what is the answer?

1.Qc6+ Kb8 2.Bc7+ Kc8 3.Be5+ Kd8 4.Bf6 # is a mate in 4. The other variation would be 2...Ka7 3.Qb6+ Ka8 4.Qb8#.

There is no mate in 3.

look harder

Wow, I couldn't solve it and had to cheat. But there is a mate in 3!

well, what is it?

I cheated. I'm not really supposed to spoil the answer am I? But then, you're the original poster and are asking for it, and it's been up for a couple of days, so here it is:

1.Qb2 Kd7 2.Qe5 Kc6 3.Qd5# (2...Kc8 3.Qc7#).

Beautiful!

 How did you cheat ?  Which "beast" did you use ? 

I thought so too. I'll be putting more like that up soon

I'm at work, so no engine, but I googled for "endgame tablebase" and ended up at http://www.lokasoft.nl/uk/tbweb.htm by way of Wikipedia.

 Interesting ! I put the position on a beast and it took all of 2 seconds to find the mate in 3.....  rather depressing for me to be honest....

I stand corrected ... spent a while trying to find it ... and ended up guessing that there was no mate in 3, only 4.

Wow! Where in the world did you find this problem? I think it is an excellent visualization test of sorts, working it out in your head.

 So far I'm having a great time playing" This enigmatic game called chess " However I feel somewhat disappointed to find out that you "seek enlightenment" and and are in Ernst pursuit of knowledge and the disciplines of the arts and science imponderable to the layman.Especially when all you had to do was ask me...............The mighty Mazza knows all and sees all.