Perplexity

In the Cards:

If North holds:

42 &3 &6 &8 29

and East holds:

!6 &7 &8 22

who has the following hand?

48 !3 &K 6 3 2 2K 10 2

A copy of the new Chambers-Larousse Desktop Encyclopedia will be awarded to the first correct answer opened on 6 December. Entries to: Saturday Pastimes, the Independent, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DL.

11 November answer:

Hopes = 1334

(In the other examples P=plus, M=minus, other letters are replaced by their place in the alphabet:

So HOPES = 815+519.

Winner: Mary Atherton (Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancs)