For you maybe, but 92% of the mortals failed to solve.

Wait a minute. It's a good problem. There are so many problems here to wade through it would take an Army to cut them all to the quick.

John

...BK declines capture of a Kt?

Final position is one of a kind:
1. Qa7...Kd7 (declines Kt capture)
2. Qc5...Kd8 (forced)
3. Qd6#
Each Kt guards the escape square behind the other Kt.
To have this arrangement as your objective, you first need to know it's possible! I, for one, have never seen this configuration of Q & 2N vs. K. 🌝

Looking at the starting position, the Kts are all ready in mating position, with complimentary guard on each other's side, such that c6 & c8 are guarded by e7N, and e6 & e8 are guarded by c7N. All that's lacking is one piece to guard both Kts. And lo; there it is, the Queen.

Q: Where can WQ guard both Kts together?
A: ONLY on c5, e5 & d6! No other square on the board qualifies.

Q: What is the state of this game in each case?
A: For Q @ c5, it's somebody's move, B or W; for Q @ e5 it's the same, somebody's move, B or W. However, for Q on d6, it's checkmate.

Having thought it through, the necessary result is: You now know it's possible. 🌝

For not only does that Q placed on d6 guard both Kts simultaneously, it also delivers checkmate, so long as BK is on d8, NOT d7!

How can Q arrive at this mating position in general, and in particular, how can we ensure BK is not on d7?
Let's try it out. How can Q get from a2 to d6?
1. Qh2...Kd7, 2. Qe5...Kd8 (forced), 3. Qd6#
1. Qe2...Kd7, 2. Qe5...Kd8 (forced), 3. Qd6#
1. Qc2...Kd7, 2. Qc5...Kd8 (forced), 3. Qd6#
1. Qa3...Kd7, 2. Qc5...etc.
1. Qa5...Kd7, 2. Qc5 or Qe5...etc.
1. Qa7...Kd7, 2. Qc5...etc.

In all these cases, we have presumed BK declines capture of the unguarded Kt, since W cannot guard both Kts on the first move. Now, we have to consider this:
What if BK doesn't decline capture?

Therefore, which of the 6 lines, above, provides a solution for the loss of 1 Kt?

1. Qh2...K×e7, (no prospects)
1. Qe2...K×c7, (no prospects)
1. Qc2...K×e7, (no prospects)
1. Qa3...K×c7, (no prospects)
1. Qa5...K×e7, (no prospects)
1. Qa7...K×e7, 2. Qd4!...Kf7 (or ...Kf8), 3. Qg7#

NOW we have a solution:
1. Qa7...K×e7 (or ...Kd7, declines, see below)
2. Qd4!...Kf7 (or ...Kf8)
3. Qg7#
~ If 1...Kd7, 2. Qc5...Kd8 (forced), 3. Qd6#

In the end, we find out the two key points of this puzzle:
• Q must move to a square where she guards c7N,
• AND where she can reach d4 on her second move.
~ Only 1. Qa7 provides both of these opportunities.

"Easy, easy, so easy," says one curious viewer. 🤪

Now it's 3/18 = 16% and 3 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐