AboutSurajit Basu Expertise I can answer questions which are mathematical, logical, or wordplay related.
I am not good at highly creative problems, or riddles.
Experience I regularly do puzzles, and help out friends, teenagers. I read books written by Martin Gardener. I love the puzzles and Easter eggs in Douglas Hofstadter's Godel, Escher, Bach: an enternal golden braid.
Publications A few examples of my writing:
http://surajitbasu.sulekha.com/blog/post/2006/04/the-journey-down-the-number-line.htm
Education/Credentials B. Tech. ( Computer Science), IIT Kanpur, India
MBA ( Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management), (Finance, Systems), IIM Calcutta, India
Question Put the digits 1 through 9, each used exactly once, into the circles so that the total of numbers in each line up, down, across and diagonally is the same, equals 15. Center number is in place.
?------?------6
?------?------?
?------3------?
Answer A------B------6
C------D------E
X------3------Y
where can 9 be: not at A and B
where can 9 be: not at D and X, not at E and Y
so, it must be at C!
A+X = 6
So, X is 1/2/4/5
So, Y is ????.... clearly, X can't be 1 or 2. So it must be 4 or 5
Go on like this, and you can find the magic square
