Come up with the best answer you can for each of the following questions. If you can beat any of the winning entries, let us know. We'll print your solution and praise you effusively.
Hand 1
In a game of 3-handed cribbage, what's the farthest one player can move on the first hand?
Hand 2
What's the biggest lead one team can have after one hand of a game of doubles, given that no player was dealt any pairs?
Hand 3
What's the biggest lead the non-dealing player can have after one hand of a game of singles?
Hand 4
After the cut, four cribbage players notice that if they were playing poker, one would have a straight flush, one would have four of a kind, one would have a full house, and one would have ace high. Given this, form two doubles teams and find the farthest one team can move on this hand.
Hand 5
What's the biggest lead you can have after one hand of a game of singles, given that you were dealt no card higher than a 4?
Hand 6
What's the biggest lead one player can attain after one hand of singles, given that both players' hands and the crib have exactly 14 points?
Hand 7
What's the biggest possible lead for the dealer after one hand, given that the dealer was dealt six even cards, and his opponent was dealt six odd cards?
Hand 8
What's the biggest possible lead for one player after one hand, given that both players were dealt six spades?
Hand 1
76 holes!
Jerry George Kramer
6 6 (12-2) 6 (18-6)
9 (27) A (28) Go
A (29-2) A (30-6)
A (31-14) 5 5 (10-2)
5 (15-8)
5 (20-13)
The cut is a 4. Kramer pegs 29, has 23 points in his hand and 24 points in his crib (4-4-4-7). Total points: 76. Winning entry submitted by Lynn Jenkins.
Hand 2
77 holes!
Sawyer Kate Locke Hurley
7 8 (15-2) K (25) 6 (31-2)
6 9 (15-2) 8 (23) 7 (30-5)
K 7 (17) 6 (23) 8 (31-5)
J 6 (16) 4 (20) 9 (29-1)
The cut is a 9. Sawyer pegs 0, has 2 points, Locke pegs 0, has 2 points. Total: 4.
Kate pegs 4, has 20 points (flush). Hurley pegs 13, has 20 points (flush). Crib contains 24 points (3-3-3-3). Total: 81. Lead: 77.
Winning entry submitted by Al Synkiewicz.
Hand 3
42 holes!
Stewie Death
6 4 (10)
5 (15-5) 5 (20-2)
5 (25-6) Go
5 (30-13) 8
9 (17-1)
The cut is a 4. Death pegs 3, has 2 points in his hand and 0 (2-8-Q-K) in the crib. Total: 5. Stewie pegs 24, has 23 points. Total: 47. Lead: 42. Winning entry submitted by Paul Martens.
Hand 4
85 holes!
Bree Susan Gabrielle Lynette
6 4 (10) 5 (15-5) 7 (22-4)
9 (31-2) 4 6 (10) 7 (17)
5 (22-4) 4 (26-4) 2 (28) A (29)
Go Go A (30-2) A (31-8)
8 4 (12-1)
The cut is a 7, giving Bree a straight flush, Susan four 4's, Gabrielle Ace high, and Lynette a full house. Susan and Lynette peg 17 holes. Susan has 24 points, Lynette has 20 points, and the crib (6-7-8-8) contains 24. Total: 85 holes. Winning entry submitted by Jeff Cardiff.
Hand 5
54 holes!
What's the biggest lead you can have after one hand of singles, given that you were dealt no card higher than a 4?
Bilbo Frodo
3 3 (6-2)
3 (9-6) 3 (12-12)
2 (14) 4 (18-3)
6 (24) 4 (28-1)
The cut is a 5. Bilbo pegs six holes and has a two-point hand. Total: eight holes. Frodo pegs eighteen, has twenty points in his hand, and twenty-four (4-4-5-6) in his crib. Total: sixty-two holes. Lead: 54 holes. Winning entry submitted by Steve Duncan.
Hand 6
34 holes!
Paula Simon
K 5 (15-2)
5 (20-2) 5 (25-6)
Go 5 (30-13)
K (10) 2 (12)
K (22-1)
The cut is a Jack. Paula pegs 3, has 14 points in her hand. Total: 17. Simon pegs 21, has 14 points in his hand, 14 in his crib (A-2-2-3), and got 2 points when the Jack was cut. Total: 51. Lead: 34. Winning entry submitted by Bill Bonini.
Hand 7
36 holes!
Felix Oscar
9 6 (15-2)
A (16) 6 (22)
7 (29) Go
A (30-1) 4
4 (8-3)
The cut is a 5. Felix has six points and pegs one hole. Total: 7. Oscar has 24 points in his hand, 23 points in his crib (5-5-J-J*), and pegs five holes. Total: 52. Lead: 45 holes. Winning entry submitted by Stephen Drewniak.
Hand 8
36 holes!
Frazier Niles
9 6 (15-2)
8 (23) 7 (30-4)
A (31-2) 3
2 (5) 4 (9-4)
The cut is the 5 of spades. Frazier has four points and pegs two holes. Total: 6. Niles has 14 points in his hand, 18 points in his crib (10-J-Q-K of spades), and pegs ten holes. Total: 42. Lead: 36 holes. Winning entry submitted by John Lovett:
