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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 4
[a perfect palindrome]
The following, consisting of five Latin words, is probably the most perfect palindrome ever devised:
Sator Akepo Tenet Opera Rotas
It is much more than a palindrome, as it will be seen that the initials form the first word, the second letters the second, and so on to the
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end. To show its beauty, the words require to be arranged as a square, when they form a perfect rebus. The origin of this ingenious device cannot now be traced, but it is known to be very ancient. Some forty years ago a treasured copy was seen in the possession of the « wise man » of an English village, who found it an infallible charm for the cure of certain cattle diseases. We do not think so perfect a square can be constructed with English words. Many attempts have been made, but no one so far has succeeded.
The following magic squares for 1890, constructed by Mr T. B. Harding, are from Harding' « Almanac for the year:
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In the second square, of sixteen, any four numbers, taken symmetrically, will give the required result:
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By the arrangement of the digits in regular order, thus, 1234+567+89+0, Mr Harding also brings out the same total.