I like puzzles.

I could mention that the Pew poll out today shows Obama winning 53% to 39%...

... I could even make the case that neither Obama nor the economy are really responsible for the lead that's opened up, but rather a McCain campaign that has shown itself so odious to thinking people that only voters like rabid uber-patriots, religious wackos or racist terrorists will support him...

... but instead, I'm going to sound out last weekend's puzzler from Car Talk, which I listened to while going to a convention committee meeting Saturday.

Here's the setup.

Sarah the Hostess has invited seventeen other people to a dance party at her home. (Big dining room, perhaps?) As a means of giving out door prizes, she assigns a number to each guest, 2 through 18 (saving 1 for herself).

During the party she notices that every couple, without exception, have numbers which add up to a perfect square- that is, the sum of their numbers has a square root which is an integer or whole number.

Question: what number is Sarah's partner?

OK, here's me answering this( under the cut for those who want to try it themselves first )

I suspect this one was one of the easier puzzlers Click 'n' Clack have put up- so I'm not sending it in.

I like puzzles.

I could mention that the Pew poll out today shows Obama winning 53% to 39%...

... I could even make the case that neither Obama nor the economy are really responsible for the lead that's opened up, but rather a McCain campaign that has shown itself so odious to thinking people that only voters like rabid uber-patriots, religious wackos or racist terrorists will support him...

... but instead, I'm going to sound out last weekend's puzzler from Car Talk, which I listened to while going to a convention committee meeting Saturday.

Here's the setup.

Sarah the Hostess has invited seventeen other people to a dance party at her home. (Big dining room, perhaps?) As a means of giving out door prizes, she assigns a number to each guest, 2 through 18 (saving 1 for herself).

During the party she notices that every couple, without exception, have numbers which add up to a perfect square- that is, the sum of their numbers has a square root which is an integer or whole number.

Question: what number is Sarah's partner?

OK, here's me answering this( under the cut for those who want to try it themselves first )

I suspect this one was one of the easier puzzlers Click 'n' Clack have put up- so I'm not sending it in.