Showing posts with label puzzle games. Show all posts

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Diner Dash PC Game Review

34 comments :
Diner Dash is a popular PC Arcade game that follows young Flo in her quest to build a successful chain of restaurants. The game is a combination of strategy, arcade, and time management. Players progress through 50 increasingly challenging levels, upgrading their restaurants and moving on to new restaurants as the tasks progress.

diner dash game

Family Game

Diner Dash has not violence, no mature themes and no strong language. Game play is suitable for all ages, although younger players may have trouble when the levels become more difficult. The graphics are colorful and play progresses quickly enough through the various levels to remain interesting. The music is repetitive but not too irritating.

Game Interface

Tasks are completed with the mouse in a simple point and click play mode. Click and drag customers to a table, click on the table when they’re ready to order, click on food and then a table to serve. Although the interface is simple, play becomes very challenging in the higher levels as players must struggle to complete numerous tasks in a limited time frame. Players can succeed by meeting minimum daily earning requirements or earn bonus points and a gold star for the level if they surpass expectations.

Game Options

Diner Dash is limited to two play modes, Career and Endless shift. In Career mode Flo must fix up each restaurant as she earns rewards through each shift. Flo can earn upgrades to the restaurants in each shift and players get to choose their decorating and upgrade options. In Endless shift, Flo can serve tables forever in one restaurant which gives players a chance to practice their point and click play and time management skills.

Purchase Options

Diner Dash can be purchased on CD-Rom or Downloaded from numerous game sites. Average price is $19.99, but the demo version is offered for download with a 60 minute time limit. The game can sometimes be found on sale in computer stores like Fry’s and Best Buy for $9.99 or less.

Diner Dash is an addicting and challenging game yet extremely simple to learn. The reviews for it by players on the web are stellar. Yahoo Games users rate it an average 4 ½ out of 5 stars, with over 32,000 users rating it. The 60 minute demo versions provide just enough time for the player to get addicted and want to buy. Overall it’s definitely worth the $20 price tag.

Business Print Services

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Island X

1 comment :
There are three categories of tribes in Island X; a Truther, who always speaks truthfully; a Liar, who always speaks falsely; and an Altetnator, who makes statements that are alternatively truthful and false, albeit not necessarily in that order.

A visitor approaches three inhabitants and asks who is a Truther. They answer as follows:

A says:
1. I am a Truther
2. B is a Liar

B says:
1. I am a Alternator
2. C is a Liar

C says:
1. I am a Truther
2. A is a Liar

Determine the identity of each of the three inhabitants from the information provided in the above statements.

Island X Puzzle Solution

Assume that A is the Truther. If so, then B is the Liar as A's statement asserts. If so, B's second statement is false, so C is the Alternator. This implies that C's first statement is false as also his second statement that A is the Liar, so that C is the Liar which is a contradiction, so that A cannot be the Truther.

Assume that B is the Truther. If so, his first statement is a direct contradiction, implying amongst other things, that B cannot be the Truther.

Assume that C is the Truther. If so, then A is the Liar in conformity with his second statement, so the remaining member B must be the Alternator. This checks out since as a Alternator, B's first statement is true while in his second statement he falsely identified C as the Liar. Both of A's statement are then clearly false, so this establishes the veracity of both the statements of C.

Consequently, (A, B, C) = (Liar, Alternator, Truther)

Monday, August 31, 2015

A Farmer's Good Fortune

1 comment :
A farmer from a small community is out of money. After a mysterious desease spread among and killed his lifestock, he now needs to quickly make up for the lost animals. He needs a whole grand.
Knowing that the bank won't lend him any money, he pays a visit to the local loan shark. The outlaw, who's known to have a bit of an obsession with puzzles, proposes a deal.

With the $1,000 he gets, the farmer has to be able to buy a combination of cows, pigs, and sheep, to total exactly 100 heads of lifestock. The combination has to include at least one cow ($100 each), one pig ($30 each), and one sheep ($5 each). The total amount of money spent for the 100 animals has to equal exactly $1,000.

farmer's fortune riddle

If the farmer manages to accomplish the task, he'll have to return the money with a "friendly" interest rate. Otherwise, he'll get the normal rate, and the threat of a broken pinkie...

How many of each kind of livestock did the farmer buy?

A Farmer's Good Fortune Puzzle Solution

Here's one combination:

 94 sheep =  $470
  1 pig   =   $30
  5 cows  =  $500
-----------------
100 heads = $1000

Are there anymore?

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Boxes, Beads, and a Blindfold

1 comment :
You have been named as a traitor by the King, the punishment for this crime is death. Although he is a cruel tyrant he gives you one last chance at freedom. When you are finally brought before him he has this to say to you:

"There are 100 beads, 50 black and 50 white. You will be allowed to draw one bead, whilst blindfolded of course. If it is black you will be condemned to death, if it is white you will be set free".

angry king

So far so good you think to yourself, at least I have a 50/50 chance.

"The beads will be distributed amongst four boxes by me," he continued. "You must select a box by opening it, draw one bead from it and then present the bead to the court. Thus will your fate be decided".

Upon saying this a cruel smile appears on the King's face and you suddenly break into a cold sweat as you remember that the King is both very wicked and devilishly cunning.

Assuming that the King is incredibly smart, evil, thinks that you are a stupid, uneducated peasant and wants to minimise your chance of freedom, what strategy should you employ, and what is the probability of surviving?

 

Notes:
  • The King whilst evil won't cheat.
  • The trick is to work out how he plans on distributing the beads to minimise your chance of success.
  • As soon as you stick your hand in one of the boxes you must draw a bead from it.
  • The boxes and beads light and portable, however you are not allowed to remove them from the area.
  • The King thinks you are stupid.

Boxes, Beads, and a Blindfold Puzzle Solution

The king puts 1 black bead in 3 of the 4 boxes and all the other beads (both black and white) in the fourth box.

In the kings' view, you will just randomly pick a box because you are so stupid. This gives you barely 1 chance out of 8 to pick a white bead (1/4 to pick that one box containing white beads multiplied with almost 1/2 to pick a white bead out that box).

Assuming each of the four boxes are identical, by picking up each box in turn, you will be able to tell by weight or the rattling noises which one of the boxes contains the mixed beads. Picking the box with the mixed beads will mean that you have a slightly better than 50% chance of living.

Thanks to "Ben Leil" and "Kobold" for posting solutions in the forum

Thursday, August 6, 2015

U2 Gig

No comments :
u2 gig logical game
Bono, The Edge, Adam, and Larry must cross a narrow darkened bridge in order to reach the stage where they are due to play in 17 minutes.

Unfortunately they only have one torch between them which must be used to cross the bridge safely and may not be thrown, only carried across the bridge.

The bridge will hold up to two band members at any time.

Each member crosses at their own pace and two members must go at the slower members pace.

Bono can cross in one minute, The Edge in two, Adam in five, and Larry in ten.

How do they make it in time?

U2 Gig Puzzle Solution

The trick is to get the two slowest people to cross at the same time. One solution is...
  • Bono and Edge cross the bridge for which they take 2 mins (Total time = 2)
  • Then Bono comes back with the torch (Total Time = 2 + 1 = 3)
  • Then Adam and Larry cross the bridge (Total time = 3 + 10 = 13)
  • Then Edge comes back (Total = 13+2 = 15)
  • Then both Bono and Edge cross the bridge (Time = 15+2=17)

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

The Diagram

2 comments :
Bob looked up from his book and noticed that Joe was staring at the VCR clock, holding a pencil and a pad of paper. He knew the clock was set correctly, having set it himself. But he noticed that Joe would occasionally write something down.

Finally Bob's curiosity got the best of him: "What are you doing, Joe?"

"Just another minute" came the reply.

"How long are you going to stare at the clock like that?" As Bob finished he noticed the clock advance a minute.

At this, Joe started scribbling some more until he produced this diagram:
8
6 8
7
4 9
7
"Why, just ten minutes, of course", Joe beamed as he showed the diagram to Bob.

What was Joe doing, and what does his diagram mean?

The Diagram Puzzle Solution

Joe counted how many times each of the 7 LEDs lit up for all 10 digits...
 _
|_|
|_|

Friday, July 17, 2015

How Many Monks?

2 comments :
how many monks riddle
There's a monastry of fifty monks that have taken a vow of silence. They go through the same routine every day. They wake up, pray. They go to lunch, their only meal of the day, were they all sit round a big circular table, and eat a simple meal. Then they go back to their rooms and pray. Then they fall asleep.

One day, the head monk of the area comes to visit. He's a bit different - he's allowed to talk and has a life outside the monastry. He tells them that there is currently a plague ravaging the land. People everywhere are dying. The disease manifests itself as red blotches on the forehead. The blotches are the only manifestation of the disease for three months, whereupon the next stage starts, a horribly painful death.

The head monk tells them that at least one of their midst will have the disease, probably more. Anybody with the disease should kill themselves, to save all of the pain and suffering. By killing themselves, they will restrict the movement of the disease, and will go to heaven. Anybody with the disease will show the first symptoms within a month. The chief monk then leaves. He returns two months later, to find that all of the infected monks have killed themselves, and they all did it on the same day.

Bear in mind the following:
  • They have no mirrors or any other way of seeing themselves
  • The blotches appear only on the forehead and cannot be seen by the monk
  • Infected monks feel no different - the only manifestation of the first part of the disease are the blotches.
  • The monks cannot talk to each other or in any other way communicate.
  • Any monks with the disease will display the blotches within a month of the head monk leaving.
  • At least one monk definitely has the disease.
  • The monks only see each other once per day, at lunch, when they are all sat round the round table.
  • These monks are brighter than the average monk....
How did they know whether or not they were infected and why did they all kill themselves on the same day?

How Many Monks? Puzzle Solution

The way they work this out and the reason it happens on the same day is as follows. It is important to note that not only are the monks intelligent but they all know all their fellow monks are as well.
Start with one monk:

He knows he is the only one who can have the disease so he kills himself on
day 1.

Then two monks:
They know that either one of them has the disease or both do. If monk1
doesn't see the mark of the disease on monk2 then he will realise that he
must have it so will kill himself. If he sees the mark then he knows that
monk2 will following the same reasoning and kill himself. If the next day
the other monk is still alive then he realises that the other monk must have
seen the mark on him and so they both have the disease and he must kill
himself. Both follow the same reasoning and kill themselves on day 2.

Three monks:
If only one of the monks has the disease he will see no mark on the other
two and so diagnose himself. He will kill himself on day one. If two monks
have the disease then they will each see one monk with the mark and one
without. When they see each other again the next day they will deduce that
the monk they see with the mark would only not have killed himself if he
could see someone else with the mark. They know it is not the third monk so
it must be them. Both diseased monks follow the same reasoning and kill
themselves on day two. If all three monks have the disease then they are all
in the same position as the healthy monk in looking on in the previous
example. Each of them can see two diseased men. When they haven't both
killed themselves on day two there can be only one reason - the viewing monk
must have the mark as well. All taking the same reasoning they all kill
themselves on day three.

And so on...
N monks all with the disease will all kill themselves on day N.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

The Maze

No comments :
maze logic game
One day you attempt to solve the ultimate maze. A massive underground labyrinth with countless twists and turns.

After entering the maze the first junction you come to is a 'T' intersection where you may continue to the left or the right. You decide to turn right. A short while later you come to another seemingly identical intersection, this time you turn to the left.

Hours later, after arriving at several hundred identical intersections and more or less randomly choosing left or right you eventually decide to head back (it's being some time since your last meal).

Unfortunately you can't remember the way you came and you didn't bring anything useful with you such as chalk or string.

What do you do?

The Maze Puzzle Solution

If there are only T junctions, then all you have to do to get back is take all of the side passages that you come across, as they are the T junctions that were taken from your original perspective.

Effectively, every side passage you come across was a T junction that was taken earlier.

Of course, defining this the "ultimate" maze was a bit of an exaggeration on our part...

Monday, June 22, 2015

Alan and Bert

No comments :
I told Alan and Bert that I had two different whole numbers in mind, each bigger than 1, but less than 15. I told Alan the product of the two numbers and I told Bert the sum of the two numbers. I explained to both of them what I had done.

Now both these friends are very clever. In fact Bert, who is a bit of a know it all, announced that it was impossible for either of them to work out the two numbers. On hearing that, Alan then worked what the two numbers were!
numbers riddle

What was the sum of the two numbers?

Alan and Bert Puzzle Solution

Starting Numbers Sum Product Product can also be made using
6, 5 11 30 10, 3
7, 4 11 28 14, 2
8, 3 11 24 6, 4 and 12, 2
9, 2 11 18 6, 3 and 9, 2
Bert knows that there are four possibilities for the starting numbers - so it is impossible to work out the starting numbers using the sum alone.

As mentioned in the question, he's quite clever - so he looks at the product that would appear if he used each of the four possible combinations. As shown in the table above, the product that appears can also be made from different numbers.

So, he announces that it is impossible for him or Alan to work out what the original numbers were. He seems to be on fairly safe ground.

Alan is a little bit more devious as well as being clever. Armed with this snippet of information he needs to look for a pair of numbers that give a non-unique sum and also give a non-unique product.
11 is the only non-unique sum which always gives a non-unique product. Alan is very clever and very smug.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

The Snail And The Well

No comments :
There was a small snail at the bottom of a thirty foot well. In desperation to get out, the snail was only able to climb up three feet during the daytime, and reluctantly slide back down two feet at night.

At this pace, how many days and nights will it take the snail to reach the top of the well?

The Snail And The Well Puzzle Solution

After traveling 3 feet up, then sliding 2 feet down, the snail had a net gain of 1 foot per day and night. One would think, 1 foot per day and night, 30 foot deep well, 30 days and nights! But that's wrong.

After 26 days and nights, the snail is 26 feet up the well. So the snail starts the 27th day at 26 feet. At the end of the 27th day, the snail has travelled to 29 feet, but during the 27th night, it slides down to 27 feet. So, on the 28th day, the snail travels 3 feet up and reaches the top of the well.

So, the final answer is 28 days and 27 nights.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Sailor's Delight

No comments :
10 pirates are ranked in order, first to last. After finding a treasure chest of 100 gold coins, they are discussing how to divide up the booty. They allow the lowest ranked sailor to divide up the coins and then vote on his idea. If the number of pirates who like the division is equal to or greater than the others who don't like it, then the boss will say, "Make it So." (The proposer of the idea also has a vote.)

Otherwise... well, being pirates their simple solution is to dump the unfortunate sailor into the deep blue sea and let the next pirate in line decide how to divide up the spoils.

pirates and coins game

How many pirates will be thrown into the sea?

 

Notes:
  • Pirates are smart, want money, and love life, especially their own!
  • This one is harder than average. If you are stuck, think of fewer pirates...
  • Why would #1 ever vote for any schemes?
  • Why would #2 ever vote for any schemes?
  • ... hmmmm

Sailor's Delight Puzzle Solution

We asked you readers to send us a solution to this puzzle, and we kept an open mind about it.
The first person with a simple, elegant, and, in our opinion, valid solution, is Saurabh Gupta, a faithful reader and avid puzzler. Here is Saurabh's solution.

How many pirates will be thrown into the sea? None. And the correct distribution is:
Pirate
with rank
Number
of coins
1 0
2 1
3 0
4 1
5 0
6 1
7 0
8 1
9 0
10 96

Pirate 10 divided the coins. He will get the votes of pirates 2, 4, 6, 8, and himself. This is taking into consideration what each of the pirates will get if this plan is not passed.

Starting with a situation when there is only pirate 1. He keeps all the 100 coins for himself and live happily by passing the division with his only vote.

In case that there are two pirates, pirate 2 divides and he keeps 100 coins for himself while giving none to pirate 1. He still gets the division passed with his vote and live happily ever after.
In case there are three pirates, pirate 3 divides and gives pirate 1 a single coin and keeps the other 99 coins for himself. Pirate 1 would now vote in his favor because if he votes against, then pirate 2 would get a chance to divide and would keep all the loot for himself.

If four pirates are present, pirate 4 divides and now gives pirate 2 a single coin to gain his vote (who otherwise gets nothing if pirate 3 has a chance to divide the coins). In this case, pirates 1 and 3 get nothing.

Therefore, in a similar manner, the distribution when there is an extra pirate is achieved as follows:

With 5 pirates,
pirate 5 divides:
Pirate
with rank
Number
of coins
1 1
2 0
3 1
4 0
5 98
With 6 pirates,
pirate 6 divides:
Pirate
with rank
Number
of coins
1 0
2 1
3 0
4 1
5 0
6 98
With 7 pirates,
pirate 7 divides:
Pirate
with rank
Number
of coins
1 1
2 0
3 1
4 0
5 1
6 0
7 97
With 8 pirates,
pirate 8 divides:
Pirate
with rank
Number
of coins
1 0
2 1
3 0
4 1
5 0
6 1
7 0
8 97
With 9 pirates,
pirate 9 divides:
Pirate
with rank
Number
of coins
1 1
2 0
3 1
4 0
5 1
6 0
7 1
8 0
9 96
With 10 pirates,
pirate 10 divides:
Pirate
with rank
Number
of coins
1 0
2 1
3 0
4 1
5 0
6 1
7 0
8 1
9 0
10 96
This solution holds because all pirates are rational and think through the situation. They understand that they don't get anything if the next ranked pirate gets a chance to make the division.

There is, however, still some doubt about this solution. After all, it was said that pirates are smart. With this solution, based on a method of dividing the booty supposedly approved by all, it is shown that only one (the last one) is very smart, while 4 of them get only a coin, and 5 of them get nothing. This seems to be in conflict with the statement that pirates are smart. Even if the method was approved only by half of them (the ones who get at least a coin), 4 of these voters don't seem very smart if they get only one coin. Certainly, it couldn't have been a dictatorship decision taken by the leader, as he ends up empty-handed.

An alternative, to make the pirates look brighter, is that the dividing pirate actually shares the loot evenly between the pirates likely to give him a positive vote. In that case, the pirates who previously got only one coin, end up getting just as much as the lowest ranked, while the others get nothing again. This would entail the following solution:
Pirate
with rank
Number
of coins
1 0
2 20
3 0
4 20
5 0
6 20
7 0
8 20
9 0
10 20

This alternative solution, however, defies a bit the mechanism of the division logic and process explained in the main solution. Perhaps, it would be fair to make a re-wording of the puzzle, stating that, although pirates are smart, the method of dividing the booty is forced on them by some external entity, and no pirate, not even the leader, can oppose to it. However, a rewording of the puzzle will NOT take place, as this is how it was presented on Brent's page, and we are going to preserve it.

Also, it might be possible that this is not the only acceptable solution, and another alternative solution might exist, that doesn't raise any doubts with the puzzle premises.

So, we are still asking you: send us your solution!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Hugh's Horses

No comments :
A horse breeder goes to a horse show with a certain number of horses. The first buyer comes by and purchases half of the horses the breeder brought plus half a horse. The second buyer comes by and purchases half of what remains plus half a horse. The third buyer comes by and purchases half of what remains plus half a horse. The breeder leaves, satisfied that he has sold all the horses he brought.

All three buyers have purchased whole horses, and there is no shared ownership among them.

How many horses did the breeder bring to the show?

Hugh's Horses Puzzle Solution

(0.5 + 0.5) + (0.5 + 1.5) + (0.5 + 3.5) = 7.

Or here's a an algebraic solution kindy submitted by Greg Bradshaw. Thanks!

Solve for x where x is the total number of horses:

x = (.5x + .5) + (.5(.5x - .5) + .5) + (.5[.5{.5x - .5} - .5] + .5)
x = .5x + .5 + .25x - .25 + .5 + .5(.25x - .25 -.5) + .5
x = .5x + .5 + .25x + .25 + .5(.25x - .75) + .5
x = .5x + .5 + .25x + .25 + .125x - .375 + .5
x = .5x + .5 + .25x + .25 + .125x + .125
x = .875x + .875
.125x = .875
x = .875/.125
x = 7

Friday, May 8, 2015

The Dog Situation

No comments :
8 dogs riddle
The Rector's four boys have done their best to make the dog situation at the rectory confusing. Each of the four, their names Alec, Bob, Charlie, and David, owns two dogs, and each has named his dogs after two of his brothers. Each boy has, in consequence, two doggy namesakes.

Of the eight dogs, three are cocker spaniels, three are terriers, and two are dachshunds. None of the four boys owns two dogs of the same breed. No two dogs of the same breed have the same name. Neither of Alec's dogs is named David and neither of Charlie's dogs is named Alec. No cocker spaniel is named Alec, and no terrier is named David. Bob does not own a terrier.

What are the names of the dachshunds, and who are their owners?

The Dog Situation Puzzle Solution

One of the dachshunds is owned by Bob and is named Alec, while the other is owned by Charlie and is called David.

To get to the solution, let's gather all the information we're given:

1 Each boy has named his dogs after two of his brothers
2 Each boy has two doggy namesakes
3 There are 3 cocker spaniels, 3 terriers, and 2 dachshunds
4 None of the four boys owns two dogs of the same breed
5 No two dogs of the same breed have the same name
6 Neither of Alec's dogs is named David
7 Neither of Charlie's dogs is named Alec
8 No cocker spaniel is named Alec
9 No terrier is named David
10 Bob does not own a terrier 

With this info, it follows that:

11 Alec's dogs are named Bob and Charlie (from 6 and 1)
12 Charlie's dogs are named Bob and David (from 7 and 1)
13 David's dogs are named Alec and Charlie (from 11, 12, 1 and 2)
14 Bob's dogs are named Alec and David (from 11, 12, 13, 1 and 2)
15 Bob's dogs are a cocker and a dachshund (from 3, 4 and 10)
16 The 3 cockers are called Bob, Charlie, and David (from 3, 5 and 8)
17 The 3 terriers are called Alec, Bob, and Charlie (from 3, 5 and 9)
18 The 2 dachshunds are called Alec and David, because the names Bob and Charlie are already taken by cockers and terriers (from 2, 3, 16 and 17)
19 Bob's dachshund must be called Alec, because there are no cockers with that name (from 14, 15, 16 and 18)
20 Bob's cocker is called David (from 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19)
21 The dachshund called David must belong to Charlie (from 12, 18 and 20)

Deductions 19 and 21 have given us the solution to the puzzle.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Who Owns The Zebra?

No comments :
There are five houses.
Each house has its own unique color.
All house owners are of different nationalities.
They all have different pets.
They all drink different drinks.
They all smoke different cigarettes.
The English man lives in the red house.
The Swede has a dog.
The Dane drinks tea.
The green house is on the left side of the white house.
They drink coffee in the green house.
The man who smokes Pall Mall has birds.
In the yellow house they smoke Dunhill.
In the middle house they drink milk.
The Norwegian lives in the first house.
The man who smokes Blend lives in the house next to the house with cats.
In the house next to the house where they have a horse, they smoke Dunhill.
The man who smokes Blue Master drinks beer.
The German smokes Prince.
The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.
They drink water in the house next to the house where they smoke Blend.

So, who owns the Zebra?
who own zebra riddle

Who Owns The Zebra? Puzzle Solution

The German owns the zebra!
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5
Nationality Norwegian Dane English German Swede
Colour Yellow Blue Red Green White
Drink Water Tea Milk Coffee Beer
Cigarettes Dunhill Blend Pall Mall Prince Blue Master
Pets Cats Horse Birds Zebra Dog

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Hansel And Gretal

No comments :
I walk in a straight line in the forest. As I walk, I leave a repeating pattern of 1's and 0's behind me.

What is the length of the shortest pattern such that if you happen along my trail, you can determine with certainty which direction I was going?

Hansel And Gretal Puzzle Solution

One solution is 010011, and is probably the shortest. In a repeating series of this pattern, we may get:
...11010011010011010011010011...

If we are to look through the sequence, we should find that we can match the pattern 010011 but not the reverse pattern, 110010. Hence we know which direction the person was travelling.
...11010011010011010011010011...

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Golf

No comments :
Jack, Levi, Seth, and Robert were, not necessarily in this order, a Stock Broker, a Musician, a Doctor, and a Lawyer. They drove, also not necessarily in order, a Porsche, a Ferrari, a Cadillac, and a Corvette.

The Stock Broker, was remarking to no one in particular one day, while finishing up a round of golf which involved all four friends, that he found it curious that Jack and the Lawyer each wanted to buy the Corvette, but that the Musician didn't because he preferred his Porsche. After the game was over, Seth offered to buy a round of sodas for the Doctor, for the owner of the Cadillac, and for the owner of the Corvette. Levi, who was beaten by the Stock Broker, was in a bad mood, and so he declined Seth's offer and left without joining the others in the club house.

What car did each person own, and what were their respective occupations

Golf Puzzle Solution

The clues given in the puzzle are:
  • The Stock Broker is not Levi.
  • Jack is not the Lawyer; neither Jack nor the Lawyer owns the Corvette.
  • The Musician owns the Porsche; therefore no one else owns the Porsche and the Musician owns no other car.
  • Seth is not the owner of the Cadillac, the Corvette, nor is he the Doctor; also, the Doctor does not own either the Cadillac or the Corvette either.
By Reasoning:
  • The Doctor, by elimination, must own the Ferrari; the Lawyer must own the Cadillac; the Stock Broker must own the Corvette.
  • Tne Stock Broker owns the Corvette. Neither Seth nor Jack own the Corvette, so the Stock Broker must be Robert; since the Stock Broker drives the Corvette, then Robert drives the Corvette.
  • The Lawyer owns the Cadillac. Seth does not own the Cadillac; therefore Seth is not the Lawyer; therefore Seth is the Musician; the Musician owns the Porsche; therefore Seth owns the Porsche.
  • By elimination, Jack is the Doctor; the Doctor owns the Ferrari; therefore Jack owns the Ferrari.
  • By elimination, Levi owns the Cadillac.
The Solution:
  • Seth is the Musician and owns the Porsche.
  • Levi is the Lawyer and owns the Cadillac.
  • Jack is the Doctor and owns the Ferrari.
  • Robert is the Stock Broker and owns the Corvette.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Mountaineer

No comments :
An Austrian mountaineer left Zurglatt, his village, at eight o'clock in the morning, and started his climb towards the refuge Tirpitz, on Gross Glossen mountain. He walked at a steady pace, without stopping, and his increase in heart pulse rate was negligible. He reached the refuge at three in the afternoon, i.e. seven hours since he left the village. At the refuge he rested, admired the view, scribbled some notes on his diary, sang three lieder, ate two sausages and drank a litre of beer. He then slipped into his sleeping bag and fell asleep.
mountaineer logical game

The next morning, at eight o'clock, he started his descent, again with a steady pace, but faster, since he was travelling downhill. He reached Zurglatt at one in the afternoon, after walking for five hours.

Could there be a point along the path where the mountaineer walked, on the outbound and the return journey, exactly at the same time of day?

Mountaineer Puzzle Solution

Of course there is. To make sure, imagine two mountaineers: one is in the village, and the other one is at the refuge. They'll both leave at eight o'clock, travel along the same path as our mountaineer, and at his same speed. At some point along the path they'll obviously meet.

Monday, March 9, 2015

General Manoeuvres

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A platoon of 40 soldiers, inclusive of troopers, senior soldiers, sergeants and commander, was standing by the bank of a river. In order to cross it, they found only a small rubber rowing boat and a pair of paddles, belonging to two young boys. Due to its rather restricted size, the boat can only carry either the two boys together, or a single grown-up.

While the lieutenant - commander of the platoon - was trying to figure out the best way to organize the crossing, the radio received an urgent request: the captain wanted to know exactly how long the platoon would take to cross the river; ie how many minutes, or hours, or days were needed before the last man set his foot on the opposite bank of the river.

The lieutenant worked out that the boat, when carrying the two boys, would take 10 minutes to cross the river. One boy alone on the boat would need 5 minutes. One soldier - soldiers are not the best rowers - would take 8 minutes.

These calculations included the time taken by people to jump on board and get off the boat. After a few seconds, the officer, who had an above average IQ, sent the message with the answer to his captain.

How was the crossing organised, and how long did it take for the entire platoon to cross the river?


General Manoeuvres Puzzle Solution

The manoeuvre was conducted this way:
  1. The two boys cross to the opposite bank (10 mins)
  2. One of them stays there while the other comes back (5 mins)
  3. The boy gets off the boat, a soldier jumps on board and crosses the river (8 mins)
  4. The soldier gets off, and the boat returns with the other boy (5 mins)
This operation required 28 minutes. The sequence had to be repeated as many times as the number of men in the platoon, ie 39 more times. However, it was needed to subtract 5 minutes from from the total: when the last man of the platoon crossed, the time (5 mins) taken by the second boy to cross back must not be counted, as the last soldier had already reached the other bank of the river.

The total time was therefore [(28 * 40) - 5] = 1115 minutes, which amounts to 18 hours and 35 minutes.

Mike Horan points out that it can be done faster if you leave both boys stranded on one side with the boat on the other. The first 39 soldiers cross at 28 minutes each (1092 minutes). You then have the two boys plus the last solider on one side. The final soldier then rows across himself, hence 1092 + 8 = 1100 minutes.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Poker Results

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poker game riddle
Alice, Barbara, Claire, Daniel and Edward are discussing the result of the card game of the previous night.

Person #1 (woman): "Claire is single. The sisters and brothers all together totalled a loss of £9."

Person #2 (man): "My wife and I have lost a total of £1."

Person #3 (woman): "My sisters-in-law, all together, have lost £2."

Person #4 (man): "My brother-in-law and I have managed to lose £12 all together."

Person #5 (woman): "My result combined with that of Alice - who is Daniel's wife and an only child - is overall positive."

How much has each of them won or lost?

Poker Results Puzzle Solution

The 5 people and their wins/losses are:

Person #1: Barbara (+ £4).
Person #2: Edward (- £5).
Person #3: Alice (+ £14).
Person #4: Daniel (- £7).
Person #5: Claire (- £6).

This result is obtained from the statements of the 5 people.
  • Since the sisters-in-law (#1 and #5) lost, wile #5 and Alice have won, then #3 is Alice.
  • Alice won £14, because £2 lost by the sister-in-law, and £12 lost by the men.
  • #1 is Barbara, as she talks about Claire.
  • Alice is the only child, therefore the sisters-in-law must be sisters of the husband (Daniel).
  • Daniel lost £7, as the bunch of brothers and sisters have lost a total of £9, of which only £2 was lost by the sisters.
  • Edward lost £5, as the two men lost a total of £12, of which £7 was lost by Daniel.
  • Barbara - Edward's wife because Claire is single - won £4, as the total lost by the couple Barbara-Edward is £1.
  • Claire lost £6, as the total loss of the two sisters is £2, but Barbara won £4.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Snake

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How are we to seat them within our only 8 remaining spaces?" frowned the manager of the theatre. Everyone was well aware of the problems of these eight people. They came as a group, but each person loathed one or two of the other people and could not stand to be near them.
The assistant manager gestured to the plan of seats remaining. "I have made eight counters to represent each of the people in this group. I have numbered them logically. Person 1 and 8 only hate 2 and 7 respectively. All the others hate the numbers on either side of them." He rubbed his chin in thought, "the only problem is how can we arrange them so that no-one is right next to anyone they hate?"

Place the counters 1 to 8 in the grey squares above such that no two consecutive counters are adjacent to one another horizontally, vertically nor diagonally.

Snake Puzzle Solution

Counters 1 and 8 need to be in the middle since they each have only one number that they cannot be neighbours with. Hence 7 and 2 must go in the sidewings, and the rest is trivial.

3 5
7 1 8 2
4 6