Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/194 - Cutting the Veneer/Solution

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $194$

Cutting the Veneer

A cabinetmaker had a perfect square of beautiful veneer

which he wished to cut into $6$ pieces to form three separate squares, all different sizes.

How might this have been done without any waste?

Solution

Squares $A$ and $B$ are cut out entire.

Pieces $C$, $D$, $E$ and $F$ are then used to make the third square.

Historical Note

Martin Gardner's reports that Victor Meally's has discovered many $5$-piece dissections, one with cut length of $16$.

He offers it up as a challenge to his readers to find the latter.

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Solutions: $194$. -- Cutting the Veneer
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Answers: $357$. Cutting the Veneer