok, so my father is turning 75 years old. Since I was a young kid, and still today, my father has this puzzle that he cut from a magazine back in the 40's and to this day, he has never figured it out. Apparently from what he told me, there is a solution, and he never purchased the issue of the magazine in which it was posted. So, I would like to ask everyone who enjoys testing thier brainpower to give it a try. He is how it works:

Click Here For the Puzzle

Per Jonathan's Request, here is a clean copy of the puzzle, larger size Click Here For the Clean Puzzle

The black indicates the puzzle itself... the red is my poor attempt at solving it. The idea is to place your pen / pencil at one point and start drawing a continuous line that crosses EVERY section as shown... In my example, I missed 3 sections. You CANNOT cross a section twice, AND you cannot cross your own drawn line. As simple as it seems, he has spent all these years and still not figured it out. So give him a great gift that doesn't cost a cent and that you might enjoy.... Post your attempts here for everyone to see!

Thanks and I look forward to seeing how fast this gets solve, and how many go crazy trying to figure it out.

**Jonathan** · 12-14-2005, 09:34 PM

I'll give it a try. But how about giving us the image without your red line?

**Mark Bolyard** · 12-14-2005, 09:35 PM

Sure, let me get a clean / larger one... I will be interested in seeing how this goes... I love these puzzles, but hate when I can't figure them out...

Clean Puzzle link added above for everyone to use. Thanks Jonathan for the suggestion.

**ShaunP** · 12-14-2005, 09:43 PM

I've tried to solve this puzzle since about 1971 when my teacher in highschool gave it to us... without telling us if it was solvable. I've never solved it.

Shaun

**Mark Bolyard** · 12-14-2005, 09:48 PM

From what my father has told me, this is a solvable puzzle, and was printed in a magazine (the following week of which he first got it), however he never bought that copy. I guess we will find out........or, maybe we won't.

Good Luck.

**DNGeeks** · 12-14-2005, 09:56 PM

http://rec-puzzles.org/new/sol.pl/geometry/konigsberg has the answer

Additional information is available at http://www.mazes.com/puzzles/5-rooms/cheating.htm

**Mark Bolyard** · 12-14-2005, 09:59 PM

I can't believe it... so, wanna draw it out, or do I have to figure it out from the technical description of that link?

**DNGeeks** · 12-14-2005, 10:03 PM

The answer wasn't hard to find really, it just took the right phrase in google and working off of that to find the right site. Searching is an art form if you really want to find something. Total time was about 8 minutes to find both sites.

**Jonathan** · 12-14-2005, 10:07 PM

That's a different one... your dad's has a few more sides. I believe it isn't possible to solve. I tried a bunch of combos and always had at least one left.

The mazes also says it's impossible to solve unless it's done in like 3d.

**Mark Bolyard** · 12-14-2005, 10:18 PM

I have posted this in a few places, and the general concensus is it is in fact unsolvable, but I am only going on the fact that my father, for one reason or another recalls the answer was in fact published in this magazine, which he also cannot remember the name of.

At least I can give him the links (thanks dnGeeks) and he can come to his own conclusion. If anyone else has some feedback, please feel free to share.

**iBizStart** · 12-14-2005, 10:28 PM

I am positive that this is impossible.

**DogFaceBoy** · 12-14-2005, 11:49 PM

Well I am going to get out my pen and paper, because I have seen the answer to this somewhere. I am pretty sure this is solvable just by looking at it.

Here I go....

**DNGeeks** · 12-14-2005, 11:58 PM

How do you figure? 5 boxes on each, that's the same. One is upside down compared to the other but they are both the same.

Originally Posted by Jonathan

That's a different one... your dad's has a few more sides. I believe it isn't possible to solve. I tried a bunch of combos and always had at least one left.

The mazes also says it's impossible to solve unless it's done in like 3d.

**Jonathan** · 12-15-2005, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by DNGeeks

How do you figure? 5 boxes on each, that's the same. One is upside down compared to the other but they are both the same.

Image attached. I circled the extra lines.

Yeah, they pretty much are the same thing - I'm sure this one can't be solved.

**DNGeeks** · 12-15-2005, 12:19 AM

Even though your image isn't working, I see what you mean now that I look at it again, the whole thing is squared off. I'm sure the same answer applies however as they are darn close to the same.