Pentomino History "Toward the end of his reigne he appointed his two sonnes Robert and Henry, with joynt authoritie, governors of Normandie; the one to suppresse either the insolence or levitie of the other. These went together to visit the French king lying at Constance: where, entertaining the time with varietie of disports, Henry played with Louis, then Daulphine of France, at chesse, and did win of him very much.
"Hereupon they presently went to horse, and their spurres claimed so good haste as they recovered Pontoise, albeit they were sharply pursued by the French."
Images reproduced with permission from Dover Publications. |
Pentomino puzzles have been around since at least the early 1900's, when they were mentioned in The Canterbury Puzzles by Henry Dudeney (Dover Publications, 1986; first published in London, 1907). This book is still in print and popular among puzzle enthusiasts today. Dudeney quotes from Hayward's Life of William the Conqueror, published in 1613, the following humorous and obscure bit of history: 
"Hereat Louis beganne to growe warme in words, and was therein little respected by Henry. The great impatience of the one and the small forbearance of the other did strike in the end such a heat between them that Louis threw the chessmen at Henry's face.
"Henry again stroke Louis with the chessboard, drew blood with the blowe, and had presently slain him upon the place had he not been stayed by his brother Robert.
