| a square containing integers arranged in an equal number of rows and columns so that the sum of the integers in any row, column, or diagonal is the same. |
magic square  (click for larger image in new window) n.
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magic square
square matrix often divided into cells, filled with numbers or letters in particular arrangements that were once thought to have special, magical properties. Originally used as religious symbols, they later became protective charms or tools for divination; and finally, when the original meanings were lost, people considered them mere curiosities or puzzles-except for some Western mathematicians who continue to study them as problems in number theory.
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