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"HELP! It's a catastrophe!" cried Claude Clockenheimer, proprietor of Clockenheimer Clocks on Main Street. The poor storekeeper clutched fistfuls of his gray hair as he stared at the empty shelf. Customers were gathered around Claude, trying to console the distraught shop owner. That was the situation I encountered when I entered the store to drop off my watch for repair. "Oh, it's terrible! It's awful! It's outrageous! What ever will I do?" he sobbed. "What is it, Clockenheimer?" I asked. "Don't you understand? It's gone! GONE! The famous Clockenheimer Cuckoo is GONE!" he shouted, grabbing my shoulders and stamping his size 9 feet. A gasp escaped from the crowd of onlookers at the mention of the name of the most famous clock in town. You see, the Clockenheimer Cuckoo is the last of a long line of cuckoo clocks handed down from one generation to the next. It is rumored that General Robert E. Lee owned a Clockenheimer Cuckoo and Ulysses S. Grant arm-wrestled him for it at the Appomattox Court House. Certainly, a Clockenheimer Cuckoo is not your average, run-of-the-mill cuckoo clock. "At precisely ten past ten this morning, I opened the safe to check on my beloved Cuckoo," he continued, a large tear beginning to form in the corner of his eye. "But when I opened the door, I -- I -- I can't go on, it's too painful." "When did you last see the cuckoo?" I asked. "At precisely ten past eleven last night. My assistant Wally Watch was polishing its walnut case. But now it's gone!" The poor clock master began sobbing again. He reached deep in his apron pocket and pulled out a clock-designed hanky. With a loud blow, he wiped his nose and regained his self control. "Wait a minute -- what's this?" I asked. On the floor, I spied a crumpled note. I snatched it up, hoping that this note would be an important clue. "Mr. Clockenheimer! Whoever stole the Clockenheimer Cuckoo left a note." The note read: CLOCKENHEIMER, YOU OLD FOOL! THIS TIME, I'VE GOT THE CLOCK, AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR CLOCKENHEIMER AGAIN, YOU MUST SOLVE THE RIDDLE BELOW. IT'S THE COMBINATION TO THE SAFE IN THE BACK, BUT YOU'LL NEVER CRACK IT! THE CLOCKENHEIMER CUCKOO IS MINE -- ALL MINE! HA, HA, HA!
SIGNED,
I am the first number, in this combination line,
To find the second numeral of my little rhyme
The last number in this puzzle you need to crack,
That magical number is a perfect square,
"Mr. Clockenheimer, I'm afraid this is a tough
case to crack," I said. "I'll need my Super
Sleuths to help catch that cuckoo clock caper!" As you all realize by now, this safe combination isn't easy! Let's put an end to Wally Watch's little scheme and return the prized Clockenheimer Cuckoo to it's rightful owner. What is the correct combination?
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