§ 1. The Dinner Party
Problem. — The Governor of Kgovjni wants to give a very small dinner party, and invites his father’s brother-in-law, his brother’s father-in-law, his father-in-law’s brother, and his brother-in-law’s father. Find the number of guests.
Answer. — One.
A=a
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b=B D=d C=c
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e=E | g=G |
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F=======f
The original diagram was ambiguous, making either D or d the offspring of A. I have amended that. — Ed.
In this genealogy, males are denoted by capitals, and females by small letters.
The Governor is E and his guest is C.
The detailed explanation is as follows: His father’s brother-in-law is B or C. His brother’s father-in-law is C. His father-in-law’s brother is C. His brother-in-law’s father is C. Therefore the smallest possible