Grandfathers problem

Puzzle

Here is one of the
old-time problems of our
great - grand - daddies
which has been passed
down through successive
generations without any one's
having the temerity to question the
correctness of the accepted answer
which is that "a pound is a pound
the world over." It recently so
happened, however, that a little
boy from Boston, who was a
juvenile puzzlist, had the antique gem
sprung upon him and gave an
answer which took the wind out of the
sails of his doting old grandfather.
Of course, you have asked and
been asked so often regarding the
difference between six doz. pounds
of feathers and half a dozen pounds
of gold, that the answer comes
spontaneously without a moment's
hesitation, and yet, if the question
is asked with all seriousness, with
prizes for the best explanations just
to encourage correct work, it is safe
to say that it will be discovered that
no one has really attempted to prove
the old problem since its first
appearance in 1614.
Now what is the difference in
weight between six dozen dozen
pounds of feathers and half a dozen
dozen pounds of gold ?

Now, in this particular case, I
searched through the musty corners
of my brain to select a few antique
illustrations, with a rich chestnutty
flavor, to revive, or rather arouse
that interest which one of those good
old familiar puzzles never fails to
elicit and which are often associated
with pleasant memories of the
long ago. My object, however, was
also to show that by giving a new
set of teeth to some of these old
saws, to prove that their sharpness
has been overlooked by many of our
puzzlists, in this as well as in other
instances which will be mentioned.

Puzzle Summary

What is the difference in
weight between six dozen dozen
pounds of feathers and half a dozen
dozen pounds of gold ?

Solution

Answer

References

• Loyd, Sam [1914]. in Loyd, Sam, Jr.: Sam Loyd's Cyclopedia of 5000 Puzzles Tricks and Conundrums (in English). New York: Lamb Publishing company, page 16.