Losing A New York Bet
You are hanging around in NYC when a person approaches you.
"Leaving the bald people aside, I can bet a hundred bucks that there are two people living in NYC who have same number of hairs on their heads," he says to you.
You say that you will take the bet. After talking to the man for a couple of minutes, you realize that you have lost the bet.
What did the person say to you that proved his statement ?
"Leaving the bald people aside, I can bet a hundred bucks that there are two people living in NYC who have same number of hairs on their heads," he says to you.
You say that you will take the bet. After talking to the man for a couple of minutes, you realize that you have lost the bet.
What did the person say to you that proved his statement ?
Hint:
This problem can be best solved using the pigeonhole principle.
The argument will go like this:
Assume that all the non-bald people in NYC have different number of hairs on their head. The population is about 9 million and let us assume that there are 8 million among them who are not bald.
Now, those 8 million people need to have different number of hairs. On an average, people have just 100, 000 hairs on their head. If we keep on assuming that there is someone with just one hair, someone with two, someone with three and so on, there will be 7, 900, 00 other people left who will have more than 100, 000 hairs on their head and need different number of hairs.
Now, as per this assumption, if we keep increasing one hair for each person, to make everybody hair different in numbers, we will come across someone with 8, 000, 000 hairs. But that is practically impossible (even 1, 000, 000 is impossible). Thus there must be two people who are having same number of hairs. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The argument will go like this:
Assume that all the non-bald people in NYC have different number of hairs on their head. The population is about 9 million and let us assume that there are 8 million among them who are not bald.
Now, those 8 million people need to have different number of hairs. On an average, people have just 100, 000 hairs on their head. If we keep on assuming that there is someone with just one hair, someone with two, someone with three and so on, there will be 7, 900, 00 other people left who will have more than 100, 000 hairs on their head and need different number of hairs.
Now, as per this assumption, if we keep increasing one hair for each person, to make everybody hair different in numbers, we will come across someone with 8, 000, 000 hairs. But that is practically impossible (even 1, 000, 000 is impossible). Thus there must be two people who are having same number of hairs. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Straight After Lightning Riddle
When its really stormy outside
This is something you hear
It happens straight after lightning
When it is very near
This is something you hear
It happens straight after lightning
When it is very near
Hint:
See My Effects Riddle
You can often see my effects
Although I am not ever seen
I come after cross, whirl and wood
And come before sock, mill and screen
Although I am not ever seen
I come after cross, whirl and wood
And come before sock, mill and screen
Hint:
Tomorrow Riddle
Hint:
Monday. Thursday's tomorrow is Friday, making the day after, Saturday. So today is Sunday. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Twenty Monkeys Riddle
Hint:
Afternoon Bike Ride Riddle
Hester goes out for an afternoon bicycle ride. She rides for one hour at five miles an hour, then three hours at four miles an hour and finally two hours at seven miles an hour. How many miles did she ride in total?
Hint:
31 miles.
1 hour at 5 mph = 5 miles
3 hours at 4 mph = 12 miles
2 hours at 7 mph = 14 miles
5 + 12 + 14 = 31 miles Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
1 hour at 5 mph = 5 miles
3 hours at 4 mph = 12 miles
2 hours at 7 mph = 14 miles
5 + 12 + 14 = 31 miles Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Head Of State Riddle
I work in an office that is oval, not square
People might recognize me anywhere
After an election I will take my place
As the man known as the Head of State
Who am I?
People might recognize me anywhere
After an election I will take my place
As the man known as the Head of State
Who am I?
Hint:
Beneath The Stars Riddle
It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,
Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.
It lies behind stars and under hills,
And empty holes it fills.
It comes first and follows after,
Ends life, kills laughter.
Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.
It lies behind stars and under hills,
And empty holes it fills.
It comes first and follows after,
Ends life, kills laughter.
Hint:
Becoming Whole Again Riddle
If you break me I do not stop working; if you touch me I may be snared; if you lose me nothing will matter. But even after I am broken, I can always become whole again. What am I?
Hint:
Servant Of All Great People Riddle
I am easily managed, you must simply be firm with me, Show me exactly how you want something done;
After a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great people and alas of all failures as well.
What am I?
After a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great people and alas of all failures as well.
What am I?
Hint:
Bumble Bee Forward Riddle
Hint:
He Is My Son Riddle
A patient is rushed into the emergency ward of the National Hospital after a horrific road crash, and is in urgent need of an operation to save his life. The surgeon on duty walks into the room and says "Oh my god! I can't operate on this boy. He is my SON!" but the surgeon was not the boy's father. How could this be?
Hint:
What's In The Glass Riddle
The elderly gentleman had enjoyed an after-dinner drink. Deciding to have another, he inspected his glass, but was unable to remember what had been in it. He said to the waiter, "If this was brandy, I want port, and if this was port, I want madeira, and if this was madeira, I want brandy." The waiter brought him a glass of port. What had the gentleman been drinking originally?
Hint:
The Countersign Riddle
Two spies want to get in an enemy's military base. In order to get in they have to give the correct countersign to the guard at the gate after he gives them the sign. So, they wait hidden nearby the gate so that they will overhear the countersign from another soldier.
One soldier comes and the guard gives the sign: "6". The soldier answers "3". The guard lets him pass. Another soldier comes. The guard says "12" and the soldier gives the answer "6". The guard lets him pass. So, the first spy goes at the gate and the guard says "10".The spy, sure that he knew the answer as he was, says "5". Immediately, the guard shoots him dead. Then the other spy, who saw that the other spy was killed when he gave the countersign, had now understood what the right answer would be, whatever the guard's sign was. So, he walks to the gate and the guard says "8".The spy gives the correct answer and the guard lets him in. What was the answer that the spy gave?
One soldier comes and the guard gives the sign: "6". The soldier answers "3". The guard lets him pass. Another soldier comes. The guard says "12" and the soldier gives the answer "6". The guard lets him pass. So, the first spy goes at the gate and the guard says "10".The spy, sure that he knew the answer as he was, says "5". Immediately, the guard shoots him dead. Then the other spy, who saw that the other spy was killed when he gave the countersign, had now understood what the right answer would be, whatever the guard's sign was. So, he walks to the gate and the guard says "8".The spy gives the correct answer and the guard lets him in. What was the answer that the spy gave?
Hint:
5. It's the number of letters it takes to spell the word the guard says. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Marrying The Princess Riddle
A king wants his daughter to marry the smartest of 3 extremely intelligent young princes, and so the king's wise men devised an intelligence test.
The princes are gathered into a room and seated, facing one another, and are shown 2 black hats and 3 white hats. They are blindfolded, and 1 hat is placed on each of their heads, with the remaining hats hidden in a different room.
The king tells them that the first prince to deduce the color of his hat without removing it or looking at it will marry his daughter. A wrong guess will mean death. The blindfolds are then removed.
You are one of the princes. You see 2 white hats on the other prince's heads. After some time you realize that the other prince's are unable to deduce the color of their hat, or are unwilling to guess. What color is your hat?
The princes are gathered into a room and seated, facing one another, and are shown 2 black hats and 3 white hats. They are blindfolded, and 1 hat is placed on each of their heads, with the remaining hats hidden in a different room.
The king tells them that the first prince to deduce the color of his hat without removing it or looking at it will marry his daughter. A wrong guess will mean death. The blindfolds are then removed.
You are one of the princes. You see 2 white hats on the other prince's heads. After some time you realize that the other prince's are unable to deduce the color of their hat, or are unwilling to guess. What color is your hat?
Hint: You know that your competitors are very intelligent and want nothing more than to marry the princess. You also know that the king is a man of his word, and he has said that the test is a fair test of intelligence and bravery.
Answer: White.
The king would not select two white hats and one black hat. This would mean two princes would see one black hat and one white hat. You would be at a disadvantage if you were the only prince wearing a black hat.
If you were wearing the black hat, it would not take long for one of the other princes to deduce he was wearing a white hat.
If an intelligent prince saw a white hat and a black hat, he would eventually realize that the king would never select two black hats and one white hat. Any prince seeing two black hats would instantly know he was wearing a white hat. Therefore if a prince can see one black hat, he can work out he is wearing white.
Therefore the only fair test is for all three princes to be wearing white hats. After waiting some time just to be sure, you can safely assert you are wearing a white hat. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The king would not select two white hats and one black hat. This would mean two princes would see one black hat and one white hat. You would be at a disadvantage if you were the only prince wearing a black hat.
If you were wearing the black hat, it would not take long for one of the other princes to deduce he was wearing a white hat.
If an intelligent prince saw a white hat and a black hat, he would eventually realize that the king would never select two black hats and one white hat. Any prince seeing two black hats would instantly know he was wearing a white hat. Therefore if a prince can see one black hat, he can work out he is wearing white.
Therefore the only fair test is for all three princes to be wearing white hats. After waiting some time just to be sure, you can safely assert you are wearing a white hat. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
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