OK, Try to figure this one out.

[p8riot]

Three houses (A,B, and C) have just been constructed, and now the utilities (Water, Electricity, and Phone) need to be installed. The junction for each utility is separate and each house must be supplied directly (no branch lines), to add to the dificulty no lines must cross.

Use the diagram below to solve it.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[BCurry1]

After spending the last half hour on this puzzle, I could only get 8 lines. So i consulted the internet, and it turns out, it cant be solved.

It is known as the Turan Brickyard Problem. The formula says this let n = the number of houses and m = the number of utilities. Then the minimum crossing number is known by the formula
Cr(n,m) = [n/2] [(n-1)/2] [m/2] [(m-1)/2] where [x] denotes the integer part of x.
So the minimum crossing number of Cr(3,3) = [1.5] [1] [1.5] [1] = 1 * 1 * 1* 1 = 1.
So they can NOT be connected without crossing.

[p8riot]

After spending the last half hour on this puzzle, I could only get 8 lines. So i consulted the internet, and it turns out, it cant be solved.

So, thats why I could never do it.

Just thought someone else might have had better success than me.

Thanks!

[Wayne]

This is easy. The only problem would be the very last line going to the first house. It would look as if it would have to cross the line. No, I have worked in the communications squadran so what you do is run the phone cable UNDER the water vault (not line) (A).

So, no lines cross and and all the houses are direct connected

Wayne

[ssssthesnake]

this proublem often comes up on pipe fitting tests