brought away exactly the same number of eggs of two of the three
qualities, it is an interesting puzzle to determine just how many he
bought at each price.


23.--THE CHRISTMAS-BOXES.

Some years ago a man told me he had spent one hundred English silver
coins in Christmas-boxes, giving every person the same amount, and it
cost him exactly £1, 10s. 1d. Can you tell just how many persons
received the present, and how he could have managed the distribution?
That odd penny looks queer, but it is all right.


24.--A SHOPPING PERPLEXITY.

Two ladies went into a shop where, through some curious eccentricity, no
change was given, and made purchases amounting together to less than
five shillings. "Do you know," said one lady, "I find I shall require no
fewer than six current coins of the realm to pay for what I have
bought." The other lady considered a moment, and then exclaimed: "By a
peculiar coincidence, I am exactly in the same dilemma." "Then we will
pay the two bills together." But, to their astonishment, they still
required six coins. What is the smallest possible amount of their
purchases--both different?


25.--CHINESE MONEY.

The Chinese are a curious people, and have strange inverted ways of