The first puzzle is: in how many different ways can you read WAS IT A CAT I SAW, i.e., WASITACATISAW, moving in single steps up, down, left or right?
| W | ||||||||||||
| W | A | W | ||||||||||
| W | A | S | A | W | ||||||||
| W | A | S | I | S | A | W | ||||||
| W | A | S | I | T | I | S | A | W | ||||
| W | A | S | I | T | A | T | I | S | A | W | ||
| W | A | S | I | T | A | C | A | T | I | S | A | W |
| W | A | S | I | T | A | T | I | S | A | W | ||
| W | A | S | I | T | I | S | A | W | ||||
| W | A | S | I | S | A | W | ||||||
| W | A | S | A | W | ||||||||
| W | A | W | ||||||||||
| W |
By Sam Loyd, inspired by Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland".
After the grin of the Cheshire Cat has disappeared, Alice asks: "Was it a cat I saw?"