c4countdown

(I don't know if these have a proper name, and I'd be rather surprised if they don't, but...)

The Benjamin's Blog's mathematicians at Benjamin's Blog headquarters had spent so much time doing Sudoku, Kakuros, and analysing election results in Harrow-on-the-Hill that one day they decided to get their revenge. They locked to the door, grabbed some shapes, lines, and numbers, and performed some ghastly experiments on them, until, suddenly, one day, they had at last created something with which they could frustrate the world, and, just to make things worse, they gave it the most ridiculous name in the world: the Kjarposko.

It involves a selection of boxes which are linked together. Each box is divided into two sections - there is a number on top and a space underneath.

There's only two rules: every number on top of a box equals the total of the answers in the bottom of the box linked to it and no number may be used more than once. (A list of numbers you may use will be provided).

Confused? Don't panic. Let me guide you through an example.



You need to put 1, 2, and 3 into the three boxes. The box with 4 in it is linked to the boxes with the 3 on top and the 5 on top. Therefore, the numbers you put into the '3' and '5' box must add up to 4. In the same way '3' + '4' = 5 and '4' + '5' = 3.

Righty-ho, then:

I suggest fitting a smoke detector to your head to attempt these.




BRAIN TEMPERATURE: NORMAL







BRAIN TEMPERATURE: HOT







BRAIN TEMPERATURE: SIZZLING







BRAIN TEMPERATURE: CRITICAL







BRAIN TEMPERATURE: TOO HOT FOR WORDS







WARNING

You are now approaching one of the most lethal puzzles on the planet. It is so hard that it is on the edge of meltdown and some of the numbers have evaporated into * symbols. It is still possible to fill in the answers, but if you are of a nervous disposition DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS PUZZLE.

BRAIN TEMPERATURE: EXPLODED





(OK, I'll admit it, I got it out of a book.)

Rhys Benjamin wrote: (OK, I'll admit it, I got it out of a book.)

The puzzle idea? Or the puzzles themselves?

Charlie Reams wrote:

Rhys Benjamin wrote: (OK, I'll admit it, I got it out of a book.)

The puzzle idea? Or the puzzles themselves?

Both. But the book is rather obscure and I did pick it up for 99p a few years ago.

Seems interesting, but I tried the "Sizzling" puzzle and either I have misunderstood or there is an error.

Box20 + Box10 = 22
Box20 + Box18 = 5
As all boxes are integers between 1 and 12 this does not work, there is no number I could put in Box20 that would enable both the above to be true.

Yes, there is a small fault I've found in the sizzling one.

Not so much sizzling, more like FIZZLING OUT!

The name has something to do with this guy, right?

Correct-a-mundo. He wrote the book I got it from.