Friday, September 12, 2008

The Peal of Bells

A correspondent, who is apparently much interested in campanology, asks me how he is to construct what he calls a "true and correct" peal for four bells. He says that every possible permutation of the four bells must be rung once, and once only. He adds that no bell must move more than one place at a time, that no bell must make more than two successive strokes in either the first or the last place, and that the last change must be able to pass into the first. These fantastic conditions will be found to be observed in the little peal for three bells, as follows:—

1 2 3
2 1 3
2 3 1
3 2 1
3 1 2
1 3 2

How are we to give him a correct solution for his four bells?

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