The Coin Toss Riddle
You are in a bar having a drink with an old friend when he proposes a wager.
"Want to play a game?" he asks.
"Sure, why not?" you reply.
"Ok, here's how it works. You choose three possible outcomes of a coin toss, either HHH, TTT, HHT or whatever. I will do likewise. I will then start flipping the coin continuously until either one of our combinations comes up. The person whose combination comes up first is the winner. And to prove I'm not the cheating little weasel you're always making me out to be, I'll even let you go first so you have more combinations to choose from. So how about it? Is $10.00 a fair bet?"
You know that your friend is a skilled trickster and usually has a trick or two up his sleeve but maybe he's being honest this time. Maybe this is a fair bet. While you try and think of which combination is most likely to come up first, you suddenly hit upon a strategy which will be immensely beneficial to you. What is it?
"Want to play a game?" he asks.
"Sure, why not?" you reply.
"Ok, here's how it works. You choose three possible outcomes of a coin toss, either HHH, TTT, HHT or whatever. I will do likewise. I will then start flipping the coin continuously until either one of our combinations comes up. The person whose combination comes up first is the winner. And to prove I'm not the cheating little weasel you're always making me out to be, I'll even let you go first so you have more combinations to choose from. So how about it? Is $10.00 a fair bet?"
You know that your friend is a skilled trickster and usually has a trick or two up his sleeve but maybe he's being honest this time. Maybe this is a fair bet. While you try and think of which combination is most likely to come up first, you suddenly hit upon a strategy which will be immensely beneficial to you. What is it?
Hint: Think what would be most likely to happen if you chose HHH, would this be a good decision?
The answer is to let your friend go first. This puzzle is based on an old game/scam called Penny Ante. No matter what you picked, your friend would be able to come up with a combination which would be more likely to beat yours. For example, if you were to choose HHH, then unless HHH was the first combination to come up you would eventually lose since as soon as a Tails came up, the combination THH would inevitably come up before HHH. The basic formula you can use for working out which combination you should choose is as follows. Simply take his combination (eg. HHT) take the last term in his combination, put it at the front (in this case making THH) and your combination will be more likely to come up first. Try it on your friends! Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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The Traffic Light Riddle
There is a traffic light at the top of a hill. Cars can't see the light until they are 200 feet from the light.
The cycle of the traffic light is 30 seconds green, 5 seconds yellow and 20 seconds red.
A car is traveling 45 miles per hour up the hill.
What is the probability that the light will be yellow when the driver first crests the hill and that if the driver continues through the intersection at her present speed that she will run a red light?
The cycle of the traffic light is 30 seconds green, 5 seconds yellow and 20 seconds red.
A car is traveling 45 miles per hour up the hill.
What is the probability that the light will be yellow when the driver first crests the hill and that if the driver continues through the intersection at her present speed that she will run a red light?
Hint:
The probability of the driver encountering a yellow light and the light turning red before the car enters the intersection is about 5.5%.
At 45 mph the car is traveling at 66 feet/second and will take just over 3 seconds (3.03) to travel the 200 feet to the intersection. Any yellow light that is in the last 3.03 seconds of the light will cause the driver to run a red light.
The entire cycle of the light is 55 seconds. 3.03/55 = 5.5%. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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At 45 mph the car is traveling at 66 feet/second and will take just over 3 seconds (3.03) to travel the 200 feet to the intersection. Any yellow light that is in the last 3.03 seconds of the light will cause the driver to run a red light.
The entire cycle of the light is 55 seconds. 3.03/55 = 5.5%. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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Die Toss Riddle
If you toss a die and it comes up with the number one 9 times in a row, what is the probability that it will come up with one on the next throw?
Hint:
A Knight To The Rescue
A knight comes to a castle where his love is trapped. The castle is surrounded by a square moat that is 10 feet wide (it forms a square around the castle). The knight is able to fashion two 9 foot long planks to cross the moat.
How can he do this?
How can he do this?
Hint:
He puts one plank across the corner of the square (where two sides meet) and puts the other perpendicular to it to form a 'T' shape in the corner allowing him to cross the moat and save his beloved. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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The Old Horror House
There is an old horror house. It has no electricity, plumbing, or power of any sort. You go inside and see three doors. Each door has a number on it. In each door is a way for you to die. In door number one, you die by getting eaten by a lion. In door number two, you die by getting murdered. In door number three, you die by electric chair. You may not turn back so you have to go through a door.
Which door do you go through?
Which door do you go through?
Hint:
Go through number three. You'll survive because it's an electric chair and there is no electricity. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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Fear Of The Ocean
Three men sitting in a small motorboat one mile from the shoreline. The first is afraid of water, the second afraid of drowning, and the third afraid of sharks. The boats motor is not operational and there is nothing to row with. How do they get to the shoreline?
Hint:
Often A Mountain Riddle
I produce ash but Im not a bonfire
I can throw rocks great distances but Im not a slingshot
Im often a mountain but Im not in the Himalayas
I have a crater but Im not the moon
I erupt but Im not someone with a bad temper
I can throw rocks great distances but Im not a slingshot
Im often a mountain but Im not in the Himalayas
I have a crater but Im not the moon
I erupt but Im not someone with a bad temper
Hint:
Couples Climbing Trip Riddle
A couple went on a climbing trip. But only the husband returned from the vacation and said that his wife slipped off while climbing and died. After investigating, the local sheriff arrested him saying, Your travel agent called. You murdered your wife.
The man did not inform anyone about the trip. So how was the agent so sure that it is a murder?
The man did not inform anyone about the trip. So how was the agent so sure that it is a murder?
Hint:
The man bought only a one way ticket for his wife whereas he bought a two way ticket for himself. He was certain he would return alone. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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Sam And Angela's Camping Trip
Sam and Angela were on a camping trip. When making dinner, they discovered that neither of them had brought a clock or a watch. Dinner required cooking for 45 minutes. All Sam could dig up was a couple of mosquito coils that would each burn for one hour. They didn't have any method to measure the coils in any way. Angela figured out a way to measure 45 minutes using the two coils (and fight off mosquitoes at the same time). How did she accomplish this task?
Hint:
Angela first lit one mosquito coil at both ends and then lit the other on only one side. The coil which had been lit on both ends finished burning in one-half hour. At that point the second mosquito coil had one-half hour left to burn. Angela lit the second coil at the other end, and it finished burning fifteen minutes later. (45 minutes total) Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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Laying The World At Your Feet
Those who are great I have made great,
Those who are failures I have made failures.
I am not a machine, but I work with all of the precision of a machine,
Plus the intelligence of a person.
Now, you may run me for profit or you may run me
For ruin. It makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me,
And I will lay the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I?
Those who are failures I have made failures.
I am not a machine, but I work with all of the precision of a machine,
Plus the intelligence of a person.
Now, you may run me for profit or you may run me
For ruin. It makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me,
And I will lay the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I?
Hint:
The German Spy Riddle
A German spy was in Canada trying to steal insider information on how to set up new Maple Syrup factories in Germany. He was being introduced to the operations manager of the biggest factory in Canada.
However the manager was suspicious and decided to test him with a question before he trusted him. So he asked, what would you be sure to find in the middle of Toronto?
The spy thought fast and came up with an answer for the manager.
What did he say?
However the manager was suspicious and decided to test him with a question before he trusted him. So he asked, what would you be sure to find in the middle of Toronto?
The spy thought fast and came up with an answer for the manager.
What did he say?
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?
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Hosting A Game Show Riddle
The host of a game show, offers the guest a choice of three doors. Behind one is a expensive car, but behind the other two are goats.
After you have chosen one door, he reveals one of the other two doors behind which is a goat (he wouldn't reveal a car).
Now he gives you the chance to switch to the other unrevealed door or stay at your initial choice. You will then get what is behind that door.
You cannot hear the goats from behind the doors, or in any way know which door has the prize.
Should you stay, or switch, or doesn't it matter ?
After you have chosen one door, he reveals one of the other two doors behind which is a goat (he wouldn't reveal a car).
Now he gives you the chance to switch to the other unrevealed door or stay at your initial choice. You will then get what is behind that door.
You cannot hear the goats from behind the doors, or in any way know which door has the prize.
Should you stay, or switch, or doesn't it matter ?
Hint:
You better switch!
Your first choice has a 1/3 chance of having the car, and that does not change. The other two doors HAD a combined chance of 2/3, but now a Goat has been revealed behind one, all the 2/3 chance is with the other door. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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Your first choice has a 1/3 chance of having the car, and that does not change. The other two doors HAD a combined chance of 2/3, but now a Goat has been revealed behind one, all the 2/3 chance is with the other door. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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The Nosy Old Woman
My neighbors think I'm a nosy old woman, but today I witnessed a murder. I was looking out my window when I saw something through the window of the apartment building opposite me. A man was in the middle of murdering a woman. The strange thing was, after he finished strangling her, he turned around and our eyes met. It was eerie. Then he pointed at me and kept staring at me for a minute or two. All the time he was staring at me, his finger kept moving. I called the police a few minutes ago and they told me I will have to go down to the police station and give a statement tomorrow. I'm sure they will catch him. I saw his face very clearly.
What do you think the murderer was waving his finger at?
What do you think the murderer was waving his finger at?
Hint:
The murderer was counting the windows to see which floor the old woman was on. He is coming to kill her. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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A Boy At The Carnival
A young boy was at the carnival. He was walking past a kiosk where an old man was sitting.
"Do you want to play a game?" the old man said to him.The young boy was intrigued. "What kind of game?" he asked.
"It's a very simple game." said the old man. "I will tell you the rules. I have ten large metal boxes. Inside one of the boxes is the prize money. One thousand dollars."
"A thousand bucks, huh?" asked the boy. "What's the catch?"
"The boxes are sturdy and strong," said the old man. "Much too strong to be opened with your bare hands. They are also airtight and cannot be damaged by a hammer, an axe or even a chainsaw."
"So they're impossible to open?" said the boy.
"Not impossible." said the man. "I have a blowtorch which can be used to open the boxes."
"Is there a time limit?" asked the boy.
"You can take as much time as you want." said the old man. "When you find the prize money, it's all yours. So, do you want to play the game?"
"Well, I don't how I could possibly lose," said the boy. "OK. I'll play your game."
The old man smiled. "I'll make it very easy for you", he said. "There are ten metal boxes, but if you give me five dollars, I will start you right next to the prize money."
The boy happily took out his wallet and handed a crisp five dollar note to the old man. There was a mischievous grin on the old man's face.The game started.The prize money was right in front of the boy. He could see it. He could touch it.Even though he won the game, the boy was never able to spend the money. He died shortly after he won the game.
How did the boy die?
"Do you want to play a game?" the old man said to him.The young boy was intrigued. "What kind of game?" he asked.
"It's a very simple game." said the old man. "I will tell you the rules. I have ten large metal boxes. Inside one of the boxes is the prize money. One thousand dollars."
"A thousand bucks, huh?" asked the boy. "What's the catch?"
"The boxes are sturdy and strong," said the old man. "Much too strong to be opened with your bare hands. They are also airtight and cannot be damaged by a hammer, an axe or even a chainsaw."
"So they're impossible to open?" said the boy.
"Not impossible." said the man. "I have a blowtorch which can be used to open the boxes."
"Is there a time limit?" asked the boy.
"You can take as much time as you want." said the old man. "When you find the prize money, it's all yours. So, do you want to play the game?"
"Well, I don't how I could possibly lose," said the boy. "OK. I'll play your game."
The old man smiled. "I'll make it very easy for you", he said. "There are ten metal boxes, but if you give me five dollars, I will start you right next to the prize money."
The boy happily took out his wallet and handed a crisp five dollar note to the old man. There was a mischievous grin on the old man's face.The game started.The prize money was right in front of the boy. He could see it. He could touch it.Even though he won the game, the boy was never able to spend the money. He died shortly after he won the game.
How did the boy die?
Hint:
The man put the inside of the box since he said for five dollars, he'd put the boy next to the money. Since the box was airtight, he suffocated Did you answer this riddle correctly?
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