Answer to October 25, 2004 Problem
from Games Magazine September 2004

The Treasure Hunt

 
To reveal the location of a hidden treasure, place the three gems on the map in a way that satisfies these five conditions:

  • The red gem is two hexes away from the closest mountain hex.

  • The green gem is two hexes away from the closest forest hex.

  • The purple gem is two hexes away from the lake hex.

  • The three gems are on hexes of different types of terrain.

  • There is a hex -- the treasure's location -- that is two spaces away from each gem and that has a type of terrain different from that of any gem's hex.

Give the numbered hex on which each gem resides and give the numbered hex for the treasure.

 

Solution to the Problem:

The Red Gem is on Hex #1.
The Green Gem is on Hex #4.
The Purple Gem is on Hex #8.
The Treasure is on Hex #3.

Another solution would be the mirror image:
red on 3
green on 6
purple on 8
treasure on 1

Another possible answer is:
red on hex #1,
green on hex #8,
purple on hex #9.
treasureon hex #3.

Correctly solved by:

1. Jason LaRusso Winchester, Virginia
2. Tyler Windham Columbus, Georgia
3. Sharina Broughton Old Dominion University,
Norfolk, Virginia
4. Walt Arrison Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5. Kaveh Malekanian Toronto, Ontario, Canada
6. Emily Auerbach Columbus, Georgia
7. Mandy Auerbach Columbus, Georgia
8. Cameron S. Columbus, Georgia
9. Jason Storer Winchester, Virginia
10. Jeffrey Gaither Winchester, Virginia
11. Thomas Woodward Columbus, Georgia
12. Mary Helen Calhoun Columbus, Georgia
13. David & Judy Dixon Bennettsville, South Carolina
14. Sarah Watterson Middletown, Connecticut
15. Angelo Leone Middletown, Connecticut
16. Julie W. Dallas, Texas
17. Deborah Coats (found two solutions) Newport News, Virginia
18. Ann Norman Columbus, Georgia
19. Kevin Jacobson Columbus, Georgia
20. Jeffrey Kinne Columbus, Georgia
21. Anders Johansson Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
22. Daniel Kvist Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
23. Jonas Sutinen Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
24. Gustav Nilsson Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
25. Sanna Lejegren Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
26. Elin Carlsson Risbergskaskolan, Örebro, Sweden
27. Jolle Datahacker ----------
28. Erik Hultgren Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
29. Viktor Logrell (found two solutions) Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
30. Lisa Sevón Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
31. Joanna Sturk Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
32. Joakim Berggren Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
33. Bahadir Güngör Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
34. Michael Kempi University of Örebro,
Örebro, Sweden
35. Per Björkil Tullängsskolan, Örebro, Sweden
36. Misty Carlisle Winchester, Virginia