October 6, 2003
Problem of the Week

"Missing Cal"
by Frank Rubin



As the baseball season draws to a close, those of us in the Baltimore-Washington area find that we still miss Cal Ripken. To help remember Cal, solve the following cryptogram.

This is a multiplication problem in which each digit is replaced by a different letter.

Each letter stands for the same digit throughout the problem.

None of the numbers starts with a zero, and Cal's uniform number appears three times in the problem! 

           C A L
         x C A L
         -------
         K L E N
       L I R B
     N C K I
     -----------  
     R I P K E N
A = ____
B = ____
C = ____
E = ____
I = ____
K = ____
L = ____
N = ____
P = ____
R = ____


Solution to the Problem: 

            8 5 4 
          x 8 5 4  
          -------
          3 4 1 6
        4 2 7 0   
      6 8 3 2   
      -----------       
      7 2 9 3 1 6

A = 5
B = 0
C = 8 -- Cal's Uniform Number
E = 1
I = 2
K = 3
L = 4
N = 6
P = 9
R = 7



Correctly solved by:

1. Richard Johnson LaJolla, California
2. John C. Funk Ventura, California
3. Akash Patel Columbus, Georgia
4. Bill Funk San Antonio, Texas
5. Rick Jones Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
6. James Alarie University of Michigan -- Flint
Flint, Michigan
7. Kristofer Friman Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
8. Viktor Bergqvist Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
9. Chris McCormick Winchester, Virginia
10. Walt Arrison Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
11. Jeffrey Gaither Winchester, Virginia
12. Cady Columbus, Georgia
13. Joanna Monhollen ----------
14. Andrew Oliver Winchester, Virginia
15. Nina Karlsson Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
16. Daniel Larsson Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
17. Leah Dick Winchester, Virginia
18. Michael Jacobs Winchester, Virgina
19. Laura LaRusso Winchester, Virgina
20. Franklin Harcourt Columbus, Georgia
21. Patrick Mize Columbus, Georgia
22. Ashley Neumann Winchester, Virgina
23. Izzy Kushner Closter, New Jersey
24. Misty Carlisle Winchester, Virgina
25. Tim Riggleman ----------
25. Ashleigh Rogers Winchester, Virginia


Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher