Well it's been a lot longer than expected and not one player had solved the puzzle or even showed any interest in it! I'm not going to waste my time writing up the solution and how it is found if no one else really cares, so I will give everyone another week or so, and if even one person shows interest and/or offers a solution, I will provide the answer AND how it is found!
Just the other day...
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Can you post a mini?
Too complicated for me to picture like that
Feb 12, 2015
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#4
We've had such bad weather I've been too busy to logon before this. Unforunately this isn't the kind of puzzle one can do with what you're asking. There's only a few pieces on the board, so just set them up as listed and try to work backwards to solve the puzzle. Seriously though I'm more than surprised that more players haven't bothered with this! The answer is quite surprising however and well woth the trouble to figure it out. I'll wait a bit longer and then post the solution and how it is arrived at.
I mentioned a book I had picked up called "Chess Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes" by Raymond Smullyan. It's a great read of 50 problems of Chess detection that I recommend to anyone who loves Chess AND Sherlock Holmes!
Last night, after losing two of the three games I played due to obvious blunders, I couldn't sleep and so began reading the short stories contained in this tome again and for the first time since the 70's. And the first story is a chess puzzle so very different than any I have ever seen, I thought you might enjoy trying to solve it here. I don't think the author will mind as you cannot copyright a chess position and I will not quote any of the writing. But I do believe it will make everyone who tries this first puzzle run out to find their own copy...and no author could wish for anything better!
The puzzle is one of "retrograde analysis" which as any reader of Holmes knows is his greatest strength. See if you can match wits with him here!
Note: I had no time to work up a diagram but with only 8 pieces on the board you should have no trouble setting it up quickly on your own board or screen!
White Bishop on h1
White Pawn on h3
White Pawn on d4
White Bishop on c5
White pawn on e5
White Queen on e7
Black King on a8
White King on c8
The top of the board is labeled "North" and the bottom is labeled "South". Black has just made the last move of the game. The question to be solved is which side, North or South was White and which side, North or South was Black?
There is only one way to find the correct answer so guesses do not count! You must describe exactly how you came up with the correct answer, of which there can only be one of course!
If you have seen this before or have the book already PLEASE don't ruin it for others by relating the answer prematurely! Have fun as I did for over three hours while still not figuring it out! I will post the solution exactly as given if no one solves the problem in one week!