A Checker Puzzle
Position of the Men
Cut a block from a board about 3 in. wide and 10 in. long. Sandpaper all the surfaces and round the edges slightly. Mark out seven 1-in. squares on the surface to be used for the top and color the squares alternately white and black. Make six men by sawing a curtain roller into pieces about 3/8 in. thick. Number the pieces 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7, and place them as shown in Fig. 1. The puzzle is to make the first three change places with the last three and move only one at a time. This may be done as follows:
| Move 1 | Move No. 3 to the center. |
| Move 2 | Jump No. 5 over No. 3. |
| Move 3 | Move No. 6 to No. 5's place. |
| Move 4 | Jump No. 3 over No. 6. |
| Move 5 | Jump No. 2 over No. 5. |
| Move 6 | Move No. 1 to No. 2's place. |
| Move 7 | Jump No. 5 over No. 1. |
| Move 8 | Jump No. 6 over No. 2. |
| Move 9 | Jump No. 7 over No. 3. |
| Move 10 | Move No. 3 into No. 7's place. |
| Move 11 | Jump No. 2 over No. 7. |
| Move 12 | Jump No. 1 over No. 6. |
| Move 13 | Move No. 6 into No. 2's place. |
| Move 14 | Jump No. 7 over No. 1. |
| Move 15 | Move No. 1 into No, 5's place. |
After the 15 moves are made the men will have changed places. This can be done on a checker board, as shown in Fig. 2, using checkers for men, but be sure you so situate the men that they will occupy a row containing only 7 spaces.
Contributed by W. L. Woolson, Cape May Point, N.J.