Spalding Gentlemen's Society

[enigma50]

Any clue for Question 30 How many different ways are there to tie shoelaces for this shoe?

[mallyh]

is there a picture clue to this?

[mallyh]

if trainers i googled ...20 ways

[Mamyalynne]

Men's shoe similar to an Oxford style, has 10 holes.

[dannyk13]

I would suggest 2 ways , 1 with laces parallel across the shoe and 2 with laces crossed between eye holes.

[enigma50]

It seems the type of shoe is irrelevant as if you google there are 100s of ways so I am missing something

[Tuvok]

Thousands!

The shoe is generic - its all to do with the number of eyelets.

I'll give you the clue I got from the setter (i queried the photo thinking it was a discontinued model of shoe and that's why I wasn't finding it with an image search.)

"it came from QI"

(I also queried 2 other questions as the wording was ambiguous - so I suggest you read the questions carefully)

[JJ109]

I don't know the picture and I am assuming 10 eyelets. You will need to adjust if any of my assumtions are wrong.

With ten eyelets the lace starts at any of the ten, and in addition it can start on the top side or the underneath of any of the ten eyelets.
Possible 20 start points
There are then 9 eyelets left and it can go through the top or underneath. Possible 18 positions
There are then 8 eyelets left and it can go through the top or the underneath of any of these. Possible 16 positions.
and so on
Answer probably = 20 x 18 x 16 x 14 x 12 x 10 x 8 x 6 x 4 x 2

However if the lace has to go from left to right side all the time (or right to left) then the answer would be
20 x 10 x 8 x 8 x 6 x 6 x 4 x 4 x 2 x 2

So it really depends what instructions you have

[enigma50]

Thanks Tuvok. JJ109 that is the exact wording