Problem A common security method used for online banking is to ask the user for three random characters from a passcode. For example, if the passcode was 531278, they may ask for the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th characters; the expected reply would be: 317. The text file, keylog.txt, contains fifty successful login attempts. Given that [...]

Problem Some positive integers n have the property that the sum [ n + reverse(n) ] consists entirely of odd (decimal) digits. For instance, 36 + 63 = 99 and 409 + 904 = 1313. We will call such numbersreversible; so 36, 63, 409, and 904 are reversible. Leading zeroes are not allowed in either [...]

Problem The number 145 is well known for the property that the sum of the factorial of its digits is equal to 145: 1! + 4! + 5! = 1 + 24 + 120 = 145 Perhaps less well known is 169, in that it produces the longest chain of numbers that link back to [...]

Problem Peter has nine four-sided (pyramidal) dice, each with faces numbered 1, 2, 3, 4. Colin has six six-sided (cubic) dice, each with faces numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Peter and Colin roll their dice and compare totals: the highest total wins. The result is a draw if the totals are equal. What [...]

Problem By counting carefully it can be seen that a rectangular grid measuring 3 by 2 contains eighteen rectangles: Although there exists no rectangular grid that contains exactly two million rectangles, find the area of the grid with the nearest solution. Solution This problem looks more difficult than it is, I’m not going to go [...]