October 2015
Problem of the Month

Word Worms



Insert the six math words given below the grid into the wormy paths, one letter per square, so that no identical letters touch, not even diagonally.

Each word should be used exactly once.

You may send in your answer as a 5x5 array of letters.


FOUR     FIVE     SEVEN     EIGHT     NINE     TEN


Solution to the Problem:



Morganne Johnson sent in a great analysis of the problem:
The numbers I had to use were four, five, seven, eight, nine, and ten.   I saw that ten was the only one that had three letters in it.   I then looked for the set that only allowed three letters.   I wrote ten with the t on top, the "e" underneath the "t", I then but the "n" to the right of the "e".   I left that there for a moment.   I then moved on to the two numbers with five letters in the number, seven and eight.   I put seven in the middle starting with the "s" above the "t" that was in the number ten.   I then realized that the eight would have to go right to left if I wanted it to work.   I then did the last three numbers, four, five, nine.   I looked to the right side of the 5x5 square that had four empty small squares.   Any of them would work without saving their letters cross or next to each other at all.   So I went to the top left and started with nine, then four, then five.   Nine wouldn't work cause of the "n" in seven and the nine's "n's". The only ones that work is five and four.   I then go to the bottom. I try nine but then the "e" is next to another.   Then I tried five but the same thing happened with the "e".   So it had to be four. I put four there and five the one above.   The four's "f" is next to the "e" of the ten.   The "f" of the five is above the u in the four.   I then realized the nine has to be in the right so that means if I want the nine to work I need to flip the "t" and the "n" of the ten.



Correctly solved by:

1. James Alarie Flint, Michigan
2. Kayle Rippetoe Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
3. Chaynee Martin Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
4. Kaylee Gross Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
5. Joseph Vastola John Paul II Catholic High School,
Tallahassee, Florida
6. Ashlee Rudy Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
7. Morganne Johnson Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
8. Dusty Q. Iorg Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
9. Chase L. Smith Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
10. Carson Ellis Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
11. Shay Martin Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
12. Charity Harmon Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
13. Cierra Snow Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
14. Jessica Hamblin Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
15. Tristan Hamblin Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
16. Caiden Lawrence Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
17. Alyx Wells Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
18. Keagan Genzer Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
19. Cheyenne Dunn Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
20. Madison Bindl Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
21. Britan Woody Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
22. MaShayla Hurdsman Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
23. Dawson Case Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
24. Rosemary Walker Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming


Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher