Math Cougar Puzzle

The puzzle appears in the University of Houston Daily Cougar for two days, twice a month, during September, October and November during the fall semester and February, March and April during the spring semester.

Anyone may submit a solution to a puzzle.
A solution may only be submitted either by
- (a) email to puzzle@math.uh.edu
- or (b) in person, at the reception desk of the Department of Mathematics in a properly marked envelope.
In order to be eligible for the contest, a submission must be received no later than five (5) days after the first appearance of the puzzle in the Daily Cougar.
All solutions submitted must have the full name of the submitter and an email address to contact the submitter.
All timely submitted solutions will be graded by the Mathematics Department.
The University of Houston undergraduate student submitting the best correct solution will be awarded a $50 gift certificate by the Mathematics Department.
The winner of the gift certificate will posted in the Daily Cougar and will also be notified by email.
All puzzle decisions as to best and correctness are made by the Mathematics Department and the decisions are final.
A winner, if any, and a solution for each of the puzzles will be posted at this Mathematics Department Cougar Puzzle web site.
A record is kept of the solvers for each month and the top undergraduate problem solver for the entire academic year will receive a $250 gift certificate from the Mathematics Department and is qualified to attend the US National Collegiate Mathematics Championship. The 2007 USNCMC was held in San Jose, California this past August. Some of the puzzles are supplied by: “The Problem Solving Competition”.