Brain Teasers & Riddles

[Michael]

This game works on the honor system. Google and/or other search engines are not allowed to be used for finding the answers.

Here is the Brain Teasers Running Scorecard:

Greendruid 18.5
dilettante 18.5
drgoodtrips 16
Michael 14.5
Dominick 14.5
wphelan 6
SMadsen 6
Zarquon 5.5
Zedrow 2
Margot 2
The Drunk Girl 1.5
Americano 1
mhi706 1
Evangeline 1
WFCY 1

Last updated June 26th, 2011 :)

[Michael]

Here's the first one:

What 8 letter word has 7 consonants and 1 vowel? (note that "y" generally counts as a vowel)

[Dominick]

Methinks a hint is due.
(Such as : in which language :p)

[Michael]

Okay a hint: Its English. :D

It is also an attribute.

[Dominick]

Okay a hint: Its English. :D
Whose English ? :haha:

[Greendruid]

All I could get was "rhythms" but that's only seven - hmmm, tough one.

[Michael]

Whose English ? :haha:
Proper English. Very common word. One doesn't even need a plural to do it. :)

And if anyone wants to buy a vowel, its an "e".

Edited to add: Okay, another hint. This word appears in one of the major acana of the Tarot.

[drgoodtrips]

I don't know what arcana and tarot are, but "strength" seems to fit the bill.

[Michael]

I don't know what arcana and tarot are, but "strength" seems to fit the bill.
:banana:

You are correct! You're up...

[drgoodtrips]

Hmmm... here's one off the top, but I wonder if some may have heard it before.

A man is walking down a country road and he comes to a fork. He doesn't know which path would take him to his destination and which path would be the wrong way. Standing there are two brothers, one of whom always lies and one of whom always tells the truth. (I don't know how our traveler knows this, and I'm not feeling creative enough to make anything up). The brothers, who are quite familiar with the surrounding countryside, will answer just one question between them from anyone walking by.

How can the traveler be assured that he is pointed in the right direction?

[Greendruid]

This problem appears in one of the few musicals I will tolerate watching - Labyrinth. Gotta love David Bowie and muppets!

You would ask of either of the two brothers "If I asked your brother, which way would he tell me is the correct way to my destination". This forces the lying brother and the truth-telling brother to answer with the same response. The lying brother, knowing that his brother tells the truth, would tell you the opposite of that. The truth-telling brother, knowing that his brother always lies would tell you this lie. Therefore, both would answer the same. You then follow the opposite of either response and you are sure to be on the correct path to your destination.

[wphelan]

Ha, that's funny you posted this. I know this riddle from Labyrinth as well. It's actually a pretty good movie. And apparently it comes in handy when trying to solve forum riddle games!

This problem appears in one of the few musicals I will tolerate watching - Labyrinth. Gotta love David Bowie and muppets!

You would ask of either of the two brothers "If I asked your brother, which way would he tell me is the correct way to my destination". This forces the lying brother and the truth-telling brother to answer with the same response. The lying brother, knowing that his brother tells the truth, would tell you the opposite of that. The truth-telling brother, knowing that his brother always lies would tell you this lie. Therefore, both would answer the same. You then follow the opposite of either response and you are sure to be on the correct path to your destination.

[drgoodtrips]

That's the right answer, although I've never seen the movie Labyrinth. :)

[Helene]

That's the right answer, although I've never seen the movie Labyrinth. :)

It's a great movie that I can watch over and over. But that's just because I saw it first when I was young. Seeing such movies for the first time when you're an adult will never yield the same results. E.g. my boyfriend doesn't like The Princess Bride, as he was 24 when he saw it first. And I never could get into The Neverending Story.

[Michael]

It's a great movie that I can watch over and over. But that's just because I saw it first when I was young. Seeing such movies for the first time when you're an adult will never yield the same results. E.g. my boyfriend doesn't like The Princess Bride, as he was 24 when he saw it first. And I never could get into The Neverending Story.
I first watched Labrynth, The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story as an adult and loved all three of them. :)

Maybe I'm just immature and/or I love sword & sorcery fantasy fiction. ;)

Greendruid is up...

[Helene]

I first watched Labrynth, The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story as an adult and loved all three of them. :)

Maybe I'm just immature and/or I love sword & sorcery fantasy fiction. ;)

Greendruid is up...

I was a teenager when watching the Neverending Story. It's an age where you want to distance yourself as much as possible from your younger years (at least it was for me). Maybe I should try it again?

[Michael]

I was a teenager when watching the Neverending Story. It's an age where you want to distance yourself as much as possible from your younger years (at least it was for me). Maybe I should try it again?
Well, I've always had a soft spot for Columbo's rumpled style and raspy voice! ;)

But Labyrnth and Princess Bride are the better movies here.

[Michael]

24 hour rule invoked...

Lev Tolstoy's Riddle

A group of harvestmen was asked to scythe two fields. The first field was twice the size of the other. Half of the day the whole group worked on the bigger field, in the afternoon the group divided into half. First group finished the whole field by the end of the day. The second group went to scythe the smaller field and worked untill the end of the day too. However a small piece of this field was left undone. The following day the rest of the field was scythed. It took the whole day to finish it by one harvestman. How many harvestmen were in the group?

[drgoodtrips]

Does this assume a constant rate of work?

[Michael]

Does this assume a constant rate of work?

That's a reasonable assumption. :)

I figured that this one was going to be a race between you and Dominick. ;)

[dilettante]

24 hour rule invoked...

Lev Tolstoy's Riddle

A group of harvestmen was asked to scythe two fields. The first field was twice the size of the other. Half of the day the whole group worked on the bigger field, in the afternoon the group divided into half. First group finished the whole field by the end of the day. The second group went to scythe the smaller field and worked untill the end of the day too. However a small piece of this field was left undone. The following day the rest of the field was scythed. It took the whole day to finish it by one harvestman. How many harvestmen were in the group?

There were 8 men in the original group. Yes?

Large field work = (1/2 day)(X men) + (1/2 day)(X/2 men)
Small field work = (1/2 day)(X/2 men) + (1 day)(1 man)
:. X/2 + X/4 = 2(X/4 + 1) = X/2 + 2
:. X/4 = 2
:. X = 8

[Michael]

There were 8 men in the original group. Yes?
Correct.


Large field work = (1/2 day)(X men) + (1/2 day)(X/2 men)
Small field work = (1/2 day)(X/2 men) + (1 day)(1 man)
:. X/2 + X/4 = 2(X/4 + 1) = X/2 + 2
:. X/4 = 2
:. X = 8
There are apparently several different solutions that produce the same answer of 8.

You're up!

[dilettante]

Here's insidious derivative from drgoodtrips riddle in post #10 (hopefully I won't misremember and screw this up):

There are two brothers; one is always honest, the other is always a liar. Furthermore (and this is where it gets interesting), the honest brother is perfectly accurate in all his knowledge: everything that is true, he believes to be true, everything that is false, he believes to be false. Similarly, the dishonest brother is perfectly inaccurate in his knowledge: everything that is true he believes to be false, everything that is false he believes to be true. Curiously, these characteristics cause the two brothers to issue identical answers to a given question.

For example, if you ask the honest brother "Is two plus two four?" He will know, because his knowledge is perfectly accurate, that it is. Since he is always honest he will answer "yes."
If you ask the same question to the dishonest brother, he will, because of his inaccurate knowledge, think that the true answer is "no," but because he is a liar, he will also answer "yes."

Now for the riddle: Suppose you met one of these brothers out in a field someplace. Could you, by only asking yes-or-no questions, deduce which brother you were talking to? If so, how many questions would you need to ask and what would they be?

[Greendruid]

This is actually an easier question than the last in my mind because of the extra qualifiers.

I would ask one question of either brother. The question would be "Is your brother honest?"

If you happened to ask the honest, accurate brother, he would accurately deduce the answer "No" and answer with such. If you happened to ask the lying, inaccurate brother, he would inaccurately deduce the answer to be "No" and answer "Yes". Two different answers and you would easily have knowledge of which brother you were talking to.

[dilettante]

This is actually an easier question than the last in my mind because of the extra qualifiers.

I would ask one question of either brother. The question would be "Is your brother honest?"

If you happened to ask the honest, accurate brother, he would accurately deduce the answer "No" and answer with such. If you happened to ask the lying, inaccurate brother, he would inaccurately deduce the answer to be "No" and answer "Yes". Two different answers and you would easily have knowledge of which brother you were talking to.

Correct.

You could also ask "Are you the honest, accurate brother?" Or indeed just about any question that included "you" or "your". While both brothers do, in fact, give identical answers when faced with the same question, questions that include the word "you" (or some derivative thereof) are technically different questions for each individual since "you" means a different person in each case. I thought it was an interesting question.

You're up.

[Greendruid]

Here's a fun one:

Four men were out fishing on a boat in the ocean. A fierce wind blows in the southeast and tips the boat over, completely capsizing it. All four men fall out of the boat and sink to the bottom of the ocean but not a single man got wet! How can this be?

[Michael]

I'll take a shot at this one and guess that all four men were married.

[Greendruid]

Right you are! Michael is up.

[Michael]

Right you are! Michael is up.
:cool:

Here's the next one...

A girl who was just learning to drive went down a one-way street in the wrong direction, but didn't break the law. How come?

[dilettante]

:cool:

Here's the next one...

A girl who was just learning to drive went down a one-way street in the wrong direction, but didn't break the law. How come?

She was walking?

[Michael]

She was walking?
Correct! (I figured that was an easy one) ;)

[dilettante]

What comes next in this sequence:
1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221, 312211, 13112221, ...

[drgoodtrips]

1113213211

[dilettante]

1113213211

Correct! Each number describes the number before it.

[drgoodtrips]

Oh, d'oh.

*scurries off to think of a brain teaser*

[Michael]

Oh, d'oh.

*scurries off to think of a brain teaser*

I'll invoke the handy-dandy 24-hour rule here since I happen to have a book of riddles and puzzles sitting on my 'actual' desktop... :)

* * *

A man stopped his car opposite a hotel and immediately knew that he was bankrupt. How did he know?

[Helene]

I'll invoke the handy-dandy 24-hour rule here since I happen to have a book of riddles and puzzles sitting on my 'actual' desktop... :)

* * *

A man stopped his car opposite a hotel and immediately knew that he was bankrupt. How did he know?

It was his hotel and it had burnt down and he didn't have insurance?

[Michael]

It was his hotel and it had burnt down and he didn't have insurance?
Not a bad guess, but not correct.

[drgoodtrips]

He saw his soon-to-be-ex wife's car parked next to his divorce lawyer's? ;)

[Michael]

He saw his soon-to-be-ex wife's car parked next to his divorce lawyer's? ;)
As creative as Greendruid's guess... but still not correct.

I love this riddle - it is a good one! :D

[drgoodtrips]

He was on his cell phone with his accountant when he pulled up across the street from the hotel?

(I'm feeling a little slapphappy today ;) )

[wphelan]

I'll invoke the handy-dandy 24-hour rule here since I happen to have a book of riddles and puzzles sitting on my 'actual' desktop... :)

* * *

A man stopped his car opposite a hotel and immediately knew that he was bankrupt. How did he know?

He was playing Monopoly and couldn't afford the rent.

[Helene]

He was playing Monopoly and couldn't afford the rent.

I know you are right! Good one.

[wphelan]

I know you are right! Good one.

I hope that's right. I've got to get one of these right one of these days. The problem will be coming up with a riddle of my own.

[Michael]

He was playing Monopoly and couldn't afford the rent.

Correct! :D

You're up.

(If you don't come up with one, I will step in and post one in a day or two - I have a book of them - there are also several good sources on the net for these things).

[wphelan]

Ok, I found this one online:

Two grandmothers, with their two granddaughters,

Two husbands, with their two wives,

Two fathers, with their two daughters,

Two mothers, with their two sons,

Two maidens, with their two mothers,

Two sisters, with their two brothers,

Yet only six in all lie buried here,

All born legitimate, from incest clear.



Explain how this may be.

[Americano]

Ok, I found this one online:

Two grandmothers, with their two granddaughters,

Two husbands, with their two wives,

Two fathers, with their two daughters,

Two mothers, with their two sons,

Two maidens, with their two mothers,

Two sisters, with their two brothers,

Yet only six in all lie buried here,

All born legitimate, from incest clear.



Explain how this may be.

Only six are dead?

[wphelan]

Only six are dead?

Yep. There are only six.

[wphelan]

To get people pointed in the right direction, I'll tell you there's no tricky word play in this riddle. It's just a matter of figuring out how all those relationships are possible with only six people.

[wphelan]

Um, maybe it's not completely fair to say there's no world play in this riddle. There is one key relationship that's not listed that considerably helps solving this riddle.

[Michael]

This is a tough one! :ummm:

Do we have any members in West Virginia or Arkansas that might be able to help us out here? :rofl:

[Helene]

Ok, I found this one online:

Two grandmothers, with their two granddaughters,

Two husbands, with their two wives,

Two fathers, with their two daughters,

Two mothers, with their two sons,

Two maidens, with their two mothers,

Two sisters, with their two brothers,

Yet only six in all lie buried here,

All born legitimate, from incest clear.



Explain how this may be.

Let's see... I can get it almost, if the grandmothers marry each other's sons, but I don't see how this can be incest free... when it also says sisters and brothers.

[Michael]

Let's see... I can get it almost, if the grandmothers marry each other's sons, but I don't see how this can be incest free... when it also says sisters and brothers.
The last line of the puzzle clearly indicates that incest is required. :)

[Helene]

The last line of the puzzle clearly indicates that incest is required. :)

Oh, I thought it said that incest was not allowed! From incest clear = no incest?

Otherwise:

Identical twin sisters married one man (or identical twins), who gave each of them a son (making the sons genetic brothers). Then he died (so he's long gone). The two widows then married the other's son. And then each had a daughter.

[dilettante]

Are we allowed to count "in-laws" and "steps"?

If so, I can do it:
A man (A) marries a widow (B) who has a grown up daughter (C).
The daughter marries the man's father (D), and they have a daughter (E).
And then A and B have a son (F). That way, the relationships are recursive. Here's a graphical depiction:

A - B
...| .\
...F. . C - D
............|..\
............E ..A - B
....................| .\
....................F.. C - D
...........................|.. \
...........................E... A - B

Two grandmothers, with their two granddaughters,
B is the grandmother of E, and C is the grandmother in law of herself (her mother's mother-in-law).

Two husbands, with their two wives,
A and B, C and D.

Two fathers, with their two daughters,
D is the father of E, A is the step-father of C

Two mothers, with their two sons,
B is the mother of F, C is the step-mother of A

Two maidens, with their two mothers,
Not sure what "maidens" means here, but B is the mother of C, and C is the mother-in-law of B.

Two sisters, with their two brothers,
E and A are (half) brother/sister, as are F and C

Yet only six in all lie buried here,
check

All born legitimate, from incest clear.
Biologically, they are all incest free.


There's an old song ("I'm my own grandpa") which is about a family which is almost, though not quite, like this.

[Michael]

Not sure what "maidens" means here, but B is the mother of C, and C is the mother-in-law of B.
I'd be guessing that "maidens" would be unmarried virgins.

All born legitimate, from incest clear.
Biologically, they are all incest free.
Yes, that "from incest clear" statement in the context can be read either way it seems. If you can do it without the incest, that seems more impressive.

[wphelan]

Ok, here's the answer that was given: Two widows each had a son, and each widow married the son of the other and then each had a daughter.

I'm not sure if anyone came up with this exactly, but as far as I can tell, it works. This riddle got more confusing the more I looked at it and the more I read the answers that were posted.

[Helene]

Ok, here's the answer that was given: Two widows each had a son, and each widow married the son of the other and then each had a daughter.

I'm not sure if anyone came up with this exactly, but as far as I can tell, it works. This riddle got more confusing the more I looked at it and the more I read the answers that were posted.

So who are the sisters and brothers? Or are they sisters and brother's in law, only?

[dilettante]

So who are the sisters and brothers? Or are they sisters and brother's in law, only?

Each widow has one son and one daughter, so there are two sets of (half) brothers and sisters.

[Michael]

Okay, looks like Dilettante gets the credit here (and moves into the lead on the scoreboard!).

You're up. :)

[dilettante]

Okay, looks like Dilettante gets the credit here (and moves into the lead on the scoreboard!).

You're up. :)

Hmmm...I'm not sure I deserve credit for that one, but I'll go ahead and post another brain teaser:

Odometers on modern cars go from 0 to 999,999. There are no tenths; all the tenths are done by the trip odometer.

Imagine that someone managed to reach 999,999 miles. If you counted all the times that the digit 1 appeared, how many 1s would be counted? In doing this, count each time that 1 appears in a number.

So, for example, from 000,000 through 000,012 the count would be 4: 1 for 000,001, another for 000,010, two more for 000,011 and another for 000,012.

[Dominick]

600,000 ?

[dilettante]

600,000 ?

Correct! Your turn.

[Michael]

Hmmm...I'm not sure I deserve credit for that one, but I'll go ahead and post another brain teaser:
Yeah, it was a bit unclear, but yours seemed closest. :)

[Michael]

Once again, I'm invoking the 24 hour rule. :)

Next challenge:

There are 25 horses and the race track only allows 5 horses to race at a given time. Given that there is no stop watch available your task is to determine the fastest 3 horses. Assume that each horses' speed is constant in different races, what is the minimum number of races to determine the fastest 3?

[drgoodtrips]

Oooh, comptuer science... lol.

Eight races.

[Michael]

Oooh, comptuer science... lol.

Eight races.
Not correct. :D

There is a way to do it with less. You work for Microsoft or something? :lol:

[drgoodtrips]

Not correct. :D

There is a way to do it with less. You work for Microsoft or something? :lol:

Nah. Since it has to be between five and eight, I'd imagine the Microsoft answer would be somewhere around 15.

My answer was the product of modified "merge sort" (though, merge sort is not always optimal, as we're apparently seeing here... :o )

[drgoodtrips]

Oh, scratch it. I know the answer, but I won't say, since I already screwed the pooch. I shouldn't have been using any sorting at all...

I arrived at the answer I did by thinking of the maximum number that you could eliminate in any given race - for the first five races, you eliminate two each for a total of fifteen. Then, you can eliminate 4 horses in each subsequent race for a total of 11, then 7, then 3 horses remaining after 8 races. I figured I had to be right since the math lined up so nicely. Thinking man's error - life isn't a standardized test :lol:

[dilettante]

I can get it down to 7.

Races 1-5: Divide horses into sets of 5 (A-E) and race them, eliminate all fourth and fifth place finishers immediately. We can now rank the 3 remaining horses of each group internally.- down to 15 horses.

Race 6: Race the winners of the first 5 races. Lets say the winner of group A places first, the winner of group B second, the winner of group C third...etc. Eliminate groups D and E entirely. Eliminate all but the fastest horse (the one who just raced) in group C. - down to 7 horses.

We know the winner of the last race (the fastest in group A) is THE fastest horse, so we can set him aside; now we just need to find the other two. We also know that the slowest horse of the 3 in group B cannot be among the 3 fastest, so we eliminate him. That gives us 5 horses left to race.

Race 7: Race those five (the 2nd and 3rd place finishers from group A, the 1st and 2nd place finishers from group B, and the only remaining horse in group C). The top two finishers and the horse we set aside earlier are the 3 fastest.

[Michael]

I can get it down to 7.

Races 1-5: Divide horses into sets of 5 (A-E) and race them, eliminate all fourth and fifth place finishers immediately. We can now rank the 3 remaining horses of each group internally.- down to 15 horses.

Race 6: Race the winners of the first 5 races. Lets say the winner of group A places first, the winner of group B second, the winner of group C third...etc. Eliminate groups D and E entirely. Eliminate all but the fastest horse (the one who just raced) in group C. - down to 7 horses.

We know the winner of the last race (the fastest in group A) is THE fastest horse, so we can set him aside; now we just need to find the other two. We also know that the slowest horse of the 3 in group B cannot be among the 3 fastest, so we eliminate him. That gives us 5 horses left to race.

Race 7: Race those five (the 2nd and 3rd place finishers from group A, the 1st and 2nd place finishers from group B, and the only remaining horse in group C). The top two finishers and the horse we set aside earlier are the 3 fastest.
Correct!

You're up...

[dilettante]

Potatoes are 99% water and one percent...well...potato flesh. So, lets say you took 100 pounds of potatoes and totally dehydrated them. What you had left would weigh about 1 pound.

Now, what if you took 100 pounds of potatoes and only slightly dehydrated them so that, when you were finished, they were only 98% water. How much would the potatoes weigh then?

[drgoodtrips]

99 pounds?

[Dominick]

50 pounds

[dilettante]

50 pounds

Correct!

If the potatoes are 98% water then the 1 pound of potato flesh must make up 2% of the total weight. 1 is 2% of 50 :. the total weight is 50 pounds.

You're turn.

[drgoodtrips]

Oh, lol. I'm having a rough week for brain teasers...

[Michael]

Oh, lol. I'm having a rough week for brain teasers...
Picked a bad week to stop snorting glue? :D

Anyways, 24-hour rule again... (Dominick is predictable here...) ;)

This riddle is a repeat - it wasn't solved at the time of the 'great crash'. Here is again for a return engagement!

* * *

I went into the forest and I got it. When I got it I looked for it, but couldn't find it, so I brought it home in my hand.

[dilettante]

I went into the forest and I got it. When I got it I looked for it, but couldn't find it, so I brought it home in my hand.

A splinter?

[Michael]

A splinter?
Correct!

You're up...

[dilettante]

On a recent Saturday afternoon, I saw a boy and his mother at the neighborhood diner where I often go for lunch. From my vantage point I could see they were working on some arithmetic problems. The problems seemed simple enough and the kid was getting all the correct answers. For example, the first one was 25 + 8 and he wrote down 33. And the next one was 12 + 5 and he wrote down 17. The next was 35 + 13 and he wrote 48. Then his mother posed the last two problems. 45 - 8. The boy said 47 but I thought the answer was 37. The next one was 42 + 15. The boy said 43. I thought it should have been 57. His mother accepted both of those answers. When I saw how the kid was dressed, I did too. What was going on?

[dilettante]

Upon reflection, I'd like to withdraw this brain teaser. I selected it without really thinking and have since realized that it isn't fair to those who don't live in the United States. I've posted another, less American-centric, and IMO better, puzzle below.


There is a certain hiking trail that runs from Point A to Point B and then on to Point C. Like most trails, this one has signs telling you how far it is to the various points along the way. However, unlike most other trails, these signs are marked in time rather than in distance. These times are based on how long it takes the average hiker to make the trip.

A sign at Point A states that it will take approximately 8 hours to travel all the way to Point C.

There are two such signs at Point B. One states that it will take approximately 5 hours to reach Point C. Curiously enough, the other sign states that it will also take 5 hours to reach Point A.

All the signs are accurate for the average hiker, and the fastest way of getting from Point A to Point C is through Point B. How is this possible?

[Greendruid]

Point B is in a valley between points A and C that are both higher in elevation relative to point B such that the average hiker is able to get to point B from point A faster because it is downhill. However, the trek to point C from point B takes longer because it is uphill. That right?

[dilettante]

Point B is in a valley between points A and C that are both higher in elevation relative to point B such that the average hiker is able to get to point B from point A faster because it is downhill. However, the trek to point C from point B takes longer because it is uphill. That right?

You got it. Your turn.

[Dominick]

Upon reflection, I'd like to withdraw this brain teaser. I selected it without really thinking and have since realized that it isn't fair to those who don't live in the United States.
What was the answer anyway ?

[SMadsen]

What was the answer anyway ?
Something about yards and an infinitely boring game :)

[dilettante]

What was the answer anyway ?

Something about yards and an infinitely boring game :)


Yep. :)


The boy is dressed in an American football uniform; the numbers hes reciting have to do with yardage. Yards are counted from endzones toward the middle, so after you cross the 50 yard line they start going down again.

So, for the last two questions:
"45 - 8. The boy said 47". If you're on the opponents 45th yard line and get pushed back 8 yards, you're on your own 47th yard line.

"The next one was 42 + 15. The boy said 43." If you're on your own 42nd yard line and advance 15 yards, then you're on your opponents 43rd yard line.

[Greendruid]

Yep. :)


The boy is dressed in an American football uniform; the numbers hes reciting have to do with yardage. Yards are counted from endzones toward the middle, so after you cross the 50 yard line they start going down again.

Unless you play Canadian football. In Canada, where everything is bigger and better than our American counterparts, the football field is 110 yards, thus the 55 yard line is the centre.

... and now for our brainteaser, an easy one.

I have forests but no trees. I have rivers but no water. I have mountains but no rocks. What am I?

[drgoodtrips]

Are you a map?

[Greendruid]

Are you a map?

I am! That probably gets time for the fastest solution too. Atlas is an alternative answer. You're up!

[drgoodtrips]

All right:

A boat catches fire while sailing on the ocean. Everyone, except for the captain, leaves aboard life boats. The captain dives and swims under water for 90 yards. He hears an explosion. When he surfaces, he immediately hears another explosion. The captain is dragged aboard one of the life boats by some sailors. He mentions that he heard two explosions. The sailors state that they only heard one explosion. Both captain and sailors are telling the truth.


How is this possible?

[Greendruid]

All right:

A boat catches fire while sailing on the ocean. Everyone, except for the captain, leaves aboard life boats. The captain dives and swims under water for 90 yards. He hears an explosion. When he surfaces, he immediately hears another explosion. The captain is dragged aboard one of the life boats by some sailors. He mentions that he heard two explosions. The sailors state that they only heard one explosion. Both captain and sailors are telling the truth.

How is this possible?

I'm not a physicist but I believe sound travels faster in water so that when he was submerged he heard the sound of the only explosion that happened. Upon surfacing he heard the same explosion reaching him via the medium of air.

[drgoodtrips]

I'm not a physicist but I believe sound travels faster in water so that when he was submerged he heard the sound of the only explosion that happened. Upon surfacing he heard the same explosion reaching him via the medium of air.

That's correct :)

[wphelan]

Twenty-four hour rule! Ok, here's one that should be a lot easier than the last one I posted:

You can take away the whole and still have some left. You can take away some and still have the whole left. What is it?

[Michael]

Twenty-four hour rule! Ok, here's one that should be a lot easier than the last one I posted:

You can take away the whole and still have some left. You can take away some and still have the whole left. What is it?

I'm guessing the word "wholesome". ;)

(took me a while, I was hung up with 'whole numbers' and decimals at first)

[wphelan]

I'm guessing the word "wholesome". ;)

(took me a while, I was hung up with 'whole numbers' and decimals at first)

You got it!

[Michael]

You got it!
Cool! I need to catch up with Dilettante since he got ahead of me! :D

* * *

I have a number of roses for sale. The first buyer bought half of my roses then I gave him additional one for free. The second buyer bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free. The third buyer also bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free, this time all of my roses has been sold out.

How many roses do I have?

[Greendruid]

I'm going to say none because you just said, "this time all of my roses has been sold out." ... unless you want the original number.

[dilettante]

I have a number of roses for sale. The first buyer bought half of my roses then I gave him additional one for free. The second buyer bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free. The third buyer also bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free, this time all of my roses has been sold out.

How many roses do I have?

I'm going to say none because you just said, "this time all of my roses has been sold out." ... unless you want the original number.

The original number would have been 14. But I like Greendruid's answer better, given the phrasing of the question.

[Michael]

The original number would have been 14.
This answer is correct from the source I got the puzzle from.

But I like Greendruid's answer better, given the phrasing of the question.
Good point.

But the answer is 14.

[dilettante]

I'll post another, but I vote that Greendruid get the point for that last one.

Bob went back to his hometown for Thanksgiving last year and while he was at his parents house sleeping on the couch in his underwear, an old high school friend stopped by to visit.

"Hey Bob, good to see you. Boy I bet it's been almost twenty years."

"You look great," Bob said. "Tell me what have you been doing? I hear you've been running your father's gas station?"

"Yeah, but more important than that, I'm married. In fact, I married someone who was a year behind us in high school and I'm pretty sure you didn't know. By the way, this is my daughter," the friend said.

Bob looked down at the little girl who was five or six years old and extended his hand and asked the little girl her name.

"My mother and I have the same name," she said.

"Oh that's nice," said Bob. "Then I guess your name must be Annie."

How did he know?

[Greendruid]

Bob's old high school friend, the one he was talking to, was named Annie. The sleeping in his underwear part was a nice distractor though :) Makes the casual reader assume its another guy.

[wphelan]

Cool! I need to catch up with Dilettante since he got ahead of me! :D

* * *

I have a number of roses for sale. The first buyer bought half of my roses then I gave him additional one for free. The second buyer bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free. The third buyer also bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free, this time all of my roses has been sold out.

How many roses do I have?

I have to go with Greendruid here. I was going to say zero before I saw he'd posted. You said: "How many roses do I have?" When you're sold out, you have none. But anyway...I was too late either way.

[dilettante]

Bob's old high school friend, the one he was talking to, was named Annie.

You got it.


The sleeping in his underwear part was a nice distractor though :) Makes the casual reader assume its another guy.

Yeah, I thought that was pretty insidious too :)

Your turn.

[Michael]

I'll post another, but I vote that Greendruid get the point for that last one.
Okie dokie.

I agree that the verb tense in the last sentence seems wrong and does give the "zero" answer. Scorecard updated.

[Greendruid]

What can run but never walk, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?

You guys can tell I like the riddles best!

[wphelan]

What can run but never walk, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?

You guys can tell I like the riddles best!

Sounds like a river to me.

[Greendruid]

Sounds like a river to me.

Indeed! wphelan is up.

[wphelan]

Here's one:

What is put on a table, cut, but never eaten?

[Greendruid]

Here's one:

What is put on a table, cut, but never eaten?

I'd guess flowers or a deck of cards. Either one works well with the wording.

[wphelan]

I'd guess flowers or a deck of cards. Either one works well with the wording.

A deck of cards is what I was looking for. You're up!

[Greendruid]

Okay. When I was a kid my dad used to bring home lists of these things that went around at work, sort of pre-e-mail chain postings. They were always fun and entertained us kids when he got home. I've rediscovered them as being called Brain Bats by one site but to me they're just word puzzles of one sort or the other. They generally involve some clever play on words and their relative positions and can involve sayings or phrases. These may be a little linguistically isolating so I'll try not to post the nasty ones but here's one that I remember from my youth:

What saying is represented by this?:

habirdnd = butwosh

[drgoodtrips]

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...?

[Greendruid]

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...?

Olé! You're up drgoodtips.

[Michael]

24-hour rule...

A stranger entered a bar and ordered a glass of water. The barmaid said nothing, but grabbed a gun and aimed it at his head.

Why did the man simply smile, thank her and then leave?

[wphelan]

24-hour rule...

A stranger entered a bar and ordered a glass of water. The barmaid said nothing, but grabbed a gun and aimed it at his head.

Why did the man simply smile, thank her and then leave?

He had the hiccups?

[Michael]

He had the hiccups?
Correct!

You're up...

[wphelan]

Correct!

You're up...

Two adult parents with two little children come to a wide river. There was no bridge there. The only way to get to the other side was to ask an adult fisherman if he could lend them his boat. However, the boat could carry only one adult or two children (Two children equal the size of one adult). How does the family get to the other side and return the boat to the fisherman?

[dilettante]

Two adult parents with two little children come to a wide river. There was no bridge there. The only way to get to the other side was to ask an adult fisherman if he could lend them his boat. However, the boat could carry only one adult or two children (Two children equal the size of one adult). How does the family get to the other side and return the boat to the fisherman?

1) The two children go over, one comes back
2) The first adult goes over, the other child comes back
3) Both children go over again, one comes back
4) The second adult goes over, the other child comes back
5) Both children go over yet again, one comes back
6) The fisherman goes over, the other child comes back
7) Both children cross over, join their parents, and leave the boat with the fisherman.
8) The entire family vows to take swimming lessons next summer

[wphelan]

1) The two children go over, one comes back
2) The first adult goes over, the other child comes back
3) Both children go over again, one comes back
4) The second adult goes over, the other child comes back
5) Both children go over yet again, one comes back
6) The fisherman goes over, the other child comes back
7) Both children cross over, join their parents, and leave the boat with the fisherman.
8) The entire family vows to take swimming lessons next summer

Yep, you got it. Swimming lessons would have come in handy!

[Michael]

Brad stared through the dirty soot-smeared window on the 22nd floor of the office tower. Overcome with depression he slid the window open and jumped through it. It was a sheer drop outside the building to the ground. Miraculously after he landed he was completely unhurt. Since there was nothing to cushion his fall or slow his descent, how could he have survived the fall?

[Greendruid]

He was on the outside looking in, presumably on a ledge or he was a window-washer. Perhaps his depression was from the dirty soot-smeared window itself?

[Michael]

He was on the outside looking in, presumably on a ledge or he was a window-washer. Perhaps his depression was from the dirty soot-smeared window itself?
Window-washer is correct.

[Greendruid]

Tom and his younger sister were fighting. Their mother was tired of the fighting, and decided to punish them by making them stand on the same piece of newspaper in such a way that they couldn't touch each other. There was no ripping involved either.



How did she accomplish this?

[dilettante]

Tom and his younger sister were fighting. Their mother was tired of the fighting, and decided to punish them by making them stand on the same piece of newspaper in such a way that they couldn't touch each other. There was no ripping involved either.



How did she accomplish this?



She slid the pieces of newspaper part way under a door and had Tom stand on one side of the door and his sister stand on the other.

[Greendruid]

She slid the pieces of newspaper part way under a door and had Tom stand on one side of the door and his sister stand on the other.

Bingo! You're up!

[dilettante]

Once upon a time there lived a king who wished to find the wisest man in the realm to be his assistant. He summons the 3 known wisest men to his court and he administers the following test.

He sits them in a circle, facing each other and he says "I'm going to put either a red hat or a white hat on each of your heads." He proceeds to place a red hat on each of their heads. Obviously they can see each other... but there are no mirrors in the room so they can't see what's on their heads. He says "If you can see a red hat, raise your hand." They all raise their hands. Then he says "If you can tell what color hat you have on, stand up."

Time goes on, one guy looks at another guy, he looks at the other guy. The other guy looks at him. Finally one guy stands up. The question is how did he know he was wearing a red hat?

[Greendruid]

The only thing I can come up with right now is that the other two only looked at the fellow who stood up when the king asked "If you can see a red hat, raise your hand". Seeing this, I'd think you'd be able to make the assumption of what colour hat you had on. Come to think of it, it would only take noticing one of the other two looking at you, not looking at the other guy, then raising their hand. However, there's no information in the riddle that assumes any of this happened. I think that the wording in the final paragraph is key to solving the riddle but the "one guy" and "other guy" labels are not specific enough in the English language to make absolute sense of what happened here.

[dilettante]

I think that the wording in the final paragraph is key to solving the riddle but the "one guy" and "other guy" labels are not specific enough in the English language to make absolute sense of what happened here.

The final paragraph is important, but the precise wording of "one guy" and "other guy" doesn't really matter. The important thing to note is that a little bit of time passed; none of them stood up right away.

[dilettante]

Is there a time limit of how long a brain teaser should last before the answer is posted?

[Michael]

Is there a time limit of how long a brain teaser should last before the answer is posted?
Well, I'd expect this to be a rare phenomenum, but I suppose one week without a correct answer behooves at least a hint, if not the answer.

Btw, I've been quiet about this puzzle - I've seen it before and still find it confusing and insoluable - even after knowing the 'allegedly' correct answer.

[wphelan]

Well, I'd expect this to be a rare phenomenum, but I suppose one week without a correct answer behooves at least a hint, if not the answer.

Btw, I've been quiet about this puzzle - I've seen it before and still find it confusing and insoluable - even after knowing the 'allegedly' correct answer.

I had to look up the answer to this one because I was stumped and it was really bothering me. I'm glad I'm not the only one that still finds it confusing even after reading the answer.

[Michael]

I had to look up the answer to this one because I was stumped and it was really bothering me. I'm glad I'm not the only one that still finds it confusing even after reading the answer.
Indeed.

Its been a week already. Dilettante should just post the answer and then put up a new challenge. No one is going to get this one.

(I had this game running at another forum years ago and this 'red/white hats' was the only puzzle that stumped everyone - and was followed by ten page discussion-dispute of the answer).

[dilettante]

Once upon a time there lived a king who wished to find the wisest man in the realm to be his assistant. He summons the 3 known wisest men to his court and he administers the following test.

He sits them in a circle, facing each other and he says "I'm going to put either a red hat or a white hat on each of your heads." He proceeds to place a red hat on each of their heads. Obviously they can see each other... but there are no mirrors in the room so they can't see what's on their heads. He says "If you can see a red hat, raise your hand." They all raise their hands. Then he says "If you can tell what color hat you have on, stand up."

Time goes on, one guy looks at another guy, he looks at the other guy. The other guy looks at him. Finally one guy stands up. The question is how did he know he was wearing a red hat?

I'll admit that I didn't get this one the first time I heard it, but after I learned the answer I thought it made sense. I'll try to look up another tomorrow.

Answer:
Let the three candidates be denoted as Wiseman-A, Wiseman-B, and Wiseman-C; we'll let Wiseman-A be the winner.

Initially, Wiseman-A's problem is that he sees TWO red hats.
If, for example, the other men had both been wearing white hats, then the fact that they raised their hands would have been a clear sign that Wiseman-A's hat was red.
Alternatively, if one had been wearing a white hat and the other a red hat, the fact that the one wearing the red hat had raised his hand would have been a clear sign that Wiseman-A's hat was red.
The only scenario that leads to uncertainity is the scenario he is in: seeing TWO red hats.

This is why the time interval in the last paragraph is important. None of the wise men stand up right away because none of them are certain what color their hats are. And since, as established above, (and remembering that they are "the 3 known wisest men") they could only be uncertain if they are also seeing TWO red hats, Wiseman-A can deduce the he must be wearing one of the red hats each of them is seeing.

[dilettante]

Every two-digit number can be represented as AB, where B is the ones digit and A is the tens digit. There is (at least) one two digit number such that AB x AB = CAB, where C is the hundreds digit. In other words, there is a two digit number such that, when squared, the tens and ones digit of the product are the same as the original number.

What is that number?

[Michael]

Twenty-five works.

[dilettante]

Twenty-five works.

Correct. I think that's the only one, but I'm not sure.

[Michael]

Here's the next...

This word is its own antonym.

A single word that has two opposite definitions (same spelling - in English!).

[wphelan]

Here's the next...

This word is its own antonym.

A single word that has two opposite definitions (same spelling - in English!).

My first thought was inflammable, but that's only because of the beer and my misreading of the question. Then I thought raise and raze, but that obviously doesn't have the same spelling.

I guess I'll have to put some more thought to this one...

[Greendruid]

Here's the next...

This word is its own antonym.

A single word that has two opposite definitions (same spelling - in English!).

I'm sure there are several of these in the language but as I was sitting here at my computer looking out at my miniature donkey I remembered what my friend said to me when I told him we were getting the donkey fixed. He said "You mean broken - he won't be fixed after that".

So my answer is fix:

To restore something

OR

To castrate

[Michael]

So my answer is fix:

To restore something

OR

To castrate
That one works! (there are literally dozens of correct answers to this question).

You're up!

P.S. How is Pumpkin the Dwarf Donkey doing anyway? Haven't seen any pictures yet... ;)

[Greendruid]

That one works! (there are literally dozens of correct answers to this question).

You're up!

P.S. How is Pumpkin the Dwarf Donkey doing anyway? Haven't seen any pictures yet... ;)

He is well - he has a new friend too - a miniature horse! His name is Blue Moon (he has blue eyes and a white patch of hair on his forehead in the shape of a crescent moon).

Okay, here's the riddle:

An off-duty policeman is working as a night watchman in an office building. He's making his rounds when he comes upon a closed door with a light on behind it. Behind the door, he hears voices -- raised voices -- an argument seems to be taking place. He hears someone say, "No, Frank, no. Don't do it, Frank, no!" followed by three gun shots; Bang! Bang! Bang! and a thud. The night watchman, AKA policeman, barges through the door and finds the following: a dead guy on the floor, not breathing, a smoking gun, also on the floor, and three people in the room the night watchman has never met, alive and breathing. Among them are a minister, a doctor, and a plumber. Without speaking to any of them he walks over to the minister and arrests him. How did he know the minister did it? To clarify, no one had a visible name tag on their clothing.

[Michael]

The minister was the only male. The doctor and the plumber were both women.

[Greendruid]

The minister was the only male. The doctor and the plumber were both women.

Right you are! Though I thought of changing the name to something less neutral. I've encountered more than one woman in my lifetime named Frances who went by Frank or Frankie.

Michael is up.

[Michael]

Sitting at a square table are a smuggler, a mafia boss, a bootlegger and a contract killer. Only two of these men, Mama and Kalia, are genuine criminals. The other two are CID officers posing as criminals. Mama is sitting opposite the Mafia boss; the junior CID officer is sitting to the left of the smuggler and the senior CID officer is sitting opposite the bootlegger.

If the senior officer is not playing the role of a smuggler what is the junior officer disguised as?

[wphelan]

I think the junior officer would have to be the bootlegger.

The only way I could get it to work is that Senior CID is the contract killer, Mama is the smuggler, Junior CID is the bootlegger, and Kalia is the mafia boss.

[Michael]

I think the junior officer would have to be the bootlegger.
Correct!

You're up!

[wphelan]

A box contains two coins. One coin is heads on both sides and the other is heads on one side and tails on the other. One coin is selected from the box at random and the face of one side is observed. If the face is heads what is the probability that the other side is heads?

[drgoodtrips]

Bertrand's paradox, one off?

Seems to me the answer is 2/3 anyway.

[wphelan]

Bertrand's paradox, one off?

Seems to me the answer is 2/3 anyway.

I'm not familiar with Bertrand's paradox, but 2/3 is correct. I got this one from the Wizard of Odds. Here's his explanation: http://mathproblems.info/prob16s.htm

And his website for anyone with any question about probability and gambling. It's a pretty nice resource for that. http://www.wizardofodds.com

[drgoodtrips]

I'm not familiar with Bertrand's paradox, but 2/3 is correct. I got this one from the Wizard of Odds. Here's his explanation: http://mathproblems.info/prob16s.htm

And his website for anyone with any question about probability and gambling. It's a pretty nice resource for that. http://www.wizardofodds.com

Bertrand's paradox is originally something about circles and chords, but it was later applied to probability/game theory. It was something like "If you have three boxes, one with two gold coins, one with two silver coins, and one with one of each, and you pick a random box and withdraw a gold coin, what is the probability that the other coin in the box is gold?"

[Michael]

24 hour rule... here's a riddle

Take away my first letter; I remain the same.
Now take away my fourth letter; I remain the same.
Now take away my last letter; I remain the same.
What am I?

[Michael]

*bump*

Is this riddle really that difficult? :shrug:

Hard to give 'hints' for a riddle... okay... the answer is not a word challenge. It is metaphorical.

[Michael]

I hope nobody gets a gun and shoots the place up after the answer is revealed...

[Dominick]

I don't have a clue :shrug:

[Americano]

I hope nobody gets a gun and shoots the place up after the answer is revealed...

I looked it up and am loading clips for the fully automatic AK47 as I type.

[Michael]

24 hour rule... here's a riddle

Take away my first letter; I remain the same.
Now take away my fourth letter; I remain the same.
Now take away my last letter; I remain the same.
What am I?
Okay... no answer or guesses in several weeks!

The answer is a postal worker. :)

And I got this one right away when I read the riddle so I figured it was an easy one!

(Kevlar vest and diving for cover!)

[Michael]

What's next:

o t t f f s s

[The Drunk Guy]

What's next:

o t t f f s s
-----> g g?

[Zedrow]

What's next:

o t t f f s s

e n t e t t f

[Greendruid]

e n t e t t f

... and then,

f s s e n t t

[dilettante]

... and then,

f s s e n t t

and then...

t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t

:)

[Dominick]

Best conversation ever :lol:

[Michael]

e n t e t t f
Correct!

You're up to pose the next challenge. :)

[Zedrow]

OK

I am taken from a mine, and shut up in a wooden case, from which I am never released, and yet I am used by almost everybody.

[Greendruid]

OK

I am taken from a mine, and shut up in a wooden case, from which I am never released, and yet I am used by almost everybody.

Heh, I remember this one from grade school. The answer then was pencil lead (a.k.a. graphite).

[Zedrow]

Heh, I remember this one from grade school. The answer then was pencil lead (a.k.a. graphite).

Perfect!

Your turn.

[Greendruid]

I am the beginning of sorrow, and the end of sickness. You cannot express happiness without me, yet I am in the midst of crosses. I am always in risk, yet never in danger. You may find me in the sun, but I am never out of darkness. What am I?

[dilettante]

I am the beginning of sorrow, and the end of sickness. You cannot express happiness without me, yet I am in the midst of crosses. I am always in risk, yet never in danger. You may find me in the sun, but I am never out of darkness. What am I?

The letter 's'.

[Greendruid]

The letter 's'.

Indeed! Always liked those letter ones. They somehow come across more effectively when spoken rather than written.

You're up!

[dilettante]

What comes next in this sequence:

335443554...

[wphelan]

What comes next in this sequence:

335443554...

36688 and so on.

[dilettante]

36688 and so on.

Correct; the tenth number is 3 b/c "ten" has 3 letters.

Your turn.

[wphelan]

What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and gray when you throw it away?

[Dominick]

What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and gray when you throw it away?
Coal ?

[wphelan]

Coal ?

Charcoal is correct. Your turn!

[Michael]

Here's another one...

Re-arrange the following letters to form one English word:

P N L L E E E E S S S S S

[Greendruid]

Here's another one...

Re-arrange the following letters to form one English word:

P N L L E E E E S S S S S

I suffered it on many nights ... SLEEPLESSNESS

[Michael]

I suffered it on many nights ... SLEEPLESSNESS
A phenomenum that I'm almost entirely ignorant of. :ummm:

You are correct!

[Greendruid]

Alrighty, a math problem.

Here is a list of mathematical "ingredients". Use each ingredient only once to create a mathematically correct equation. You may use any ingredient in any position in the equation:

2
3
4
5
+
=

[Dominick]

Alrighty, a math problem.

Here is a list of mathematical "ingredients". Use each ingredient only once to create a mathematically correct equation. You may use any ingredient in any position in the equation:

2
3
4
5
+
=
5+4=3²

if that's allowed

[Greendruid]

5+4=3²

if that's allowed

Right you are my good man! :bigclap:

You're up.

[Dominick]

You're up.
For once, I'll be able to oblige before the Herder of Cats steps in :D

***

What comes next ? And why ?

ZZZ YYY XX WWWW

[dilettante]

For once, I'll be able to oblige before the Herder of Cats steps in :D

***

What comes next ? And why ?

ZZZ YYY XX WWWW

VV?

You're moving through the alphabet backwards; each letter appears once for each line that is required to draw it.

[Dominick]

VV?

You're moving through the alphabet backwards; each letter appears once for each line that is required to draw it.
That was fast :)

All yours.

[Michael]

Its been a few days...

What cheese is made backwards?

[Dominick]

Its been a few days...

What cheese is made backwards?
Edam (usually called Edammer though)

[dilettante]

That was fast :)

All yours.

Edam (usually called Edammer though)

You're pretty speedy yourself!

[Michael]

Edam
Correct!

(usually called Edammer though)
Only in weirdo foreign countries! :D

In English, it is always just "edam".

[Michael]

You're pretty speedy yourself!
If either of you were half as quick with new challenges as you are with answers, I'd be happy! ;)

[Dominick]

What year comes next in this sequence:

1973 1979 1987 1993 1997 1999

[Greendruid]

What year comes next in this sequence:

1973 1979 1987 1993 1997 1999

I'll guess 2001

[Dominick]

I'll guess 2001
Nope .

[Greendruid]

2003 then?

[drgoodtrips]

I'd imagine the answer you're looking for is 2003, though I think you could also make a case for 1999 (increment by 6, 8, 6, 4, 2, 0).

[Dominick]

I'd imagine the answer you're looking for is 2003, though I think you could also make a case for 1999 (increment by 6, 8, 6, 4, 2, 0).
2003 is correct. Shall we tell them why ? ;)

Edit : Oops, Greendruid was first !

[drgoodtrips]

I didn't see that when making my reply. I'll leave it to the winner to do the explaining :)

[Greendruid]

Okay, here's another sequence one. What letter is next in this sequence?

A E F H I K ?

I should note that this is assuming the standard 26-letter English alphabet.

[Zedrow]

Okay, here's another sequence one. What letter is next in this sequence?

A E F H I K ?

I should note that this is assuming the standard 26-letter English alphabet.

"L" ?

Letters in the alphabet with only straight lines?

[drgoodtrips]

That's a question biased against those with poor handwriting!

[Greendruid]

"L" ?

Letters in the alphabet with only straight lines?

Indeed! And congratulations for thinking outside of the box.

If you read the original question drgoodtips you'll see that it specifically states in "this" sequence. Not any old sequence that you reproduce by hand, but this one :D

[Michael]

Here's a new challenge...

Having 27 table tennis balls, one is heavier than the others. How many times (minimum) do you need to use a pair of scales to identify it.

[dilettante]

Here's a new challenge...

Having 27 table tennis balls, one is heavier than the others. How many times (minimum) do you need to use a pair of scales to identify it.

3 (assume "a pair of scales" means you have two scales, though this would work just as well with a single balance scale).

1: Split the 27 into three groups of 9. Weigh 2 of these groups on your scales. Either one will be heavier than the other or they will weigh the same (meaning the group you didn't weigh contains the heavy ball).
2: Take the heavy group of 9, split into three groups of 3, repeat the above process.
3: Repeat again with your final 3 balls to find the heaviest.

[Michael]

3 (assume "a pair of scales" means you have two scales, though this would work just as well with a single balance scale).

1: Split the 27 into three groups of 9. Weigh 2 of these groups on your scales. Either one will be heavier than the other or they will weigh the same (meaning the group you didn't weigh contains the heavy ball).
2: Take the heavy group of 9, split into three groups of 3, repeat the above process.
3: Repeat again with your final 3 balls to find the heaviest.
Correct.

You're up.

[dilettante]

The seven employees of the Coney Island Crab Cake Company are sitting in the lunchroom having lunch, when they decide that they would like to know the average salary at the company. Obviously, each person could write down his salary, they could add the salaries and divide by seven. But, they don't want to do that because nobody wants to divulge his salary.
How can they find out the average salary without any of them knowing the salary of any of the others?

[Dominick]

The seven employees of the Coney Island Crab Cake Company are sitting in the lunchroom having lunch, when they decide that they would like to know the average salary at the company. Obviously, each person could write down his salary, they could add the salaries and divide by seven. But, they don't want to do that because nobody wants to divulge his salary.
How can they find out the average salary without any of them knowing the salary of any of the others?
By hacking into the server of the CICCC and executing a query SELECT AVERAGE(SALARY) FROM PAYROLL

No ? :D

[dilettante]

By hacking into the server of the CICCC and executing a query SELECT AVERAGE(SALARY) FROM PAYROLL

No ? :D

I probably should have specified that none of the employees of the Coney Island Crab Cake Company are leet hackers. :)

[SMadsen]

The seven employees of the Coney Island Crab Cake Company are sitting in the lunchroom having lunch, when they decide that they would like to know the average salary at the company. Obviously, each person could write down his salary, they could add the salaries and divide by seven. But, they don't want to do that because nobody wants to divulge his salary.
How can they find out the average salary without any of them knowing the salary of any of the others?
By anonymously tossing 1% of their monthly salary into the employer coffee jar, divide the total amount by 7 and multiply by 100?

[dilettante]

By anonymously tossing 1% of their monthly salary into the employer coffee jar, divide the total amount by 7 and multiply by 100?

Close, but whoever did the multiplying and dividing could still know the salaries of all the others (by multiplying each of the amounts in the jar by 100), even if he didn't necessarily know which salary went with which employee.

[SMadsen]

Close, but whoever did the multiplying and dividing could still know the salaries of all the others (by multiplying each of the amounts in the jar by 100), even if he didn't necessarily know which salary went with which employee.
"Each of the amounts"? Bills or coins blending in a single jar wouldn't really tell anyone anything except a total amount. Unless, of course, all CICCC employers were from different countries and put their own currency in the jar.

But, I take it this was not quite the solution you had in mind :)

[drgoodtrips]

Well, they could also tell their salaries to a neutral third party and have that person compute the average... :D

[Americano]

Why not ask the boss what the average salary is?

[dilettante]

"Each of the amounts"? Bills or coins blending in a single jar wouldn't really tell anyone anything except a total amount. Unless, of course, all CICCC employers were from different countries and put their own currency in the jar.

But, I take it this was not quite the solution you had in mind :)

Ah, you mean actually putting money in the jar? For some reason I was thinking of slips of paper with the amounts written on them.

So, yeah, that would work out quite nicely. It isn't the answer I had in mind but it's just as good.

Your turn!

[Michael]

Why not ask the boss what the average salary is?
Bosses lie. :D

[SMadsen]

Ah, you mean actually putting money in the jar? For some reason I was thinking of slips of paper with the amounts written on them.

So, yeah, that would work out quite nicely. It isn't the answer I had in mind but it's just as good.

Your turn!
Nah, not if it isn't the answer :)

[dilettante]

Well, this seems to be killing the thread, so I'll bring it to an end. Here's the answer I had:

One employee makes up some very large, arbitrary amount and adds it to his salary. He then whispers the sum to the employee next to him (E.G. Employee#1 makes 52,000 a year; he arbitrarily adds 807,000 to that and whispers 859,000 to Employee#2). Employee#2 then adds her salary to that figure and whispers the sum to Employee#3...and so on and so forth until everyone has added their salaries together and the total is whispered to Employee#1. He then subtracts the arbitrary number he added at the beginning and divides the remainder by 7. That's the average salary and no one has any real idea what anyone else's salary is.

I'd vote that SMadsen be declared the winner here; his answer fulfilled the requirements and was in the spirit of the puzzle.

[Michael]

I'd vote that SMadsen be declared the winner here; his answer fulfilled the requirements and was in the spirit of the puzzle.
All the requirements that is except that of posting a new puzzle! :D

* * *

Two Scrabble champions played five games of Scrabble. Each won and lost the same number of games and there were no draws. How is this possible?

[mhi706]

Two Scrabble champions played five games of Scrabble. Each won and lost the same number of games and there were no draws. How is this possible?

They didn’t played each other?
They each played me 5 times and won 0 and lost 5 games. :D

[Michael]

They didn’t played each other?
Correct!

You're up to post the next riddle/puzzle/brain-teaser...

[mhi706]

What's the next number?

0 1 4 12 32

[Dominick]

What's the next number?

0 1 4 12 32
80 ?
(* 2 + n) where n is 2^i, i being the index in the row of the previous number starting from zero.

[mhi706]

That's correct!

Each number is the product of the corresponding numbers in following sequences:

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
½ 1 2 4 8 16 32

giving

0 1 4 12 32 80 192
Formula: n * 2^(n-1)

It's also the number of edges for a n-dimensional cube.

[Michael]

It's also the number of edges for a n-dimensional cube.
Well, now that you put it that way, it all makes sense! :D

Dominick is up...

[Dominick]

OK, a bit more math :

Assume that penguins live with a density of 1,000 penguins per square mile and can run at an average speed of 7 miles per hour on land and swim at 20 miles per hour. Also assume that a polar bear has a territory of 10 square miles, can run at 25 miles per hour and swim at 10 miles per hour, how many penguins will an average polar bear eat in any given month, remembering that a polar bear could, as a maximum, only eat one penguin per hour and 7% of the land is next to the sea?

[dilettante]

OK, a bit more math :

Or geography, as the case may be. :D


...how many penguins will an average polar bear eat in any given month, remembering that a polar bear could, as a maximum, only eat one penguin per hour and 7% of the land is next to the sea?

zero

[Michael]

OK, a bit more math :

Assume that penguins live with a density of 1,000 penguins per square mile and can run at an average speed of 7 miles per hour on land and swim at 20 miles per hour. Also assume that a polar bear has a territory of 10 square miles, can run at 25 miles per hour and swim at 10 miles per hour, how many penguins will an average polar bear eat in any given month, remembering that a polar bear could, as a maximum, only eat one penguin per hour and 7% of the land is next to the sea?
I didn't know polar bears ate penguins... :ummm:

One is north pole, the other is south pole. I guess dilettante is on the right track here.

[Dominick]

Or geography, as the case may be. :D



zero
..is the right answer :)

[Michael]

If a man's mother-in-law can marry his son, and a woman's father can marry here sister-in-law, can man marry his widow's sister?

[Greendruid]

If a man's mother-in-law can marry his son, and a woman's father can marry here sister-in-law, can man marry his widow's sister?

A man with a widow is a dead man. Unless the laws permit the marriage of living persons to dead persons, it would be impossible to marry his widow's sister. Mind you, there are some cultures that would allow marriage to the dead.

... I'm back!

[Michael]

A man with a widow is a dead man.
You are correct!

[Greendruid]

I started my life in a field with one tree. I was very tall on the ground and spanned the field next to the tree. As my life progressed I shrank and crouched until I was under the tree by the middle of my life. My old age was spent on the other side of the tree and I once again grew tall stretching out until I died so that not even the clever-eyed owl could spot me there.

What am I?

[Michael]

A shaddow!

[Greendruid]

A shaddow!

Correct! Also known as a shadow (it really should have two "d"s though given the sounds made in that word!)

You're up!

[Michael]

I have a fever of a 102 (F) so I ask for indulgence as my brain is not functioning correctly!

* * *

A Sailing Ship sails around the world around the eqauator. Which part of the ship travels the furthest distance and why?

[Dominick]

I have a fever of a 102 (F) so I ask for indulgence as my brain is not functioning correctly!

* * *

A Sailing Ship sails around the world around the eqauator. Which part of the ship travels the furthest distance and why?
The tip of the highest mast. It describes a bigger circle than everything else.

[dilettante]

I have a fever of a 102 (F) so I ask for indulgence as my brain is not functioning correctly!

* * *

A Sailing Ship sails around the world around the eqauator. Which part of the ship travels the furthest distance and why?

How does a ship sail around the world at the equator? Don't those continents pose a problem?

[Michael]

The tip of the highest mast. It describes a bigger circle than everything else.
Correct!

(still true even if one has to detour around some pesky continents!)

[Michael]

When one does not know what it is, then it is something; but when one knows what it is, then it is nothing.

[Greendruid]

When one does not know what it is, then it is something; but when one knows what it is, then it is nothing.

I'll go with a mystery.

[Michael]

I'll go with a mystery.
Close enough! :)

The answer I was looking for was "a riddle", but your answer is almost identical.

[Greendruid]

Sorry for the delay. The persistent rain required my attention to the re-routing of my stream before it flooded my fields. I enlisted the help of new mattock. The mattock won! YAY!

Anyway...

A guy walks into a hardware store and wants to buy the letters required to spell out the number of his house. As luck would have it there are three other guys in line ahead of him doing the same thing. There are no prices on the letters that he can find and none of them are the same but he does see the letters that each guy is buying ahead of him and the totals of their purchases.

The first guy buys the letters for ONE and pays two dollars. The second guy buys the letters for TWO and pays three dollars. The third guy buys the letters for ELEVEN and pays five dollars. Assume each of these purchases were tax-free. The subject of this riddle is buying the letters for the number TWELVE. How much will he pay for his letters?

[dilettante]

sorry for the delay. The persistent rain required my attention to the re-routing of my stream before it flooded my fields. I enlisted the help of new mattock. The mattock won! Yay!

Anyway...

A guy walks into a hardware store and wants to buy the letters required to spell out the number of his house. As luck would have it there are three other guys in line ahead of him doing the same thing. There are no prices on the letters that he can find and none of them are the same but he does see the letters that each guy is buying ahead of him and the totals of their purchases.

The first guy buys the letters for one and pays two dollars. The second guy buys the letters for two and pays three dollars. The third guy buys the letters for eleven and pays five dollars. Assume each of these purchases were tax-free. The subject of this riddle is buying the letters for the number twelve. How much will he pay for his letters?

one + $1 = two
:. Ne + $1 = tw
:. En = tw - $1

eleven = $5
:. Elev + en = $5
:. Elev + (tw -$1) = $5
:. Elev + tw = $5 + $1

twelve = $6

[Greendruid]

one + $1 = two
:. Ne + $1 = tw
:. En = tw - $1

eleven = $5
:. Elev + en = $5
:. Elev + (tw -$1) = $5
:. Elev + tw = $5 + $1

twelve = $6

Bingo!

You're up!

[dilettante]

Bob owns three timepieces. The first is a standard digital alarm clock that plugs into the wall (i.e. not battery powered), the second is his wristwatch, and the third is an antique analog clock that also plugs into the wall.

All of Bob's clocks showed the same time when he went to bed at 9:00 PM last night.

This morning, Bob awoke to find that his alarm clock was flashing 7:25, indicating that power had gone out during the night. Glancing at his analog clock, Bob noticed that it read 6:30. Finally, he checked his wrist watch, which reported the time to be 6:50.

Assuming that all three timepieces are working properly, and that the power only cut out once during the night, at what time did the power go off and how much time passed before power was restored?

[Dominick]

Bob owns three timepieces. The first is a standard digital alarm clock that plugs into the wall (i.e. not battery powered), the second is his wristwatch, and the third is an antique analog clock that also plugs into the wall.

All of Bob's clocks showed the same time when he went to bed at 9:00 PM last night.

This morning, Bob awoke to find that his alarm clock was flashing 7:25, indicating that power had gone out during the night. Glancing at his analog clock, Bob noticed that it read 6:30. Finally, he checked his wrist watch, which reported the time to be 6:50.

Assuming that all three timepieces are working properly, and that the power only cut out once during the night, at what time did the power go off and how much time passed before power was restored?
Power off : 11:05 PM
Power back : 11:25 PM

[dilettante]

Power off : 11:05 PM
Power back : 11:25 PM

Correct. Your turn.

[Michael]

Since Dominick rarely comes up with a new riddle/puzzle... ;)

* * *

What Number should replace the question mark?

6 25 64 81 32 ?

[drgoodtrips]

I think the question mark should be replaced by "1".

[Michael]

I think the question mark should be replaced by "1".
You are correct! I figured only you or Dominick would get this one. ;)

[drgoodtrips]

Hmm... I need to come up with a brain teaser. I'll see what I can think of today, but if anyone has one at the tip of their tongue, feel free to swipe my turn. :)

[Dominick]

I only got it after the doc answered. The next numbers are 0 and again 1 and then -512.