"I'm not sure that I can say, Bill. You know those problems in
Algebra where you say, 'Let x be the answer,' and then you work
it out and find what x is. Well, that's one way; and another
way, which they never give you any marks for at school, is to
guess the answer. Pretend the answer is 4--well, will that
satisfy the conditions of the problem? No. Then try 6; and if 6
doesn't either, then what about 5?--and so on. Well, the
Inspector and the Coroner and all that lot had guessed their
answer, and it seemed to fit, but you and I knew it didn't really
fit; there were several conditions in the problem which it didn't
fit at all. So we knew that their answer was wrong, and we had
to think of another--an answer which explained all the things
which were puzzling us. Well, I happened to guess the right one.
Got a match?"
Bill handed him a box, and he lit his pipe.
"Yes, but that doesn't quite do, old boy. Something must have
put you on to it suddenly. By the way, I'll have my matches
back, if you don't mind."
Antony laughed and took them out of his pocket.
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