The State Puzzles


Puzzle 1: Each of the 50 states in the United States has a unique shape determined by history, geography, politics, and the accidents of river boundaries. Some states have at least a portion of their boundary formed by a straight line. (We will ignore the fact that the earth is curved, and that lines of latitude are not actually geodesics.)

What percentage of the states have a boundary which does not include a section that is a straight line?


Puzzle 2: What percentage of the states have a boundary which only consists of straight lines?


Puzzle 3: Alaska is the northernmost state. What is the second-most northern state? That is, what state includes within its territory a point that is more northerly than any point in any other state but Alaska?


Puzzle 4: In what states can an inhabitant point south and say correctly "That's Canada"?


Puzzle 5: Which state borders the most other states?


I give up, show me the solution.


Last revised on 27 August 2013.