Just pondering
AROUND the edge of the rectangular fish pond in Joe鈥檚 back garden is a path two-paving-slabs wide. The square slabs are coloured light brown, grey or light green. Joe has arranged them so that the pattern of colours of any square of four slabs is unique, however viewed. If Joe had needed to make the path any longer, then colour patterns would have had to be repeated.
How many slabs make up the path?
拢15 will be awarded to the sender of the first correct answer opened on Monday 15 December. The Editor鈥檚 decision is final. Please send entries to Enigma 1520, New 女生小视频, Lacon House, 84 Theobald鈥檚 Road, London WC1X 8NS, or to enigma@newscientist.com (please include your postal address). The winner of Enigma 1514 is Peter Gatenby of Warwick, UK.
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Answer to 1514 Six a-Leaping
(a) 42 (b) 7
