Why start a thread about brain teasers? Well, because I love them and I don't often get them.
So, I'll start:
It was and I said not but
Punctuated correctly, without rearranging the words, this sentence actually makes sense. How?
Oh yes...and Googling it is cheating. Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
"It was and," I said, "not but".
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
Or maybe a bit more clear:
"It was 'and'," I said, "not 'but'". (and I know it's a bit hard to tell, after the last word is a single quote then a double quote... easier to see in the write post screen...)
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
Same type
Where Jim had had had Kim had had had had had had the teachers approval
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Where Jim had had Had, Kim had had Had Had; Had, had the teachers approval.
Winner? Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Where Jim had 'had, had,' Kim had 'had; had.' 'Had, had' had the teacher's approval.
I'm quite sure that's wrong, but I'm picturing the students turning in a grammar quiz and comparing their answers.
Edit: Ha! I tried BB's way first but couldn't find a way for it to make sense.
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
This is not really a teaser, as it doesn't need any punctuation to be accurate...but it's my favorite sentence:
Wrap your head around that one, hehe.
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
Nope on both, although vonk is right about the context of the sentences.
edit:
Actually, looking at it, I think BB's could be a correct answer, so WINNNER!
The version I know is: Where Jim had "had had", Kim had "had". "Had had" had had the teacher's approval.
It's much worse when spoken aloud.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Is mine incorrect only because I used apostrophe's instead of quotations?
Edit: Oh, never mind. I still think mine makes sense though, so thpbtbtbpt!
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
The on I know is:
Smith, where Jones had had "had", had had "had had". "Had had" had had the examiner's approval.
Eleven Had's in a row.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
A step away from punctuation riddles,
Our soldiers from Africa are more courageous then in Europe,
Out of our mouths flow honey,
and yet, every one of our fighters will die after a single suicidal thrust of our daggers.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
I couldn't get this one when I heard it, so lets try it here:
Two fathers & two sons went into a bar to have a Friday night drink together. They spent $15. Each spent the same amount. How much did each man spend?
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
I've heard that one too (actually I forgot about some of the hads in mine and I feel ashamed by this), but I like my version because of the spanish Coca-Cola aspect of Kim. That is, when you don't know Spanish (or don't know it well), Spanish language commericals can sound like blah blah blah blah blah blah Coca-Cola blah blah blah blah.
I like the (assuming I put in all the hads) had had had had Kim had had had had had had had aspect of it, but the 11 in a row is hard to dislike too.
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
BB, *buzz* Protect the hive.
vonk, $5 each. Grandfather (1 father), father (1 father, 1 son), and son (1 son).
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by vonk: I couldn't get this one when I heard it, so lets try it here:
Two fathers & two sons went into a bar to have a Friday night drink together. They spent $15. Each spent the same amount. How much did each man spend?
$3.75 each, making exactly $15? I am sure I got it wrong as thats absurdly easy.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
LOL @ Squicky.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Squicky got it! Yeah, that was my guess to BB. Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade:
quote:Originally posted by vonk: I couldn't get this one when I heard it, so lets try it here:
Two fathers & two sons went into a bar to have a Friday night drink together. They spent $15. Each spent the same amount. How much did each man spend?
$3.75 each, making exactly $15? I am sure I got it wrong as thats absurdly easy.
$7.50 each. There were two men. Each was a father and a son.
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
I'm pretty sure there is supposed to be something in the riddle about how none of the men had change.
Also it should read something more like "Two fathers went out with their two sons..." Every man is a son.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Oh, I don't recall that part.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
Yeah, cause all three work in this situation.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Mr S: You got it obviously, Ill have to make future riddles more vague Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
Put me under a man and I will lower him. Put me before a man and I will raise him. Give me to him and he'll die.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
quote:Originally posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick: Yeah, cause all three work in this situation.
Yeah, well I thought that's how riddles worked. There are usually more than one answer that will literaly answer the question, but only one officially correct answer that requires thinking a bit outside the box. But, meh, no biggie. I just like participating in threads. But if you wanna jump all over me... Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Escalator?
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
quote:Escalator?
Nope.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
Nothing?
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
quote:Originally posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick: Nothing?
Also no.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
A tornado?
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick: A tornado?
hey thats pretty good!
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
Yeah, not the answer I was looking for though.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
Hmmm. Thought so. Errrr... A chair?
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
That's it, you bet.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
Solid!
An electric train is moving north at 50 km/hr. It goes through a semicircular curve of radius 60 m. It enters the semicircle at 50 km/hr at time t=0 and maintains a constant tangental velocity. A constand wind velocity of 20 km/hr to the east is present at all times. At time t=.5s, find the direction in which the train's smokestack will blow.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by MrSquicky: That's it, you bet.
I don't get the dying part.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick: Solid!
An electric train is moving north at 50 km/hr. It goes through a semicircular curve of radius 60 m. It enters the semicircle at 50 km/hr at time t=0 and maintains a constant tangental velocity. A constand wind velocity of 20 km/hr to the east is present at all times. At time t=.5s, find the direction in which the train's smokestack will blow.
It's electric.
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
Boogie woogie woogie.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
Lisa, when the man dies, so's the chair.
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
quote:Boogie woogie woogie.
YES!
[ May 03, 2007, 11:18 PM: Message edited by: Juxtapose ]
Posted by DaisyMae (Member # 9722) on :
I thought it was referring to "giving a man the chair," like the electric chair. Am I wrong?
Posted by Leonide (Member # 4157) on :
Yeah, I'm totally not getting the chair one.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by DaisyMae: I thought it was referring to "giving a man the chair," like the electric chair.
Precisely.
Posted by Qaz (Member # 10298) on :
What do these things have in common?
an apple the Earth a nuclear reactor
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Each has a core.
Posted by Qaz (Member # 10298) on :
Ah, too easy!
There is a game that has this sort of thing in it. Anybody know the name?
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
If you put a chair under someone, they're forced to sit down, thus lowering them. If you put the word chair in front of the word man, you've got chairman, which is an elevation from just man. "Giving someone the chair" is a euphemism for executing them in the electric (boogie woogie woogie) chair.
---
Incidentally, I made that one up on the spot, so it may not be all that polished, but I'm happy with it.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
We organize into families, we wear black suits when we join.
Get in our way and we'll beat you, if your weaker then us we'll eat you.
Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
You are traveling and come to a fork in the road and are not sure which way to go. Identical twin brothers who you know show up, but you can't tell which one is which. One always lies and the other always tells the truth.
What one question can you ask them that will tell you which way to go?
Posted by xnera (Member # 187) on :
quote:There is a game that has this sort of thing in it. Anybody know the name?
Mindtrap. Everytime threads like this come up I wish I owned the game. Maybe I'll look for it this weekend.
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
quote:Originally posted by SC Carver: You are traveling and come to a fork in the road and are not sure which way to go. Identical twin brothers who you know show up, but you can't tell which one is which. One always lies and the other always tells the truth.
What one question can you ask them that will tell you which way to go?
Reminds me of a recent Bizarro cartoon, where you come across three people: one who always tells the truth, one who always lies, and one who kills anyone asking tricky questions.
Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
What if the person asking the tricky questions gives the answer?
Posted by Kasie H (Member # 2120) on :
Can a California man legally marry his widow's sister?
Posted by Dragon (Member # 3670) on :
I think I'm going to refer to it as the "electric (boogie woogie woogie) chair" from now on.
BlackBlade - yours is bothering me. Both lines are part of the same riddle right?
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
Dead men can't marry, silly. Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dragon: I think I'm going to refer to it as the "electric (boogie woogie woogie) chair" from now on.
BlackBlade - yours is bothering me. Both lines are part of the same riddle right?
Indeed, it is all a description of the same thing.
I'm sorely tempted to add two more lines of clues but I think it would make the answer obvious.
edit: What the heck Ill try to keep this additional help vague,
Tools we have, but nothing complex, yet space has seen our kind before man.
Posted by Kasie H (Member # 2120) on :
quote:Dead men can't marry, silly.
Darnit! That James Dean guy is pretty sexy...
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
quote:Originally posted by SC Carver: You are traveling and come to a fork in the road and are not sure which way to go. Identical twin brothers who you know show up, but you can't tell which one is which. One always lies and the other always tells the truth.
What one question can you ask them that will tell you which way to go?
"Where would you point if I asked you which direction I should go."
Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
If it is the truthful brother he will point you in the right direction, if it is the lying one he will point you in the wrong way. You can't tell who is who.
Posted by suminonA (Member # 8757) on :
quote:Originally posted by SC Carver: You are traveling and come to a fork in the road and are not sure which way to go. Identical twin brothers who you know show up, but you can't tell which one is which. One always lies and the other always tells the truth.
What one question can you ask them that will tell you which way to go?
"Where would your brother point if I asked him which direction I should go." The answer will be the "wrong" way to go.
A.
Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
"Which way would your brother say is the right direction?"
Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
You got it A.
Sorry that's the only good teaser I can remember. The brain isn't what it used to be....
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
Flaming Toad got it as well.
If you ask the truthful one where he would tell you to go, he will tell you the truth and show you the actual path he would tell you to go on, aka the right path.
If you ask the liar, he will lie about which path he would tell you to take (the wrong path) and instead tell you the other one, so he would point you to the right path.
They'd both point you to the right path with FToaS question.
Posted by suminonA (Member # 8757) on :
quote:Originally posted by MrSquicky: Flaming Toad got it as well.
If you ask the truthful one where he would tell you to go, he will tell you the truth and show you the actual path he would tell you to go on, aka the right path.
If you ask the liar, he will lie about which path he would tell you to take (the wrong path) and instead tell you the other one, so he would point you to the right path.
They'd both point you to the right path with FToaS question.
From a "shallow" logical stand, you are correct, FToaS’ question could do the trick, as NOT(NOT(A)) = A.
The “problem” with this version is that we have the same kind of paradox as in “I always lie”, which is a sentence that can’t be evaluated logically as “true” or “false”. So if we ask the lying brother about his own answer, his answer can’t be evaluated at all, as he can’t evaluate his “original” answer, thus not being able to lie about it. (Meaning that if he evaluates his first “false” as “true”, lying about it would give the “false” answer, contrary to your expectations)
This doesn’t happen when asking about his brother’s answer, since he knows that his brother would tell the truth (no problem in evaluating it), so lying about it is “straight forward”
A.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by Shigosei: Lisa, when the man dies, so's the chair.
The chair dies? What am I missing here?
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by DaisyMae: I thought it was referring to "giving a man the chair," like the electric chair. Am I wrong?
Ah... got it. Thanks.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by SC Carver: You are traveling and come to a fork in the road and are not sure which way to go. Identical twin brothers who you know show up, but you can't tell which one is which. One always lies and the other always tells the truth.
What one question can you ask them that will tell you which way to go?
"Which way would your brother tell me to go?"
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: We organize into families, we wear black suits when we join.
Get in our way and we'll beat you, if your weaker then us we'll eat you.
The Mafia?
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lisa:
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: We organize into families, we wear black suits when we join.
Get in our way and we'll beat you, if your weaker then us we'll eat you.
The Mafia?
Fraid not, the Mafia do not eat people. I posted additional hints at the higher end of this page, it makes the Mafia even more out of the question.
Posted by Raventhief (Member # 9002) on :
How about the Riddle of the Sphinx:
What animal has four legs in morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in evening?
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
Man.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
If nobody solves mine by tomorrow Ill just post the answer.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
quote:Originally posted by suminonA: The “problem” with this version is that we have the same kind of paradox as in “I always lie”, which is a sentence that can’t be evaluated logically as “true” or “false”. So if we ask the lying brother about his own answer, his answer can’t be evaluated at all, as he can’t evaluate his “original” answer, thus not being able to lie about it. (Meaning that if he evaluates his first “false” as “true”, lying about it would give the “false” answer, contrary to your expectations)
The fact that he always lies to others doesn't necessarily means he always lies to himself. It doesn't mean he regognizes "false" as "true". I'm of the opinion that he could evaluate his answer perfectly. He obviously knows the difference between true and false, and chooses to give the false answer. If this weren't true, wouldn't your scenario be flawed as well? The lying brother needs to know how to evaluate true and false to know that his brother would point the right way.
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: We organize into families, we wear black suits when we join.
Get in our way and we'll beat you, if your weaker then us we'll eat you.
The Masons Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
Or ants?
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lisa:
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade:
quote:Originally posted by vonk: I couldn't get this one when I heard it, so lets try it here:
Two fathers & two sons went into a bar to have a Friday night drink together. They spent $15. Each spent the same amount. How much did each man spend?
$3.75 each, making exactly $15? I am sure I got it wrong as thats absurdly easy.
$7.50 each. There were two men. Each was a father and a son.
There were *three* men, a grandfather, a father, and a son. Two fathers, and two sons. They each spent $5.
Posted by Dan_Frank (Member # 8488) on :
quote: Reminds me of a recent Bizarro cartoon, where you come across three people: one who always tells the truth, one who always lies, and one who kills anyone asking tricky questions.
That wasn't in Bizarro. Or, if it was, then somebody is copying somebody.
An excellent comic, incidentally.
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
That reminds me of a favorite Partially Clips: Paradox Dragon Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
quote: We organize into families, we wear black suits when we join.
Get in our way and we'll beat you, if your weaker then us we'll eat you.
I'm guessing ants or more specifically army ants.
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dan_Frank:
quote: Reminds me of a recent Bizarro cartoon, where you come across three people: one who always tells the truth, one who always lies, and one who kills anyone asking tricky questions.
That wasn't in Bizarro. Or, if it was, then somebody is copying somebody.
My mistake then. Yes, that's the one.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
Here is my favorite paradox, ever. (That actually isn't a paradox, but rather evidence that Leonardo Dicaprio transcends life.)
"Leonardo DiCaprio's eyes are like windows into the vast turbulence"
AND
"WE ARE THE DEPARTED"
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
And, sorry, that wasn't me. Gah, siblings.
And BlackBlade's riddle is still unanswered.
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
quote:Originally posted by SC Carver: You are traveling and come to a fork in the road and are not sure which way to go. Identical twin brothers who you know show up, but you can't tell which one is which. One always lies and the other always tells the truth.
What one question can you ask them that will tell you which way to go?
"Which way would the other brother tell me to go?"
(ugh, that'll teach me to finish reading a thread first...)
Posted by Raventhief (Member # 9002) on :
Sucker punch one of them and watch to see which way the other goes for help?
Why am I allowed near children?
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:Originally posted by SC Carver: You are traveling and come to a fork in the road and are not sure which way to go. Identical twin brothers who you know show up, but you can't tell which one is which. One always lies and the other always tells the truth.
What one question can you ask them that will tell you which way to go?
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Cry]](graemlins/cry.gif)
![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)