Jarlath's Alternative Solution

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 46323

Jarlath thought for a moment, and then he smiled. "Your riddle would have defeated most Allarians," he said. "For the common people, and even some amongst the nobility, believe that the world is flat. But I was taught at Ilxior many things in addition to wizardry, including geography, and I know that our world is a sphere."

At that, Belboz picked up his ears. But the great school of wizardry at Ilxior closed down almost a hundred years ago, he thought. Why should this young pup of a mage lie about something like that? What could he hope to gain from it?

Meanwhile Jarlath went on: "If you started at a point a few hundred leagues south of the North Pole, then travelling a hundred leagues north would put you at a latitude where travelling a hundred leagues west would represent one complete circuit of the globe. So after that, travelling a hundred leagues south would return you to your starting point. There would be another solution, starting a little further north, where the hundred leagues to the west would represent two complete circuits rather than one. And of course there would be further solutions for three circuits, four circuits, and so on. Am I not right?"

"That is not the answer that I had envisaged," Checkers replied, "but I cannot deny that it is a perfectly valid one, so you have solved my riddle. I had been thinking of the situation where one started at the South Pole."

"Yes, that would work too. Thank you for not quibbling over my solution, Checkers, since I confess that I am not sure that I could calculate precisely how far south of the North Pole one would have to start from for my solution to work."

"You understood the point behind the riddle. That is all that I was after. I would hardly expect you to carry out involved calculations in your head. You have won fair and square. Good luck to you in future rounds."

"Thank you."

"So," Astra C said, "now that the delayed match from the preceding round has been resolved...

  1. "We move on to Lord Frederigo against Ia'adoire, to be refereed by myself and Belboz, in accordance with our agreement."
  2. Something else. [I have had to edit out my original 2nd option, as it was not valid.]

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10/11/2004 10:23:33 AM

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