[r-t] Monday afternoon puzzle

[Richard Smith]

Philip Earis wrote:

> OK folks, time for a quick starter for ten:
>
> - In what way is the seemingly unremarkable method Biddlesden Surprise
> Major (&-5-4.5-5.36-4-5.36.2.36.7,2) similar to Cambridge Surprise
> Minor?

I don't think it's really fair for me to answer that. ;-)

> Follow-up questions:
> - How many rung treble-dodging methods have this property on 8 bells?

174 Surprise + 48 Delight + 4 Treble Bob.

> - Are there any on higher stages?

Certainly.  There are 24 named surprise royal methods with
this property.  And on twelve bells, there are 11 examples
including Orion.  There's even a 14 bell method (Oberon)
with this property.

> - Are any methods with this property any good?

Isambard has this property.  (The 16 place notation just by
the half-lead makes it a little less obvious, though.)  And
Isambard is probably the best London-over surprise major
method.

> - Can this property be exploited in any innovative ways?

What about a palindromic 21-part?  That might have musical
potential.  Not sure whether it could work in practice,
though.

RAS