I have taken a liberty to shorten "The shopkeeper's puzzle" created by H.E. Dudeney about 125 years ago:
If you decode the alphametics gaunt+oiler=rguoei the sequence 1234567890 will represent a valid English word.
What word?

(In reply to computer solution by Charlie)

 

Charlie,

This is a good  example of computer solution  being flawless but certainly less timewise-effective than analytical one.

To illustrate the point, I would like to explain my mental process of solving the puzzle in less than 30 seconds

and as such justify the D1 level, assigned by me initially.

A superficial visual "analysis" of the alphametics prompts R==>1 O==> 9 and N==>0. ….-at most 10 sec.

Now I mentally search for a valid 10-distinct- letters word ending by .. "T ION" (1st choice) and beginning with "R".

R-----TION , - just try to descramble "AEGLU" to fill in and you will get the only feasible result-    regulation.  ….Takes no more than  15 sec.

On the other hand we can ignore the alphametics and try a computer search or anagram solver. 

We'll get  regulation  and UROGENITAL as well.

 

 TTBOMK- no other solutions exist..

Posted by Ady TZIDON on 2010-11-21 03:25:12