Danke!
It does not require any science knowledge, but abstract and associative thinking.
P[{q[i\_,j\_],q[k_,l_]}]:=Abs[j-l]!=Abs[i-k]; fortytwo[N_]:=Select[Inner[q,Range[N],#,List]&/@Permutations[Range[N]],Function[q,And@@(P/@(Flatten[Table[{q[[n]],q[[m]]},{n,1,Length[q]},{m,n+1,Length[q]}],1]))]];
You know the answer, but what is the question? Once you know it, you will know N, and who it is all about. Convert the letters of the latter into numbers (A=1, B=2, …) to get A,B,C,D,E,F and their crossfeet a,b,c,d,e,f.
For a crosscheck of your solution, add all the crossfeet a-f and N - if your result is not exactly two more than the answer to everything, then try again!