Knights Of The Round Table Riddle
King Arthur, Merlin, Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain, and Guinevere decide to go to their favorite restaurant to share some mead and grilled meats. They sit down at a round table for five, and as soon as they do, Lancelot notes, "We sat down around the table in age order! What are the odds of that?"
Merlin smiles broadly. "This is easily solved without any magic." He then shared the answer. What did he say the odds were?
Merlin smiles broadly. "This is easily solved without any magic." He then shared the answer. What did he say the odds were?
Hint: Does it matter if they are sitting clockwise or counterclockwise? Or where the oldest sits?
The odds are 11:1. (The probability is 1/12.)
Imagine they sat down in age order, with each person randomly picking a seat. The first person is guaranteed to pick a seat that "works". The second oldest can sit to his right or left, since these five can sit either clockwise or counterclockwise. The probability of picking a seat that works is thus 2/4, or 1/2. The third oldest now has three chairs to choose from, one of which continues the progression in the order determined by the second person, for a probability of 1/3. This leaves two seats for the fourth oldest, or a 1/2 chance. The youngest would thus be guaranteed to sit in the right seat, since there is only one seat left. This gives 1 * 1/2 * 1/3 * 1/2 * 1 = 1/12, or 11:1 odds against. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Imagine they sat down in age order, with each person randomly picking a seat. The first person is guaranteed to pick a seat that "works". The second oldest can sit to his right or left, since these five can sit either clockwise or counterclockwise. The probability of picking a seat that works is thus 2/4, or 1/2. The third oldest now has three chairs to choose from, one of which continues the progression in the order determined by the second person, for a probability of 1/3. This leaves two seats for the fourth oldest, or a 1/2 chance. The youngest would thus be guaranteed to sit in the right seat, since there is only one seat left. This gives 1 * 1/2 * 1/3 * 1/2 * 1 = 1/12, or 11:1 odds against. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The Cheap Mp3 Player
My MP3 player is cheap 'n' nasty and has now broken: it is stuck on 'Shuffle'. In this mode it starts with whatever track you put it on, but then plays tracks in a random order. The only restriction is it never plays a song that's already been played that day.
I purchased my favourite murder mystery book in audio format, and put the first 6 chapters on my MP3 player. (Each chapter is exactly 1 track.) There's nothing else on my player at the moment. What is the probability that I will hear the 6 chapters in order as I listen today, without having to change tracks at all? (Obviously, I will ensure it plays chapter 1 first.)
The next day I empty the player before putting on the next 6 chapters. This time I also transfer a CD of mine with 11 songs on. I don't mind songs coming in between the chapters of my book, as long as the chapters are in order. What's the probability of that happening now?
I purchased my favourite murder mystery book in audio format, and put the first 6 chapters on my MP3 player. (Each chapter is exactly 1 track.) There's nothing else on my player at the moment. What is the probability that I will hear the 6 chapters in order as I listen today, without having to change tracks at all? (Obviously, I will ensure it plays chapter 1 first.)
The next day I empty the player before putting on the next 6 chapters. This time I also transfer a CD of mine with 11 songs on. I don't mind songs coming in between the chapters of my book, as long as the chapters are in order. What's the probability of that happening now?
Hint:
With only 6 tracks on the player:
The first chapter has been set to play first. The probability of the next 5 chapters playing in order is 1/5! = 1/120.
With the music on the player as well:
Seeing as I don't care about when the music plays, it doesn't change anything. The answer is still 1/120. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The first chapter has been set to play first. The probability of the next 5 chapters playing in order is 1/5! = 1/120.
With the music on the player as well:
Seeing as I don't care about when the music plays, it doesn't change anything. The answer is still 1/120. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Dressed In All Black
A man dressed in all black is walking down a country lane. Suddenly, a large black car without any lights on comes round the corner and screeches to a halt. How did the car know he was there?
Hint:
An Electric Train Riddle
An electric train is moving north at 100mph and a wind is blowing to the west at 10mph. Which way does the smoke blow?
Hint:
The Wheels Go Go Round And Round
Im a type of public transport
Which follows a certain route
The wheels on me go round and round
Of that there should be no doubt
What am I?
Which follows a certain route
The wheels on me go round and round
Of that there should be no doubt
What am I?
Hint:
Four Times To Infinity
Hint:
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.
David Is 6 Years Old Riddle
Hint:
David: 6
Lauren: 3
David is 3 years older than Lauren.
So when David is 100 Lauren is 97.
Answer: 97 Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Lauren: 3
David is 3 years older than Lauren.
So when David is 100 Lauren is 97.
Answer: 97 Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
One Light And Three Switches
This riddle is a favorite among many. No diversions into logical theory or mathematics, just a fun puzzle with a satisfying answer.
How do you figure out without a doubt which switch controls the light?
Hint:
Flip switch number 1 and wait a few minutes. Flip switch number 1 back to its original position, and then immediately flip switch number 2.
Open the door. If the light is on, then switch number 2 controls it. If the light is off, then go and feel the bulb with your hand. If the bulb is hot, the switch number 1 controls it, and if the bulb is cold, then switch number 3, the one you did not touch, controls it. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Open the door. If the light is on, then switch number 2 controls it. If the light is off, then go and feel the bulb with your hand. If the bulb is hot, the switch number 1 controls it, and if the bulb is cold, then switch number 3, the one you did not touch, controls it. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Lily Pad Riddle
Hint:
The patch doubles in size every day and so on the 47th day the patch will be half the size it is on the 48th day Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
30 Cows In A Field Riddle
Hint: Use wordplay.
I Am Ill I Am Real Riddle
I am ill, I am real, I might got a deal.
I pop bottles and I have the right kind of build.
I am cold, I am dope, I might sell coke.
Im always in the air, but I never fly coach.
What am I?
I pop bottles and I have the right kind of build.
I am cold, I am dope, I might sell coke.
Im always in the air, but I never fly coach.
What am I?
Hint:
Nicki Minaj
These are lyrics of 'Super Bass' by Nicki Minaj. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
These are lyrics of 'Super Bass' by Nicki Minaj. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Three Gods Riddle
Three gods A, B, and C are called, in no particular order, True, False, and Random. True always speaks truly, False always speaks falsely, but whether Random speaks truly or falsely is a completely random matter. Your task is to determine the identities of A, B, and C by asking three yes-no questions; each question must be put to exactly one god. The gods understand English, but will answer all questions in their own language, in which the words for yes and no are da and ja, in some order. You do not know which word means which.
What three questions can you ask?
What three questions can you ask?
Hint:
A possible solution is:
Q1: Ask god B, "If I asked you 'Is A Random?', would you say ja?". If B answers ja, either B is Random (and is answering randomly), or B is not Random and the answer indicates that A is indeed Random. Either way, C is not Random. If B answers da, either B is Random (and is answering randomly), or B is not Random and the answer indicates that A is not Random. Either way, you know the identity of a god who is not Random.
Q2: Go to the god who was identified as not being Random by the previous question (either A or C), and ask him: "If I asked you 'Are you False?', would you say ja?". Since he is not Random, an answer of da indicates that he is True and an answer of ja indicates that he is False.
Q3: Ask the same god the question: "If I asked you 'Is B Random?', would you say ja?". If the answer is ja, B is Random; if the answer is da, the god you have not yet spoken to is Random. The remaining god can be identified by elimination. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Q1: Ask god B, "If I asked you 'Is A Random?', would you say ja?". If B answers ja, either B is Random (and is answering randomly), or B is not Random and the answer indicates that A is indeed Random. Either way, C is not Random. If B answers da, either B is Random (and is answering randomly), or B is not Random and the answer indicates that A is not Random. Either way, you know the identity of a god who is not Random.
Q2: Go to the god who was identified as not being Random by the previous question (either A or C), and ask him: "If I asked you 'Are you False?', would you say ja?". Since he is not Random, an answer of da indicates that he is True and an answer of ja indicates that he is False.
Q3: Ask the same god the question: "If I asked you 'Is B Random?', would you say ja?". If the answer is ja, B is Random; if the answer is da, the god you have not yet spoken to is Random. The remaining god can be identified by elimination. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
A Grandfather Clock Riddle
A grandfather clock chimes the appropriate number of times to indicate the hour, as well as chiming once at each quarter hour. If you were in another room and heard the clock chime just once, what would be the longest period of time you would have to wait in order to be certain of the correct time? Assuming you had absolutely no clue what time it was.
Hint:
You would have to wait 90 minutes between 12:15 and 1:45. Once you had heard seven single chimes, you would know that the next chime would be two chimes for 2 oclock.
In order for daylight savings time to come into play, you would have to manually set the clock back, which unless you did it with your eyes closed would indicate the time to you. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
In order for daylight savings time to come into play, you would have to manually set the clock back, which unless you did it with your eyes closed would indicate the time to you. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
It Might Not Land Riddle
Hint:
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