This puzzle is an old classic. Two hallways of widths a and b meet at right angles. How long is the longest ladder that can be carried around the corner in a horizontal position?
Send solutions to Michael Kantor
by noon on June 30th, 2001.
Solutions to last week's puzzle came from Selen Altunata, David Blackston, David Wolfe, Chris Nelson, Suresh Mahalingam, Loren Hemachandra, Virginia McCreary, Dane Brook, Martha Brislen, Tom Danielson, Dan Dative, Sumita Das, James Smith, Mary Armon, Bob Kantor, Allen Druze, and Ritwik Chaudhury. The smallest primary number is 735.