alphameticn.adj.
/ˌalfəˈmɛtɪk/, U.S. /ˌælfəˈmɛdɪk/ Mathematics.
A. n.
A mathematical puzzle in which an arithmetical proposition is expressed with the ten digits represented by a different letter of the alphabet, the task being to find what digit each letter stands for; = cryptarithm n.The distinction described in quot. 1983 by the coiner of the term is not generally made.
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society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > puzzle > [noun] > other puzzles
puzzle box1831
cryptarithm1943
alphametic1955
Rubik's cube1980
mind game1988
1955 J. A. H. Hunter in Globe & Mail (Toronto) 23 Dec. 13/7 These alphametics seem set to take the place of crosswords as a new craze... Don't forget that each letter stands for a particular figure.
1970 Sci. Amer. (U.K. ed.) Feb. 112/3 This cryptarithm (or alphametic, as many puzzlists prefer to call them) is an old one of unknown origin.
1978 Creative Computing Nov. 110/1 Why not write a single program which accepts as input an alphametic and then solves the alphametic?
1983 J. A. H. Hunter Entertaining Math. Teasers 89 In an alphametic the letters must form meaningful words in meaningful phrases instead of the jumbled array of the cryptarithm.
2010 Guardian (Nexis) 18 Dec. 51 If you enjoy alphametics, this one devised by Carlos Penedo of Argentina also has a unique solution.
B. adj.
Of the nature of or involving an alphametic.
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1987 B. Bolt Even More Math. Activities 104 Making up successful alphametic puzzles is not easy.
1994 Liong-Shin Hahn Complex Numbers & Geom. Epilogue 186 Solve the alphametic problem: happy − tiger = year under the conditions that..the number represented by tiger divided by 12 gives a remainder 3; [etc.].
2004 R. Staszkow & R. Bradshaw Math. Palette (ed. 3) ii. 97 There are other possible solutions to this alphametic puzzle.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2012; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.adj.1955