Fighting In A Truel
Mr. Black, Mr. Gray, and Mr. White are fighting in a truel. They each get a gun and take turns shooting at each other until only one person is left. Mr. Black, who hits his shot 1/3 of the time, gets to shoot first. Mr. Gray, who hits his shot 2/3 of the time, gets to shoot next, assuming he is still alive. Mr. White, who hits his shot all the time, shoots next, assuming he is also alive. The cycle repeats. All three competitors know one another's shooting odds. If you are Mr. Black, where should you shoot first for the highest chance of survival?
Hint: Think from the points of view of Mr. Gray and Mr. White, not just Mr. Black.
He should shoot at the ground.
If Mr. Black shoots the ground, it is Mr. Gray's turn. Mr. Gray would rather shoot at Mr. White than Mr. Black, because he is better. If Mr. Gray kills Mr. White, it is just Mr. Black and Mr. Gray left, giving Mr. Black a fair chance of winning. If Mr. Gray does not kill Mr. White, it is Mr. White's turn. He would rather shoot at Mr. Gray and will definitely kill him. Even though it is now Mr. Black against Mr. White, Mr. Black has a better chance of winning than before. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
If Mr. Black shoots the ground, it is Mr. Gray's turn. Mr. Gray would rather shoot at Mr. White than Mr. Black, because he is better. If Mr. Gray kills Mr. White, it is just Mr. Black and Mr. Gray left, giving Mr. Black a fair chance of winning. If Mr. Gray does not kill Mr. White, it is Mr. White's turn. He would rather shoot at Mr. Gray and will definitely kill him. Even though it is now Mr. Black against Mr. White, Mr. Black has a better chance of winning than before. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Pearl Problems Riddle
"I'm a very rich man, so I've decided to give you some of my fortune. Do you see this bag? I have 5001 pearls inside it. 2501 of them are white, and 2500 of them are black. No, I am not racist. I'll let you take out any number of pearls from the bag without looking. If you take out the same number of black and white pearls, I will reward you with a number of gold bars equivalent to the number of pearls you took."
How many pearls should you take out to give yourself a good number of gold bars while still retaining a good chance of actually getting them?
How many pearls should you take out to give yourself a good number of gold bars while still retaining a good chance of actually getting them?
Hint: If you took out 2 pearls, you would have about a 50% chance of getting 2 gold bars. However, you can take even more pearls and still retain the 50% chance.
Take out 5000 pearls. If the remaining pearl is white, then you've won 5000 gold bars! Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Matching Socks Riddle
Mismatched Joe is in a pitch dark room selecting socks from his drawer. He has only six socks in his drawer, a mixture of black and white. If he chooses two socks, the chances that he draws out a white pair is 2/3. What are the chances that he draws out a black pair?
Hint: Three pairs of matching socks... maybe not!!!
He has a ZERO chance of drawing out a black pair.
Since there is a 2/3 chance of drawing a white pair, then there MUST be 5 white socks and only 1 black sock. The chances of drawing two whites would thus be: 5/6 x 4/5 = 2/3 . With only 1 black sock, there is no chance of drawing a black pair. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Since there is a 2/3 chance of drawing a white pair, then there MUST be 5 white socks and only 1 black sock. The chances of drawing two whites would thus be: 5/6 x 4/5 = 2/3 . With only 1 black sock, there is no chance of drawing a black pair. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Four Balls In A Bowl
This is a famous paradox probability riddle which has caused a great deal of argument and disbelief from many who cannot accept the correct answer.
Four balls are placed in a bowl. One is Green, one is Black and the other two are Yellow. The bowl is shaken and someone draws two balls from the bowl. He looks at the two balls and announces that at least one of them is Yellow. What are the chances that the other ball he has drawn out is also Yellow?
Four balls are placed in a bowl. One is Green, one is Black and the other two are Yellow. The bowl is shaken and someone draws two balls from the bowl. He looks at the two balls and announces that at least one of them is Yellow. What are the chances that the other ball he has drawn out is also Yellow?
Hint:
1/5
There are six possible pairings of the two balls withdrawn,
Yellow+Yellow
Yellow+Green
Green+Yellow
Yellow+Black
Black+Yellow
Green+Black.
We know the Green + Black combination has not been drawn.
This leaves five possible combinations remaining. Therefore the chances tbowl the Yellow + Yellow pairing has been drawn are 1 in 5.
Many people cannot accept tbowl the solution is not 1 in 3, and of course it would be, if the balls had been drawn out separately and the color of the first ball announced as Yellow before the second had been drawn out. However, as both balls had been drawn together, and then the color of one of the balls announced, then the above solution, 1 in 5, must be the correct one. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
There are six possible pairings of the two balls withdrawn,
Yellow+Yellow
Yellow+Green
Green+Yellow
Yellow+Black
Black+Yellow
Green+Black.
We know the Green + Black combination has not been drawn.
This leaves five possible combinations remaining. Therefore the chances tbowl the Yellow + Yellow pairing has been drawn are 1 in 5.
Many people cannot accept tbowl the solution is not 1 in 3, and of course it would be, if the balls had been drawn out separately and the color of the first ball announced as Yellow before the second had been drawn out. However, as both balls had been drawn together, and then the color of one of the balls announced, then the above solution, 1 in 5, must be the correct one. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
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?
YES NO
YES NO
The Sinking Boat Riddle
Hint:
The Cowboys Wiener Dog Riddle
Hint:
Because someone told him to "get a long, little doggie." Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
A Queen's Twins Riddle
A Queen has twins by Caesarean section so it's impossible to tell who was born first. Now the twins are adults and ready to rule. One is intensely stupid, while the other is highly intelligent, well loved and charismatic. Yet the unintelligent one is chosen as the next ruler.
Why?
Why?
Hint:
Silver Tears Riddle
Silver tears falling down,
Natures clear imposter,
Sparkling, shining like a gown,
Adorn an elephant or horse,
Silver, PVC or even lead,
Bringing cheer to all around,
For such a simple thread.
What are these silver tears?
Natures clear imposter,
Sparkling, shining like a gown,
Adorn an elephant or horse,
Silver, PVC or even lead,
Bringing cheer to all around,
For such a simple thread.
What are these silver tears?
Hint:
Tinsel.
Tinsel emulates icicles, which are like tears and are clear in nature. Tinsel sparkles and shines, and is used to adorn elephants and horses in India. Tinsel is made from silver, PVC and was once made from lead. Tinsel brings back fond memories to many (including myself) and represents far more than a simple metallic thread would normally warrant. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Tinsel emulates icicles, which are like tears and are clear in nature. Tinsel sparkles and shines, and is used to adorn elephants and horses in India. Tinsel is made from silver, PVC and was once made from lead. Tinsel brings back fond memories to many (including myself) and represents far more than a simple metallic thread would normally warrant. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Mans Golden Greed
A metal neither black nor red,
As heavy as mans golden greed.
What you do to stay ahead,
With friend or foe or arrow and steed.
What am I?
As heavy as mans golden greed.
What you do to stay ahead,
With friend or foe or arrow and steed.
What am I?
Hint:
Lead. Lead is a metallic gray, is very heavy and in order to stay ahead of someone, you need to be in the lead. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
A Yellow Precious Metal
This has been known to cause a rush
But its not a Black Friday sale
Its a yellow precious metal
Weighed in troy ounces on a scale
it is...?
But its not a Black Friday sale
Its a yellow precious metal
Weighed in troy ounces on a scale
it is...?
Hint:
Known To Cause A Rush
I'm sometimes found in a pot but I'm not stew
I can be a bar but Im not soap
I've been known to cause a rush but Im not a Black Friday sale
Im a type of metal but Im not tin
I can be a medal but Im not silver
I am?
I can be a bar but Im not soap
I've been known to cause a rush but Im not a Black Friday sale
Im a type of metal but Im not tin
I can be a medal but Im not silver
I am?
Hint:
In Your Body For Free
What is in your body for free the first and the second time but the third time you have to buy yourself?
Hint:
Your teeth. You get baby teeth and adult teeth as part of the life package, but once you lose those you get to pay for dentures (or scare small children with your sunken face). Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Can You Solve The Horse Sale Brain Teaser?
How much money did he make or lose?
Did he break even?
Hint: He didn't break even.
My Life Can Last Some Hours Riddle
Hint:
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