July 2020
Problem of the Month

SUM-THING MISSING
by Ralph Fellows
in GAMES WORLD OF PUZZLES

All 25 boxes in the square below contain whole numbers, but more than half of them are missing.

The five numbers in each row add up to the same total, and the five numbers in each column also add up to that same total.

Can you determine what number belongs in the square containing the question mark?

Solution to the Problem:

The number five belongs in the square with the question mark.

From the information given in the problem, the two rows containing the shaded boxes must add up to the same total as the two columns containing the shaded boxes.

Since the shaded boxes are part of both totals, they can be disregarded to create the equation:

14 + 2 + 20 + 10 + 23 + 11 =
25 + 16 + 12 + 13 + 9 + ?



Colin Bowey had a much better solution to the problem.   Click here to see his complete solution

Correctly solved by:

1. Colin (Yowie) Bowey	Beechworth, Victoria, Australia
2. Ivy Joseph	Pune, Maharashtra, India
3. James Alarie	Flint, Michigan

Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher