Captured By The Riddler
In the land of Geopolizza, three men were captured by the infamous Riddler. So, the Riddler buries the three men, named 1, 2 and 3 in such a manner, that 1 is in the front, 2 in the middle and 3 in the back. They are buried neck deep, and cannot move, not even their heads. He shows them 5 caps, two of which are red and 3 of them are white. He then switches off the lights and places a hat on top of their heads. The situation is such that no one can see their hat color, 1 is facing the wall and cant say anything, 2 can see 1 and 3 can see both 1 and 2. Then he tells the rules of his game: "If either of you three can tell the correct color of your head, I will let all of you go. However, if any of you answer wrong, all 3 of you will instantly die. Time is 3 minutes."
Upon 2 and half minutes passing, A shouts the answer and all 3 are released free. How did he know the correct answer ?
Upon 2 and half minutes passing, A shouts the answer and all 3 are released free. How did he know the correct answer ?
Hint:
P3 can only be certain of his cap if 1 & 2 are both white. Since he is not certain then 1 & 2 must be either white/red or red/red. 2 knows this but the only combination that he will be able to know the colour of his own cap is if he sees that 1 is wearing a white cap. 1 knows this but as 2 remains uncertain then 1 must be wearing a red cap. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
How Many Balls Riddle
In the drawer beside your bed, you have three orange, two pink and five purple balls. There is no electricity and the room is completely dark. How many balls you must take out to make sure you have one ball of each color at least?
Hint:
9
2 < 3 < 5
To find out the required number of balls, take one in place of the least number (i.e. take one pink ball) and then add all the greater numbers (i.e. three orange and five purple balls) to it.
Required number of balls = 1 + 3 + 5 = 9. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
2 < 3 < 5
To find out the required number of balls, take one in place of the least number (i.e. take one pink ball) and then add all the greater numbers (i.e. three orange and five purple balls) to it.
Required number of balls = 1 + 3 + 5 = 9. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
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
Dressed In Copper Riddle
I was a gift from the French, and stand tall on an island
I welcome visitors with a strong hand in the sky
I may be green, but I'm dressed in copper from head to toe
An iconic piece of New York history, with a famous face you definitely know
Who am I?
I welcome visitors with a strong hand in the sky
I may be green, but I'm dressed in copper from head to toe
An iconic piece of New York history, with a famous face you definitely know
Who am I?
Hint:
The Farmer In Australia
A farmer in Australia grows a beautiful pear tree, which he harvests to supply fruit to all the nearby grocery stores.
One of the store owners has called the farmer to see how much fruit is available that he can buy. Unfortunately the farmer isn't currently near the tree, so he has to work it out in his head.
He knows that the main trunk of the tree has 24 branches. That each branch has 12 boughs and that each bough has only got 6 twigs. Each one of these twigs bears one piece of fruit, so how many plums will he be able to sell to the store owner?
One of the store owners has called the farmer to see how much fruit is available that he can buy. Unfortunately the farmer isn't currently near the tree, so he has to work it out in his head.
He knows that the main trunk of the tree has 24 branches. That each branch has 12 boughs and that each bough has only got 6 twigs. Each one of these twigs bears one piece of fruit, so how many plums will he be able to sell to the store owner?
Hint:
None! He doesn't own a PLUM tree... he owns a PEAR trear! Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Accused Of Confusion Riddle
I make you frown and scratch your head, to find my solution will leave you mumbling. Many love me, many hate me and my nature's humbling. Fabled creatures sometimes use me, of confusion some accuse me. What am I?
Hint:
The 2 Barbershops
There is a small town on the East Coast that has 2 barbershops each with a single barber, and on opposite sides of town. The barbershop in the good part of town is immaculate. The floors and windows are washed and the air is fresh. The barber is very friendly, always smiling, he has shined shoes, a nice head of hair, and a clean dress shirt. The barbershop in the bad part of town is a mess. The entire barbershop is covered with a layer of dirt, and the air smells of trash. The barber always has a frown on his face. His skin is oily, his hair is ragged, and there are always stains visible on his shirt.
A man comes into town and hears of both barbershops and the man decides to go to the dirty barbershop in the bad part of town. Why does he do this?
A man comes into town and hears of both barbershops and the man decides to go to the dirty barbershop in the bad part of town. Why does he do this?
Hint:
The clean-cut barber must have his hair cut by the dirty barber and the dirty barber by the clean-cut barber. So its obvious that the dirty barber gives a better haircut. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Mouth That Never Eats
I always run but never walk. I often murmur but never talk. I have a bed but don't sleep, and I have a mouth but never eat. What am I?
Hint:
Zebras And Ostriches In The Zoo
You count 80 heads and 200 legs.
Can you find the number of Zebras and the number of Ostriches in the Zoo?
Hint:
The number of Ostriches = 60 & The number of Zebras = 20 Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Homicide Team Riddle
A homicide team enters a crime scene where a dead body of a fat old man lies there on the floor with blood oozing out of his head. The victim is holding a gun and a tape recorder lies there by his side. One of the detective picks up the recorder and plays it "I am tired of this life and hence I have decided to relieve myself from the worldly pains". A gunshot follows the message.
The teams starts investigating a murder investigation.
Why?
The teams starts investigating a murder investigation.
Why?
Hint:
If the man killed himself, he would not have been able to rewind the cassette. Thus it is clear someone else killed him. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Man At The Door
In a hotel, a man was sleeping when he heard a knock on the door. He shifted the blanket and stepped down from the bed. He waked to the door and opened it to find a stranger standing outside.
Upon opening the gate, that stranger said, "Pardon me, I must have made a mistake. I thought this was my room."
The stranger then walked the corridor and climbed down the stairs. The man closed the door and immediately called the security. He asked them to arrest that stranger immediately.
Why did he asked them to arrest that stranger? What made him suspicious?
Upon opening the gate, that stranger said, "Pardon me, I must have made a mistake. I thought this was my room."
The stranger then walked the corridor and climbed down the stairs. The man closed the door and immediately called the security. He asked them to arrest that stranger immediately.
Why did he asked them to arrest that stranger? What made him suspicious?
Hint:
The stranger said that he thought the room was his. If so, he must have had the keys to the room and thus he must not have knocked. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Robbery On The Third Floor Riddle
My wife and I took a much-needed holiday in England. It's a long flight from New York to London. We checked into a nice hotel. After a long day of sightseeing we just collapsed into bed. Just a few minutes ago, we were woken up by some noises outside. I looked out the window and the police were everywhere. They yelled up to me that there was a robbery and a murderer on the second floor. I'm on the third floor, and I can see and I can see that the cops have the stairs and elevators locked down. The murderer can't get up to our floor, so we're in no danger. My wife and I are tired, so we're going back to bed. I really hope they catch the guy.
Why did the police yell to the guy if he was on the 3rd floor?
Why did the police yell to the guy if he was on the 3rd floor?
Hint:
America and England have different ways of numbering floors. In America, it goes 1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor. In England, it goes ground floor, 1st floor, 2nd floor. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Down The Well Riddle
One day, when I was six years old, my little sister would not stop crying. It annoyed me so much that I killed her and threw her body down the well. The next day, when I peered down into the well, her body had disappeared. When I was twelve, I got into an argument with my best friend over something stupid. He made me so angry that I killed him and threw his body down the well. The next day, when I checked the well, his body had disappeared.When I was 18 years old, my girlfriend got pregnant. I didn't want to be a father, so I killed her and threw her body down the well.The next day when I looked in the well, her body had disappeared. When I was 24, I worked in an office and my boss was very mean to me. I couldn't take it any more so I killed him and threw his body down the well. The next day when I checked the well, his body had disappeared. When I was 30, my mother got sick and was bedridden. I didn't want to take care of her, so I killed her threw her body down the well. The next day when I looked into the well, her body was still there. I checked the well every day after that, but her body never disappeared. Why didn't my mother's body disappear?
Hint:
The mother would remove the bodies from the well and hide them. When she was killed and thrown down the well, nobody removed and hid her. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Seven Deaths Riddle
A man goes to bed at 9:45 pm. He makes himself a drink, then turns off the TV and the lights. The night was windy and there was a major storm. The next day he discovers he was the cause of seven deaths. How is this possible?
Hint:
He lived in a lighthouse as lighthouse keeper. He turned off all the lights by accident, so a ship with 7 passengers couldnt negotiate the rocky shores. One would think the light switches in a lighthouse would be more clearly marked. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
A Walk In The Desert Riddle
Four men walk into the desert. Suddenly all four are simultaneously knocked out. They awake buried to their heads in the sand unable to look anywhere but straight ahead. They are positioned so that each man sees another's head before him. However between the first and second man there is a separating wall.
So the first man sees only desert. The second man sees only wall. The third man sees another's head and a wall. The fourth man sees two heads and a wall. On top of each mans head is a hat. The underside of each cap is black, but the outside of each cap is either blue or white. Before any of the men can speak, their captors tell them if they speak, they die. However, if any of them can guess the color of their cap on the first try they go free. The captors tell them that there are two blue caps and two white caps.
Being an omniscient observer of the situation, we know that the order of the caps are: blue, white, blue, white. So knowing the perspective of each man in the sand, and that they can only see the color of caps/wall/desert in front of them, which of the four men knows for certain the color of his own cap. More importantly: why?
So the first man sees only desert. The second man sees only wall. The third man sees another's head and a wall. The fourth man sees two heads and a wall. On top of each mans head is a hat. The underside of each cap is black, but the outside of each cap is either blue or white. Before any of the men can speak, their captors tell them if they speak, they die. However, if any of them can guess the color of their cap on the first try they go free. The captors tell them that there are two blue caps and two white caps.
Being an omniscient observer of the situation, we know that the order of the caps are: blue, white, blue, white. So knowing the perspective of each man in the sand, and that they can only see the color of caps/wall/desert in front of them, which of the four men knows for certain the color of his own cap. More importantly: why?
Hint:
The third man. This is because he knows there are only two of each color cap. If the man behind him (the fourth man) saw two caps that were the same color in front of him, he would know that his own must be the opposite. However, because the caps alternate in color. The fourth man has only a 50% chance of getting his hat color correct, so therefore he stays quiet. The third man realizes that the fourth man is quiet because he must not see two caps of the same color in front of him, otherwise the fourth man would say the opposite of the caps in front of him. Therefore, the third man presumes his own cap must be the opposite of the mans in front of him, and his presumption is correct. Under this same logic, after the third man speaks his color hat, the second man, even though he sees only wall, would be the next to go free, because he knows his cap must be the opposite of whichever color the third mans cap was. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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YES NO
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