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Strachey Method For Magic Squares




Example of magic square of order 6 constructed with the Strachey method:

example
35 1 6 26 19 24
3 32 7 21 23 25
31 9 2 22 27 20
8 28 33 17 10 15
30 5 34 12 14 16
4 36 29 13 18 11

  • n+2

  • 1.Divide the grid into 4 quarters each having k^2/4 cells and name them crosswise thus

A C
D B
  • n+1 in subsquares A,B,C,D, first filling up the subsquare A with the numbers 1 to k^2/4, then the subsquare B with the numbers k^2/4 +1 to 2---k^2/4,then the subsquare C with the numbers 2---k^2/4 +1 to 3---k^2/4, then the subsquare D with the numbers 3---k^2/4 +1 to k^2


17 24 1 8 15 67 74 51 58 65
23 5 7 14 16 73 55 57 64 66
4 6 13 20 22 54 56 63 70 72
10 12 19 21 3 60 62 69 71 53
11 18 25 2 9 61 68 75 52 59
92 99 76 83 90 42 49 26 33 40
98 80 82 89 91 48 30 32 39 41
79 81 88 95 97 29 31 38 45 47
85 87 94 96 78 35 37 44 46 28
86 93 100 77 84 36 43 50 27 34

3. Exchange the leftmost n columns in subsquare A with the corresponding columns of subsquare D

92 '''99''' 1 8 15 67 74 51 58 65

98 '''80'''7 14 16 73 55 57 64 66

79 '''81''' 13 20 22 54 56 63 70 72

85 '''87''' 19 21 3 60 62 69 71 53

86 '''93''' 25 2 9 61 68 75 52 59

17 '''24''' 76 83 90 42 49 26 33 40

23 '''5''' 82 89 91 48 30 32 39 41

4 '''6''' 88 95 97 29 31 38 45 47

10 '''12''' 94 96 78 35 37 44 46 28

11 '''18''' 100 77 84 36 43 50 27 34


4. Exchange the rightmost n-1 columns in subsquare C with the corresponding columns of subsquare B

92 99 1 8 15 67 74 51 58 40

98 80 7 14 16 73 55 57 64 41

79 81 13 20 22 54 56 63 70 47

85 87 19 21 3 60 62 69 71 28

86 93 25 2 9 61 68 75 52 34

17 24 76 83 90 42 49 26 33 65

23 5 82 89 91 48 30 32 39 66

4 6 88 95 97 29 31 38 45 72

10 12 94 96 78 35 37 44 46 53

11 18 100 77 84 36 43 50 27 59


5 Exchange the middle cell of the leftmost column of subsquare A with the corresponding cell of subsquare D. Exchange the central cell in subsquare A with the corresponding cell of subsquare D
92 99 1 8 15 67 74 51 58 40

98 80 7 14 16 73 55 57 64 41

4 81 '''88''' 20 22 54 56 63 70 47

85 87 19 21 3 60 62 69 71 28

86 93 25 2 9 61 68 75 52 34

17 24 76 83 90 42 49 26 33 65

23 5 82 89 91 48 30 32 39 66

79 6 '''13''' 95 97 29 31 38 45 72

10 12 94 96 78 35 37 44 46 53

11 18 100 77 84 36 43 50 27 59


  • n+2


From W W Rouse Ball Mathematical Recreations and Essays, (1911)