chess

To celebrate the start of the Independent Mind Olympics (see above), here's a little long-distance event of our own. Composed by Vladimir Savchenko in 1971, it's White to play and mate in 10. And really, it's not so difficult if you take it a lap at a time.

All White needs to do is get his knight to c3 or bishop to c2 it's mate, but he has to do it before Black moves his bishop and rook out of the way to give his king a square on e1.

1.Kxb3 is the natural try, but fails to 1...a1=N+. The solution begins 1.Nc2! (threatening 2.Ne3+ Kd2 3.Nd5+ Kd1 4.Nc3 mate. So Black plays 1...a1=Q+ and watch what happens now: 2.Kxb3! Qa4+! 3.Kb2! (not 3.Kc3 h6 4.Bxh6 Qc6!) Qa2+! 4.Kc3! (4.Kxa2 fails to 4...Rg1!) 4...Qxc4+ 5.Kb2! Qa2+ 6.Kxa2 (at last) Rg1 7.Kb2! Rxg5 8.Ne3+ Kd2 9.Nc4+! Kd1 10.Bc2 mate!

Answers to Friday's puzzles:

Literacy:

It is an anagram of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame".

Numeracy:

717 x 717 = 514089