Answer
The
puzzle was
to place your pencil on the A at the top of the
amulet and
count in how many different ways you could trace out the word
"Abracadabra" downwards, always passing from a letter to an adjoining
one.
"Now,
mark ye,
fine fellows," said Sir Hugh to some who had
besought him
to explain, "that at the very first start there be two ways open:
whichever B ye select, there will be two several ways of proceeding
(twice times two are four); whichever R ye select, there be two ways of
going on (twice times four are eight); and so on until the
end.
Each
letter in order from A downwards may so be reached in 2, 4, 8, 16, 32,
etc., ways.
Therefore,
as there be ten lines or steps in all from A to
the bottom, all ye need do is to multiply ten 2's together, and truly
the
result, 1024,
is the answer thou dost seek."
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