Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/40 - An Epitaph (A.D. 1538)/Solution
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Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $40$
- An Epitaph (A.D. $1538$)
- Two grandmothers, with their two granddaughters;
- Two husbands, with their two wives;
- Two fathers, with their two daughters;
- Two mothers, with their two sons;
- Two maidens, with their two mothers;
- Two sisters, with their two brothers;
- Yet only six in all lie buried here;
- All born legitimate, from incest clear.
- How might this happen?
Solution
Two widows each had a son.
Each widow married the son of the other.
Each had a daughter in this new relationship.
All those other relationships will be found to result.
Sources
- 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Solutions: $40$. -- An Epitaph (A.D. $1538$)
- 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Answers: $520$. An Epitaph (a.d. $1538$)