The Guardian published a mathematical puzzle featuring a snake that enjoys arithmetic, referencing an old joke.
The puzzle is based on a classic joke about a snake that liked mathematics.
The reptile-themed riddle challenges readers to devise two escape routes for two snakes of different lengths.
Two snakes of identical width are confined in a cage. One snake is long and the other is short.
Readers are asked to design two escape passages, labeled A and B, leading from the cage floor with specific constraints.
The short snake can escape down passage A, but the long snake cannot.
The long snake can escape down passage B, but the short snake cannot.
The passages must have no moving parts, trapdoors, or levers. The snakes have circular cross-sections with constant diameter along their bodies. They can wiggle but cannot squeeze through passages narrower than their width.
The solution will be provided at 5pm UK time.
The official answer is ‘adder,’ but readers are encouraged to suggest funnier alternatives in the comments section.
The puzzle has been a regular feature on alternate Mondays since 2015. Readers interested in contributing puzzles can email the author.
📝 This article was rewritten with AI assistance based on content from
The Guardian.
