I came across a puzzel the other day which on the face seems easy.
The answer was given later, but no explanation as to how it is arrived at. Is this a maths puzzel or am I missing something? I have tried everything I know (including the possibility of Roman Numerials) but am completly baffled. Can anyone help?
The puzzel is below and is as written. The instruction is "Add the numbers" and the answer was given as 5423.

NINE MULTIPLY BY

SIX DIVIDE BY

TWO ADD NINETEEN

NINE MULTIPLY BY six hundred

SIX DIVIDE BY two

TWO ADD NINETEEN

5423

That is clever! The phrase "add the numbers" means both SUPPLY the missing numbers, and also add the numbers named by each line.

However, I think you need to have
SIX DIVIDE BY three
because your answer gives 5424, not 5423.

--Stuart Anderson

>
>NINE MULTIPLY BY six hundred
>
>SIX DIVIDE BY two
>
>TWO ADD NINETEEN
>
>5423

>
>NINE MULTIPLY BY six hundred
>
>SIX DIVIDE BY two
>
>TWO ADD NINETEEN
>
>5423

Yes this works, but perhaps I did not make it clear that the answer was NOT given as part of the puzzel. The answer was revealed a week or so after the puzzel was set. No one managed to work it out during this time so is there another solution?

On second thoughts it is more than probable the answer given by Marcus is the correct one. The question setter had the answer in a sealed envelope and could be fairly confident that no one would get it right....what are the odds of "guessing" 5423? (Don't answer that).
As for what to do next, I am off to practice my spilling, Puzzle is spelt le and not el. Good jib I heven't mode any other spilling mistales. !!!