India, June 15 -- The football World Cup is a welcome reminder of how long this column has been running. Problematics was in its infancy during the 2022 World Cup, and has completed almost a full cycle since then. Although we have not really completed four years yet (the last World Cup edition began later in the year than this one), we are close. While we wait for the landmark, the sporting event itself calls for a celebration. So let's kick off the World Cup with two puzzles dedicated to football.

#Puzzle 199.1

A World Cup match is in progress, with a European team struggling against a South American side which has already scored five goals. Each goal has been scored by a different player, each of whom, incidentally, represents a diffe...