Query: Ali-Baba is a prisoner of the $42$ thieves who’ve simply stolen $41$ an identical magic incense sticks. The thieves need share this loot in such a manner that everybody has precisely the identical items because the others. Ali-Baba presents his know-how in trade for his freedom. Ali arranges the $41$ sticks aspect by aspect, strikes some items, then, after a couple of cuts carried out utilizing a sword, between which he strikes the items once more, he offers every of the $42$ thieves precisely the identical share made up of the identical items.

Attribution: sixteenth worldwide championship of mathematical video games, day 1, query 16, accessible within the unique French PDF.

What’s the minimal variety of cuts made by Ali-Baba?
What number of items will every of the thieves then have?
Word: A lower can slice by means of a really massive variety of items of incense.

I actually do not know how one can method this drawback, suggestions and options could be appreciated.