Answer to the Problem of the Week
for the week of May 1, 2006

The 3 x 3 x 3 Problem
idea from Sidney Kravitz
in Games Magazine (April 2006)

Below are three 3 x 3 grids.   In each of the puzzles, place the digits 1 through 9 -- using each exactly once -- into the 3 x 3 grid according to the rules.

    PUZZLE #1
  1. Every number in the first row is spelled with three letters.
  2. Every number in the second row is spelled with four letters.
  3. Every number in the first column uses the letter "N" in its spelling.
  4. Every number in the second column uses the letter "I" in its spelling.
         
                             
                             
                             
    PUZZLE #2
  1. Every digit is smaller than the digit immediately to its right and smaller than the digit immediately below it.
  2. The sum of the three digits in the second row is 15.
  3. The sum of the three digits in the second column is 17.
         
                             
                             
                             
    PUZZLE #3
  1. The three digits in the first row add up to 10.
  2. The three digits in the second row add up to 13.
  3. The three digits in the first column add up to 21.
  4. The three digits in the second column add up to 16.
         
                             
                             
                             


 

Solution to the Problem:

PUZZLE #1
    1         6         2    
    9         5         4    
    7         8         3    

PUZZLE #2
    1         3         4    
    2         6         7    
    5         8         9    

OR PUZZLE #2
    1         3         5    
    2         6         7    
    4         8         9    

PUZZLE #3
    6         3         1    
    7         4         2    
    8         9         5    


Correctly solved by:

1. Sagar Patel *** Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
2. Garrett Hix Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
3. Tony Wilson ----------
4. Tarah McWhorter ----------
5. Emily Powell John Handley High School
Winchester, Virginia
6. Kunal Singh Kendriya Vidyalaya School
Happy Valley, Shillong, India
7. Richard Johnson La Jolla, California
8. Shaan Arora Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
9. Magdy Essafty Alexandria, Egypt
10. Kristi Armentrout Harrisonburg High School
Harrisonburg, Virginia
11. Larry Schwartz *** Norwalk, Connecticut
12. Elizabeth Carlson John Handley High School
Winchester, Virginia
13. Lauren Ko John Handley High School
Winchester, Virginia
14. Scott Archer North Side High School
Jackson, Tennessee
15. Britney White Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
16. James Alarie University of Michigan -- Flint
Flint, Michigan
17. Kristi Harmon Mountain View High School
Mountain View, Wyoming
18. Jacquelyn Heltz ---------
19. Dana Moats Ft. Eustis, Virginia
20. Heather Brown John Handley High School
Winchester, Virginia
21. Suzie Chhouk Long Beach, California
22. Kara DeFreitas ----------
23. Amanda Corsnitz John Handley High School
Winchester, Virginia
24. Matt Ahrnsbrak John Handley High School
Winchester, Virginia
25. Tristan Collins Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia
26. Blake Hudson Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
27. Slayton Gilmore Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
28. Kushal Palkhiwala Chelmsford High School
Chelmsford Massachussetts
29. Lauren Champion Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
30. Tiffanie and Travis ----------
31. Sarah Wilcock ----------
32. Sassy Taylor ----------
33. Lucy ----------
34. Bharvi Desai Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
35. Carolyn Shuler Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
36. Yessenia Cisneros Manual Arts High
Los Angeles, California
37. Melany Boone Bokchito, Oklahoma
38. David & Judy Dixon *** Bennettsville, South Carolina
39. Avery Acuff Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
40. Ginny ----------
41. Neal Amos Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
42. Stephanie Graham Mountain View High School
Mountain View, Wyoming
43. Nicole DiVasta Chelmsford High School
Chelmsford, Massachussetts
44. Nathan ----------
45. Patrick Culpepper Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
46. George Flowers Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
47. Brandon Green ----------
48. Lauren Shortnacy Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
49. Julianne Harris John Handley High School
Winchester, Virginia
50. Ryan Young Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
51. Valerie Taylor Mountain View High School
Mountain View, Wyoming
52. Amber Gallagher Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
53. Mary Bailey Wickham Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
54. Anna Varner Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
55. Natalie Garn ----------
56. Ben Reedy ----------
57. Remi Poydasheff Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
58. Lauren Coles Chelmsford High School
Chelmsford, Massachussetts
59. Karl Jaeger Mountain View High School
Mountain View, Wyoming
60. Rion Turner Brookstone School
Columbus, Georgia
61. Laura Minnis Harrisonburg High School
Harrisonburg, Virginia
62. Riley Watson ----------
63. Zach Broadwater Mountain View High School
Mountain View, Wyoming
64. Yesenia Toscano Manual Arts High School
Los Angeles, California
*** Sent in both solutions for Puzzle #2