Try to solve this interesting logical task!!!

[dimm_coder]

Try to solve this interesting logical task.

I don't know may be it was shine of haven on my brain, but I solved it for nearly 1 minute.

If you know this task already, please give a chance to solve it for anyone else
and don't write the answer now.

So....

Three wise men were disputing - who is the wisest of them?
Then they saw an old man. One of them said: "Old man, can U settle
our dispute. Can U determine who is the wisest of us".
"Ok",- said the old man,- "I have 5 hats in my bag.
There are three black and two white of them. U all close
your eyes and I put a hat on everyone's head. Then U all
open your eyes. U can not see color of your hat, but U can
see the color of the hat on other wise men. Then the wisest man
is that who says the first and rightly which color of his hat is ".
Then it all was done. The old man put black hats on everyone's head.
The wise men looked at each other. 1 minute passed. Then one of the
wise men said: "I have a black hat".
"Yes, U are right. And U are the wisest", - said the old man.

Now a question - How this wise man could determine the color of his hat rightly .

Write here or write messages with answers privatly to me.
Then I will write here the name of the winner.


Good luck!!!

[Simon666]

Oh come on! There is a more difficult version of this. The other two must have a white hat, and since there are only two white hats, the winner must have a black one. The other two can thus apparently see only one black and one white hat. This means they themselves can either have a black or the last remaining white hat. So this does not mean they aren't wise or anything. I think this version s*cks.

Oh, by the way, I saw this kind of riddle earlier and I think you should be able to solve this under 30 seconds.

[Ungi]

Originally posted by Simon666
Oh come on! There is a more difficult version of this. The other two must have a white hat, and since there are only two white hats, the winner must have a black one. The other two can thus apparently see only one black and one white hat. This means they themselves can either have a black or the last remaining white hat. So this does not mean they aren't wise or anything. I think this version s*cks.

Oh, by the way, I saw this kind of riddle earlier and I think you should be able to solve this under 30 seconds.

I cant really follow your solution... I got the solution of the riddle but it is more simple that you wrote it...

I needed the lunch to solve the riddle.

[Simon666]

I cant really follow your solution... I got the solution of the riddle but it is more simple that you wrote it...
If only two white hats are available, and one of the wise men sees two white hats. Then this wise man must wear a black hat. How much simpler than this can it get?

[Ungi]

Originally posted by Simon666

If only two white hats are available, and one of the wise men sees two white hats. Then this wise man must wear a black hat. How much simpler than this can it get?

But the other two wear black hat. What do you have, the last black hat or one of the two white hats??

[Yves M]

[ups, I didn't want to spoil the riddle ;) ]

[Yves M]

Had you found it before then, Ungi ? I have to admit that I've seen riddles like this one before though...

[Ungi]

I found it out and I sent a PM to dimm_coder!! :cool:
Let us delete the solution posts so everyone could have fun with this riddle!!

[Yves M]

Sounds fine :)

[Simon666]

The old man put black hats on everyone's head.
Aha, OK. Apparently I did not read that line. This makes the riddle far more difficult and is the version I know. I've just finished typing at 12.42h and send the answer to dimm_coder as a private message. I posted it here first but in the mean time Yves and Ungi had made another post requesting it not to. So this is done.

[Ungi]

Aha, OK. Apparently I did not read that line. This makes the riddle far more difficult and is the version I know. The wise man who has the answer reasons as follows:

PM to dimm_coder and he will tell.

Please delete you Post, so others also could have fun with the riddle!!

[dimm_coder]

Ok!

I got some right answers.

The most complete and accomplished:

It's by my time zone.

Simon666 : 1:41 PM
Yves M : 1:44 PM

So only 3 minutes between them. ;)

Also Umgi write more early . And he has right understanding,
but it was not so complex like two other.

And Simon666 U mast read more carefully at first ;)

Thank U for right answers! :cool:

[Ungi]

My name is Ungi not Umgi!!!

I new that I should have express my solution in bether english and not so complicated.

dimm_coder, won't you paste the answers or Simon, Yves and me??

[Simon666]

My name is Ungi not Umgi!!!

I new...
It is I knew and dimm_coder probably also made just a typing error.

And Simon666 U mast read more carefully at first.
Sorry, but I try minimizing the time I use on this forum, to no advance. I have to admit it: I'm addicted.

[Ungi]

Originally posted by Simon666

I have to admit it: I'm addicted.

Who not???!?

[Simon666]

I would like to know who is the most heavily addicted. Judging by the number of messages per day I would say Yves M (16.09 per day). I think this is the maximum I've ever seen on Codeguru.

[Ungi]

Originally posted by Simon666
I would like to know who is the most heavily addicted. Judging by the number of messages per day I would say Yves M (16.09 per day). I think this is the maximum I've ever seen on Codeguru.
Just a guy called AnOnYmUs has more i think...

[dimm_coder]

Ungi wrote:
My name is Ungi not Umgi!!!

Sorry, I know. It was slip of pen. :( Excuse me :rolleyes:

dimm_coder, won't you paste the answers or Simon, Yves and me??

I didn't understand what U meant :confused:. As I remember I post U complete answer from Yves M.:

[Ungi]

Originally posted by dimm_coder
Ungi wrote:
My name is Ungi not Umgi!!!

Sorry, I know. It was slip of pen. :( Excuse me :rolleyes:

dimm_coder, won't you paste the answers or Simon, Yves and me??

I didn't understand what U meant :confused:. As I remember I post U complete answer from Yves M.:

Just for comparision between the answers, and to laugh about mine (written in perfect english)...

[Simon666]

Could anybody forward me Yves and dimm_coder's answers? Just for comparison too?

[Yves M]

Originally posted by dimm_coder
Ok!

I got some right answers.

The most complete and accomplished:

It's by my time zone.

Simon666 : 1:41 PM
Yves M : 1:44 PM

So only 3 minutes between them. ;)

Also Umgi write more early . And he has right understanding,
but it was not so complex like two other.

And Simon666 U mast read more carefully at first ;)

Thank U for right answers! :cool:

Well, I posted the answer at 12.30 here on the thread ;) But then Ungi urged me to delete it again :p

[Ungi]

Originally posted by Simon666
Could anybody forward me Yves and dimm_coder's answers? Just for comparison too?

Done.

[Yves M]

Since this is already page 2 of the thread, I'll post another riddle.

Simon is on holiday in Austria when he's captured by Austrian cannibals. Their cunning chief Ungi gives one last chance to Simon. He's put into a room with three switches and Ungi tells him that only one of the switches is connected to a lamp in the room next to it. The two rooms are separated by a large steel door that lets no light filter through. There are no windows or other means of communication between the rooms.

Ungi : "Now, Simon, we will leave you in this room for 5 minutes. Then you knock on the door and we'll let you into the other room. Then you will have to tell me which switch is connected to the lamp. If you don't find it, we'll eat you. If you succeed, we'll merely subject you to two hours of yodling."

If you were Simon, what would you do ?

[Simon666]

I don't like Yodling. I prefer to be useful, whether as programmer or as dinner. :D

[Simon666]

There is no mathematical solution for this, only a physical: pull on switch one for five minutes. Then pull it off and pull on switch two.

When the correct switch is :

Switch one: no light will be burning but the lamp will still be hot.
Switch two: the light will be burning.
Switch three: the light will not be burning and the lamp will be cool.

I know this because I think I've seen this one before too, although I'm not sure. However, since they are Austrian cannibals, they might be more sophisticated than their African, South- American and Papoua New-Guinee counterparts, which would mean they have TL-lights. In this case I would be pretty much screwed, it's even fair to say I would be toast. Although as said, I think yodling isn't fun either.

[Ungi]

Originally posted by Yves M
Since this is already page 2 of the thread, I'll post another riddle.

Simon is on holiday in Austria when he's captured by Austrian cannibals. Their cunning chief Ungi gives one last chance to Simon. He's put into a room with three switches and Ungi tells him that only one of the switches is connected to a lamp in the room next to it. The two rooms are separated by a large steel door that lets no light filter through. There are no windows or other means of communication between the rooms.

Ungi : "Now, Simon, we will leave you in this room for 5 minutes. Then you knock on the door and we'll let you into the other room. Then you will have to tell me which switch is connected to the lamp. If you don't find it, we'll eat you. If you succeed, we'll merely subject you to two hours of yodling."

If you were Simon, what would you do ?
Austrian canibals, ha.... Just because we live some meters above Luxembourgh???? :D

But nice riddle, I'll try to solve it until tomorrow, because I will go home now!! CU

[Simon666]

Austrian canibals, ha.... Just because we live some meters above Luxembourgh ????
On second thought, I think they are less sophisticated than their other counterparts and I wouldn't be toast. :D

[dimm_coder]

Ok. Some later I'll post here solutions from everyone.
And I'll tell the story when and how I solve this task.
It was jokingly story. :p
For this time may be anyone else try to solve it.

Now I mast finish some code, sorry :rolleyes:

[Ungi]

Originally posted by Simon666

On second thought, I think they are less sophisticated than their other counterparts and I wouldn't be toast. :D

Belgium man speaking about canabalism...

But since today it is allowed to kill in Belgium. (new euthanasia-law)

[Simon666]

But since today it is allowed to kill in Belgium. (new euthanasia-law)
At least we still have a government that can vote laws. :D And what's wrong with euthanasia?

[Ungi]

Originally posted by Simon666

At least we still have a government that can vote laws. :D And what's wrong with euthanasia?

What's wrong with euthanasia???????? Oh my god, you klill human beings!!! God made people!!!!!!!!

[dimm_coder]

Heh , Simon666 right. Interesting, but next don't write right answer, because when I load this page U already answer here.

And Yves M next time write task about me, pleaaaaseee! ;)

[Simon666]

What's wrong with euthanasia???????? Oh my god, you klill human beings!!! God made people!!!!!!!!
Oh my,...eh God I guess, here we go again. I will not discuss further on this since this is not a topic related to programming and is rather sensitive. But here is my opinion:

1. God does NOT exist.
2. Therefore God did NOT create men. Women neither (to Xeon).
3. If anybody is going through unbearable pain that makes life on earth seem like h*ll prematurely, he/she should have the right to make an end to his life. It is your own body and life, NOT God's.

About people thinking otherwise:

1. If you go through the same, nobody is going to kill you if you do not want to.
2. You cannot decide what people can or cannot do, unless when this brings harm to other people (evading taxes,robbery,...). But taking your own life does not harm anybody else.

If you are so passionate about it, I suggest you go stand by the railroads and try to stop anybody from jumping in front of a train.

[Xeon]

God does NOT exist.

This is defiant and open trenchery to us folks who're belivers of the Almighty. Now Simon.....do u think that being a Satanist is cool? No! It's not! Please, my son!

Plus, we kind souls will be good and follow the teachings in the Bible even if there is no God to lead it. As long as God exists in our hearts, that's enough for us.

Also, if there's no God, then there's no Satan. Was it not God who created Satan in the first place? And if there's no Satan, there'll be no Satanists. So, stop being one, Simon. From your tone and style of speech whereby you're cold, I know darn well u must be a anti-God being.

The Lord is the Lord, and my heart is with Him, whether He is there or not. Be careful not to get your head smashed late at night, and watch your back, Simon. We're all the good followers of the Lord. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

And.......we will not be led astray by you, Simon! Please! Go away and don't teach us the bad things.....the Way of the Devil! :rolleyes:

[Ungi]

It makes no sense to discuss if god exists or not.

But for me he does. Deep in my heart he tells me whats correct and whats not, how I should interact with people and so on.

And I think euthanasia is not correct.

[irona20]

Originally posted by Ungi
It makes no sense to discuss if god exists or not.

But for me he does. Deep in my heart he tells me whats correct and whats not, how I should interact with people and so on.

And I think euthanasia is not correct.
Only for curiosity... and is abortion correct?

[Simon666]

I am not a Satanist. A little program will demonstrate my point:



switch (SupremeBeing)
{
case (Jehova):
JewsToHell == FALSE;
HindusToHell == TRUE;
MuslimsToHell == TRUE;
BuddhistsToHell == TRUE;
ChristiansToHell == TRUE;
OthersGoToHell == TRUE;

PeopleGoingToHell = 0.98 // 1.0 == All
break;

case (Vishnu):
JewsToHell == TRUE;
HindusToHell == FALSE;
MuslimsToHell == TRUE;
BuddhistsToHell == TRUE;
ChristiansToHell == TRUE;
OthersGoToHell == TRUE;

PeopleGoingToHell = 0.866 // 1.0 == All
break;

case (Allah):
JewsToHell == TRUE;
HindusToHell == TRUE;
MuslimsToHell == FALSE;
BuddhistsToHell == TRUE;
ChristiansToHell == TRUE;
OthersGoToHell == TRUE;

PeopleGoingToHell = 80.4 // 1.0 == All
break;

case (Buddha):
JewsToHell == TRUE;
HindusToHell == TRUE;
MuslimsToHell == TRUE;
BuddhistsToHell == FALSE;
ChristiansToHell == TRUE;
OthersGoToHell == TRUE;

PeopleGoingToHell = 0.941 // 1.0 == All
break;

case (God):
JewsToHell == TRUE;
HindusToHell == TRUE;
MuslimsToHell == TRUE;
BuddhistsToHell == TRUE;
ChristiansToHell == FALSE;
OthersGoToHell == TRUE;

PeopleGoingToHell = 0.67 // 1.0 == All
break;

case (Other):
JewsToHell == TRUE;
HindusToHell == TRUE;
MuslimsToHell == TRUE;
BuddhistsToHell == TRUE;
ChristiansToHell == TRUE;
OthersGoToHell == TRUE;

PeopleGoingToHell = 0.721 // At least !!!!
break;

case (None):
JewsToHell == FALSE;
HindusToHell == FALSE;
MuslimsToHell == FALSE;
BuddhistsToHell == FALSE;
ChristiansToHell == FALSE;
OthersGoToHell == FALSE;

PeopleGoingToHell = 0.00 // God and h*ll do not exist
break;
}


Thus, if there is a God, you will in the best case (Christianity) send 0.67*10.000.000.000 people = 6.700.000.000 people to h*ll, just because they do not recognize or haven't been told about God. And then I do not consider the diverse opinions (catholic-protestant , sunni-shia) and feuds within these religions.

The atheist case is the most compassionate with people. And by the way, Xeon, I am an atheist, not a satanist despite the 666.

[Simon666]

Only for curiosity... and is abortion correct?
Just for the record my opinion: depends on it. If the foetus isn't to old yet, I see no problem. But it should be avoided, since it is a sort of operation, and as all operations involves the risk of complications which can ofcourse ultimately be or lead to death.

[irona20]

Originally posted by Simon666
case (God):
JewsToHell == DEPENDS ON;
HindusToHell == DEPENDS ON;
MuslimsToHell == DEPENDS ON;
BuddhistsToHell == DEPENDS ON;
ChristiansToHell == DEPENDS ON;

PeopleGoingToHell = ¿? I don't know :)
break;



Well, I only can talk about my religion, and I think now it is accurate.

[irona20]

Originally posted by Simon666
Just for the record my opinion: depends on it. If the foetus isn't to old yet, I see no problem. But it should be avoided, since it is a sort of operation, and as all operations involves the risk of complications which can ofcourse ultimately be or lead to death.
Well, can you define when there is life in a foetus??? , I think there is life from fertilization.

[Simon666]

There IS life from fertilisation. But as I remember well from my biology lessons, when you have pictures of the foetus in its earliest stages of development, they look virtually the same to the naked eye and even more for different species of animals. I believe you are a hypocryt when you consider killing animals OK and killing something less advanced, less intelligent not OK, just because it is human.

It is the same as racism: muslims are considered less advanced qua technology and culture, so it is OK to kill them, but it is not OK to kill christians. If you look at the policy of a certain country vs Irak, that is at least the impression you get.

[Yves M]

Oh my god, what are you doing to this thread ? :eek:

Anyways, whether God exists or not, nobody should kill anybody else just because of a difference on opinions.

Interesting and random fact : if you are catholic, it's a sin not to attend the sunday service. My english teacher tried to point out the difference between "should" and "have to" by saying that a catholic has to go to church. I pointed out that it should be "should go to church", since it's a personal choice, not an outer obligation, but he came up with some verdict by some 12th century pope who said that it's a sin not to go to church. Hence the "have to".

Euthanasia : the principle is good. There used to be a law in many countries that suicide was a crime. So if you attempted suicide and failed, you could theoretically go to jail. Luckily this was not enforced... The practical application can lead to many problems though. When people suffer they get depressed and often say they want to die. Even though they might want to live on, when they have a better day.

And abortion... It's something to decide for the woman in question, and I don't think it's our business to decide for her. There are abuses but with the help of doctors and psychologists they can be kept at a minimum.

[irona20]

Originally posted by Simon666
There IS life from fertilisation. But as I remember well from my biology lessons, when you have pictures of the foetus in its earliest stages of development, they look virtually the same to the naked eye and even more for different species of animals. I believe you are a hypocryt when you consider killing animals OK and killing something less advanced, less intelligent not OK, just because it is human.

First... I don't think the power to kill is in the intelligent (a newborn is less inteligent and nobody thinks in kill them).
I think you don't have rights to kill an future human being. OTOH, I think it's OK to kill animals for good purposes (food, etc) but it isn't OK to kill animals for hobby. (it's the pyramid of the life)


It is the same as racism: muslims are considered less advanced qua technology and culture, so it is OK to kill them, but it is not OK to kill christians. If you look at the policy of a certain country vs Irak, that is at least the impression you get.

It isn't OK to kill anybody.

[Simon666]

Oh my god, what are you doing to this thread ?
I'm sorry, but I do not like religious fundamentalists whether muslim or christian who want to say what people can or cannot do, even in life and death. And if that someone is so fundi to tell or suggest a whole country - mine - has gone mad, that is just one bridge too far. :mad: And for the record, Belgium is the SECOND country with such a law, after the Netherlands, and it is not as far stretching as theirs.

[irona20]

Originally posted by Yves M
And abortion... It's something to decide for the woman in question, and I don't think it's our business to decide for her. There are abuses but with the help of doctors and psychologists they can be kept at a minimum.

Well, in normal cases, a child is for a woman and for a man. :)
I think the man must decide with her

[Simon666]

First... I don't think the power to kill is in the intelligent (a newborn is less inteligent and nobody thinks in kill them).
With intelligence I did not mean IQ or so, but the ability to have pain and have feelings. A moskuito can have pain to, it also has a neural structure, but is has no feelings (probably).
think you don't have rights to kill an future human being.
That is my whole point. A FUTURE human being IS CURRENTLY NOT necessarily a human being yet. It is far more primitive and people twist this logic, which is understandable, because we know the resulting being is human, is a son or a daughter, is valuable and is the future of mankind. But it is not (yet) a human as we understand it. That is my point.

[Yves M]

Originally posted by irona20


Well, in normal cases, a child is for a woman and for a man. :)
I think the man must decide with her

In case there is still a man involved, yes... :rolleyes:

[Xeon]

Just a note to you, Irona. If you're pregnant or anything and u wanna abort the baby, please don't. Gimme the baby, and I'll keep it all a secret. No one will ever know u're the mom or anything.

I promise : I'll care for the sacred child like my own, and I'll rather die myself than to see it starved. I would try all my best to give it a really great and happy life, so do trust me.
I'll send the child to a good school when he grows up, and I shall see to it that the child will find a wonderful mate.

Please Irona.......please don't abort the baby. Give the baby to me.:)

[Simon666]

Hereby I find Xeon the winner of the mother Theresa award. Please collect your prize in the Vatican. Ask for Johannus-Paulus II, or JayPeeTwo for the friends. :D

[irona20]

Originally posted by Xeon
Just a note to you, Irona. If you're pregnant or anything and u wanna abort the baby, please don't. Gimme the baby, and I'll keep it all a secret. No one will ever know u're the mom or anything.

I promise : I'll care for the sacred child like my own, and I'll rather die myself than to see it starved. I would try all my best to give it a really great and happy life, so do trust me.
I'll send the child to a good school when he grows up, and I shall see to it that the child will find a wonderful mate.

Please Irona.......please don't abort the baby. Give the baby to me.:)

:D :D I am not pregnant!!! :) ... moreover, you haven't read my posts, because if you read my posts you will see I'm against abort!!!

[Xeon]

(.....goes on stage and smiles widely at the zillions of cameras flashing at him)

Well! Indeed, I feel really suprised and at the same time, totally honoured to have been nominated for this great prize.
Actually, this is all nothing. After all, in the history of mankind, there were greater saints and nobler lords, right? What is this act of mine comparable to? Nothing!

Well, my good people, I feel kind of guilty to have been walking up on this gallant stage to receive this prize! Really! I dunno what to say! But then, in life, be your best.

It does not matter whether you're ugly or not, or whether you have a gurlfriend or a boyfriend, a husband or a wife. The thing is : in life, if you do kind things, you're already a great person who's half-way through the steps to Seventh Heaven.

Lastly, to conclude with my humble speech, I would like to thank Iron Maiden for giving me this golden opportunity to express my kindness and show my mightiness to the entire universe.
I would also like to thank my friends, my relatives, and my family.

Thank you! I hope I'll have a chance to receive this kind of awesome prize again! Thank you, guys! It really boosted my happiness and my ego! Wow!(kisses the prize)
Thanks, my good people! :D:D:D

[Simon666]

because if you read my posts you will see I'm against abort!!!
Just for info, I am against it too, with the clarification that it should be avoided whenever it can. This is not often the case, people are often careless. But I do not believe you should be able to deny other people that right if they want to do it. I'ld like people to be able to choose upon their own life and death. If you are against it, fine, then just don't do it in your case. But do not interfere with how other people decide. That is the first step to a dictature.

[irona20]

For your words, do you believe in anarchy??? For me, laws must impede murders, and for me an abort is a murder.

[Simon666]

For your words, do you believe in anarchy??? For me, laws must impede murders, and for me an abort is a murder.
I do not want to discuss this topic any further since it is sensitive and personal, I just wanted to give my opinion once. Especially since I do not like insinuations that Belgium is an anarchy (Irona) or has murder written in its laws (Irona, Ungi). :mad: Our country is a legal mess and many citizens do not like the government, but that does not make these accusations true.

[irona20]

Originally posted by Simon666

I do not want to discuss this topic any further since it is sensitive and personal, I just wanted to give my opinion once. Especially since I do not like insinuations that Belgium is an anarchy (Irona) or has murder written in its laws (Irona, Ungi). :mad: Our country is a legal mess and many citizens do not like the government, but that does not make these accusations true.

Simon, I have never talked (neither thought) about Belgium :) I am talking about feelings in general in each person.

[Platinum Plus]

Hey stop fighting!

The more you kill the less people to conquer ... mmmmhhh ! Ok, that's it :mad:

[Xeon]

My! :)

Anyway, this is the Way of the Female. Even when faced with hot and tense situations, they still give the opponent a warm smile despite the fact that 666 might do something nasty and horrid to her.

Hmmm......kinda cute, I gotta compliment. Keep it up, Irona!
Platium Plus and Xeon are both rooting for ye'!
Go on! U can beat that man! :):D:cool:

[irona20]

Originally posted by Platinum Plus
Hey stop fighting!

The more you kill the less people to conquer ... mmmmhhh ! Ok, that's it :mad:

:) :D I'm not fighting, I'm writing my opinion :) I respect the rest of opinions.

[Garrett Headley]

Originally posted by irona20

First... I don't think the power to kill is in the intelligent (a newborn is less inteligent and nobody thinks in kill them).
I think you don't have rights to kill an future human being. OTOH, I think it's OK to kill animals for good purposes (food, etc) but it isn't OK to kill animals for hobby. (it's the pyramid of the life)



It isn't OK to kill anybody.

Unless you ARE God, right? I mean, look at his track record. There was the flood, of course. Then there was the little incident of Sodom and Gomorrah, entire cities wiped out because they were "unkind to their neighbors". Also, he wasn't too keen on Egyptians, and had the Jewish slaves mark their own doors with blood so God would know to pass over their houses as he went door to door killing the firstborn of all Egyptians (one has to wonder why God could not tell the difference between Egyptians and Jewish slaves). This "God" guy makes Stalin look like a Scout leader.

"Imagine No Religion" -- John Lennon

[Simon666]

Very funny one Garret. I know there is plenty of that in the old testament. But that is heritage from the Jews. The church did in the beginning not know what to do with this heritage and decided to partially incorporate it. In fact, if we would follow that to we would also not be allowed to eat pork, we would have to be circumcized (ouch) and so on.

The historic background is that every nation sometimes has conflicts with its neighbours, therefore most religions have incorporated that it is OK for God as long as these people do not share the same conviction, in order to avoid conscience problems of soldiers and so.

But the new testament is very peaceful, Jesus has said nowhere that it is OK to kill people who do not believe in God. He even gave a Roman his ear back.

[Platinum Plus]

But the new testament is very peaceful, Jesus has said nowhere that it is OK to kill people who do not believe in God. He even gave a Roman his ear back.

Is this Simon :cool:

[irona20]

Originally posted by Garrett Headley
Unless you ARE God, right? I mean, look at his track record. There was the flood, of course. Then there was the little incident of Sodom and Gomorrah, entire cities wiped out because they were "unkind to their neighbors". Also, he wasn't too keen on Egyptians, and had the Jewish slaves mark their own doors with blood so God would know to pass over their houses as he went door to door killing the firstborn of all Egyptians (one has to wonder why God could not tell the difference between Egyptians and Jewish slaves). This "God" guy makes Stalin look like a Scout leader.

"Imagine No Religion" -- John Lennon

Uhmmm... and... is that linked with abort??? :) I mean, I was talking about abort like a person, and I didn't mention the religion...
If you mention John Lennon.... :D :D , you can read whatever Stryper's song :D :D


And, on the other hand, I agree with Simon :)

[Platinum Plus]

Originally posted by irona20

And, on the other hand, I agree with Simon :)

Marriage of Convenience :rolleyes:

[irona20]

Originally posted by Platinum Plus
Marriage of Convenience :rolleyes:

:D :D

It would be a hard marriage, all time fighting :) (it's a joke, Simon :p)

[Platinum Plus]

Hey, BTW, what logical task are we trying to solve anyway :(

[voidspace]

Ignore - Moves on
Retry - Tries to show u the problem
Abort - Exits with lot of memory dumps
:D

[Yves M]

Originally posted by Platinum Plus
Hey, BTW, what logical task are we trying to solve anyway :(

Well, this one :

A man goes to the doctor. He comes home and is really truly happy. He gives his dog away and takes the train to go announce the good news to his parents. As the train goes through a tunnel he shoots himself. Why ?

[Mick]

The man used to be blind he's now returning from an eye
operation which restored his sight. His dog was a seeing eye dog. He's spent all his money on the operation, so when the train goes through a tunnel he at first thinks he's gone blind again and decides to kill himself.


Or were you just kidding ;)

[Mick]

Cause for awhile I thought this was a pro-choice/anti-abortion religious discussion ;)

[Mick]

And on that note, everyone should have the freedom to do what they want. Let which ever god/god(s), no god's sort it out if you were wrong or right. What I do have a problem with is anti-abortion people marching around in front of an elementary school with pictures of aborted fetuses (sp?) when the school childern get out of school. Which BTW we have some clowns doing that very such thing in Maryland. Little kids don't need to see that and your view certainly doesn't get my vote with that type of behaviour. But then again they are not everyone, there's always a couple of people waiting to accept their darwin award for the year. Hey you, outta the gene pool! And let me help you along!

[dimm_coder]

Probably it's the reason. But there is some improbability in this task.
Why the man in excelent mood which goes to parents with good news,
took the gun. ... May be he was killer? :confused:
So... It's the best... Heh...
"Doctor" is a mediator of customer.
"Parents" are Russian Mafia wich want to kill someone.
"Doctor" said to man that "Parents" orders to kill someone who mast be
in train. He said that mafia will give big money for men if he will
kill "Object" in train. If he will not kill this "Object", mafia roll
up him in asphalt at end station. "Good news" - means man done work
("Object" was killed). He gives his dog away because after work he can't
live in this place more time and so he not need dog any more.
But in train he can't find "Object" and in tunnel near end station he
killed himself because he messed the work, and to kill himself, because
to be rolled up in asphalt is the more horible death. :D

[dimm_coder]

Yves M , ...heh... I am right , you know ;)

[Xeon]

Ok, here's a logical question for you folks to try :

A man was hungry, and he went to the chicken chop vendor to buy a plate of chicken chop, which consists of french fries, bread, beans and the chicken chop itself.
The beans were bright and colorful, and they depict healh and delight. The bread was awesomely golden, and anyone who looks at it will go crazy cos' it's too fragrant and delicious. The french fries were marvellously sumptious, and makes you ask for more and more till u die. The chicken chop itself, was unchallenged : it is obviously the chicken chop created and cooked by the Angels in the Heavens.

Then, he took out his calculator and his PDA, and jotted down some stuff. He also did several programming questions and solved them all. Some include C++ questions, Java questions and Pascal questions. Then, he was wondering what food he gotta eat tonight.

The question is : What is the name of the food the man ordered?


Answer : nekcihC pohC(reverse order)

[Simon666]

This logical question is for somebody with an IQ of zero who thinks with his stomach. And if you didn't put (reverse order), I would never have found out the answer was chicken chop.

[Xeon]

And if you didn't put (reverse order), I would never have found out the answer was chicken chop.


Good for you, Simon! I love your humbleness, even though u're getting more and more like Satan. Light will always triump over Darkness! Or maybe.........Darkness will destory Darkness!

[Xeon]

Heh heh heh! Yes, yes, I simply gets turned on when I see cute gurls tucking their hair behind their ears with their fingers! Imagine they do that while they're looking at you, or better still, while talking to you......or better still, while they're talking and sitting besides you, really really close.......or better still, in.....:p

It's more than enough to send me into a sudden, terrible shock of extreme paralysis and after that, 3 months of coma. Weird but true! :):D:D

[Goodz13]

I've been reading through all the threads, trying to find out how the Wise Man knew the color of the hat.

"KILL" me if I'm right and I wasn't supposed to post the answer. Call me a "Holy Man" if I'm rong and I'm pointing people in the rong direction.

I think the wisest is the old man. The one who said the color of his hat first was guessing.

The old man out smarted the wise men by putting black hats on everyone's head, preventing any of them from answering the question with logic.

Or the wisest was the man who answered and he knew that the old man was trying to out smart the lot of them.

[JeffB]

Originally posted by Goodz13
The old man out smarted the wise men by putting black hats on everyone's head, preventing any of them from answering the question with logic.


I'm also late to that thread, and I think I've found the answer (not the chicken chop but the HAT stuff), could someone post it on the thread so everyone can see if they are right? And start a new riddle! (that do not contains any chicken chops.... hummmm, chicken chops... :) )

Ok and if I'm OK for the riddle, there is a logical way to solve it, it is not preventing any of the wise man to answer with logic by putting 3 black hats, actually, using RANDOM hats could also be answered with logic ;)

JeffB

[dimm_coder]

Ok! I solved this task more than 2 years ago and remember it
now and wrote here for every one.
I have got right answers from: Simon666, Yves M, Ungi,
Marina Vaillant, GlassOnion.

And as U are interesting in right answer, that is from Yves M answer:

call the wise men A, B and C. let's follow A's reasoning. He sees two black hats, so he draws this conclusion :
- if I had a white hat then B would see one white hat and one black hat. But B would quickly realize that he has a black hat. If B had a white hat, C would see two white hats and know immediately that he has a black hat. But B doesn't say anything, neither does C...

- Hence A has a black hat.

[Simon666]

OK, and now a new one. And on global request the new rules : only send the answer to the poster as private message until such date that this is requested no longer to or too much time has passed (say 3 days?).

[Jan Slodicka]

I think that the simplest answer could be that because all men had to have the same possibility to guess the answer they all must have had black hat.

More complicated answer:
A) If there were 2 white hats, the 3rd man would answer immediately.
B) If 1 white hat was used, 2 of the men should have answered after a few seconds (sooner than a minute - they have to wait just enough to exclude possibility A). However, 3rd man (the one with the white hat) has to wait longer to base his reaction on the remaining two. Therefore this test is not a fair test.

[dimm_coder]

I agree with U Simon.
This weekend I will try to find another interesting task. :rolleyes:

[Yves M]

Jan, that's true ;)

But sometimes life isn't fair, so the guy who set the task might have preferred one of the wise men. ;)

[Goodz13]

Here's one. If you've herd this one before, please don't spoil it.

I heard it a long time ago and just found it again. Please don't cheet.

There are 2 rooms, one with 3 light bulbs (that never burn out) mounted on the wall, one with 3 switches (that never wear out). Your goal: to figure out which switch goes to which light bulb.

These 2 rooms are separate and once inside one, you cannot not see inside the other. The room with the 3 switches has 1 switch connected to 1 light bulb in the other room.

There are no tricks to the wiring, each individual switch goes to exactly 1 light bulb, and vice versa. You are only allowed to go into each room once. You are not allowed to damage anything (Bulbs, wiring) or even look at the wiring.

How do you find out which switch goes to what bulb.

Switches
1 2 3

Bulbs
1 2 3

[Brad Jones]

Religeous conversations only cause controversy. I ask that everyone keep the conversation focused on the thread topic or else start a new thread. I ask this as the site admin.

=======================================

Here is a super-simple riddle/question to throw into the mix. I'll post the answer on Monday (if I remeber :)):


You have two coins that total thirty-five cents. One of the coins is not a quarter. What are the coins you have?

For those that don't know US currency:

penny = 1 cent
nickle = 5 cents
dime = 10 cents
quarter = 25 cents
half dollar = 50 cents
etc.

Brad!

[Yves M]

For Goodz13 :

This riddle is actually pretty much the same as the one I posted before ;) The solution is also the same :)

[Goodz13]

For Goodz13 :

This riddle is actually pretty much the same as the one I posted before The solution is also the same


I'm sorry, I missed that one.

[JeffB]

Here is a simple (but not as simple as the one from Brad Jones :) :) ... and not as funny as the one from Brad!! :D)

There is a man that own a sheep, a wolf and a lettuce. He's traveling with them in a dark forrest. One day, while walking with his animals, Wolfy and Sheepy, he find a river with a little little boat left alone. He don't care and decide to take a break since it is hot that day, and that it is noon. Some minutes later, he heard a big BOOM coming from the valley, and then an earthquake shaking and smoke in the sky. He take some minutes to understand, there is a volcano in erruption!! Oh my God, is he saying... Knowing he must cross the river (in the next hour), he prepare himself:

-The river cannot be cross by swimming, it is a strong speedy river...
-The boat is so small, he can only bring one of these with him : the wolf, the sheep or the lettuce
-He knows he cannot let the wolf alone with the sheep, he'll eat it!
-He cannot let the sheep with the lettuce alone, the sheep will eat the lettuce!!
-But, the wolf hate lettuce, he'll not eat lettuce if left alone with it
-Wolfy and Sheepy can be left alone (but not together), they will not try to flee since they love the man
-When the man is with his wolf, he make sure the wolf will not eat the sheep
-When the man is with the sheep, he keep the lettuce so the sheep will not eat it
-The man prefer to DIE instead of letting any of these (wolf, sheep and lettuce) be killed by the volcanic eruption or be eatten...

Now, the man must find a way to cross the river with the sheep, the wolf and the lettuce... time is limited, the volcanic erruption has started... who will find how to???

If you have question or interrogation, like "Is there a bridge that can be seen?", just ask it, I'll answer it "No, there is no bridge available in that desertic forrest"

JeffB :D

[Fierytycoon]

hmm, Jeff, you said that everyone would die in 1 hr. How long does it take to make a trip on the boat to the other side?

Fierytycoon

[JeffB]

Originally posted by Fierytycoon
hmm, Jeff, you said that everyone would die in 1 hr. How long does it take to make a trip on the boat to the other side?

Fierytycoon

Good question, it takes 5 minutes, including getting in and off ;)

JeffB

[SolarFlare]

got it ;)

[dimm_coder]

I post PM's to Brad :D and JeffB.

Hmm .. Now I trying to remember task.. heh .. if I remember it I post it here..
:rolleyes: :confused:

[Yves M]

Well, Jeff, does the lettuce also love the man, or will it run away when left alone ? :D

[JeffB]

Originally posted by Yves M
Well, Jeff, does the lettuce also love the man, or will it run away when left alone ? :D

LOL :D :D :D

Ok, I said I would answer all question, so the answer is NO, we could argue about the lettuce being able to love or not, but the lettuce will not leave!, this is a normal lettuce that is not geneticly modified, and the lettuce is fresh, so no big worm can come out of it and flee :D

Only three readers or only three that THINK to have found the answer? I'll post the correct answer tomorrow ;)

JeffB

[dimm_coder]

Jeff, I post you message with answer yesterday. Did U got it?
It was right answer I think. :rolleyes:

[Brad Jones]

You have two coins that total thirty-five cents. One of the coins is not a quarter. What are the coins you have?

Yes, this was an easy one; however, not everyone got it right. The best wrong guess was:

Two US dimes in Canada

That, however, would not be 35 cents, although with the exchange rates, it could be close :)

The correct answer is that you have a dime and a quarter. One coin is not a quarter. The other is.

[Brad Jones]

Here is another one for you. I actually won a CD from an internet radio station for being first to answer this one:


You have a one-room house with four windows. One window is on each of the four wall; however, all the windows are facing south. The sun is shining; the birds are singing. A bear walks by.

What color is the bear?


And an even more goofy bonus question (with no real logic):


Who is bigger, Mrs. Bigger or Mrs. Bigger's baby? WHY???

[Xeon]

We invite Professor Xeon, Ph.D, from Yale University to express this views and answers. ;)


You have a one-room house with four windows. One window is on each of the four wall; however, all the windows are facing south. The sun is shining; the birds are singing. A bear walks by.

What color is the bear?


The answer is simple : depends on what species the bear is. But since polar bears(white colors) can't survive where there's a hot sun and such,I would assume it's a bear.......a normal one : BROWN in color.

Explanation : the sentences in bold above are obviously un-related and totally crappy. The reason, I guess, is that Brad wanna distract the guesser from the real question at hand.
So, the only question he really ask is : what color is the bear?

Brown. :D


Who is bigger, Mrs. Bigger or Mrs. Bigger's baby? WHY???

Again, simple. Mrs. Bigger's baby. In this question, we don't apply the laws of the real world. We, instead, refer to C++ and Objected-Oriented Programming.(OOP)
This is due to one of the underlying concepts in C++ : Inheritance.

The child always have everything the parent(s) has, and more. So, if Mrs. Bigger is 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide, then her baby will be larger than her, taking into account Inheritance.

:)

[dimm_coder]

Do not be so self-assurance Xeon. :D

First: post answers only by private messages.

Second: your answer with bear incorrect as I think.

Third: about OOP - it's depends on type of inheritance.
Child can inherit only part of parents interfaces and members.
Like in reallity: child get genom data bat not knowledge of it's parents.

class Parent
{
public:
Genom genom;
private
Knowledge data;
Knowledge methods;
};

class Child : public Parent
{
public:
Child( Genom _g) : Parent(...), genom(_g) ,
know_data( "empty" )

Genom genom;
private:
Knoeledge know_data;
Knowledge methods; // only reflexes at first time
};

some aspects only for best understanding. ;) :D :p

[Platinum Plus]

Originally posted by Xeon
We invite Professor Xeon, Ph.D, from Yale University to express this views and answers. ;)

BROWN in color.



Beep .... wrong Professor Pentium !!! Xeon :p

[Simon666]

OK, I just send a PM to Brad containing the answer to his question.

[Goodz13]

I thought that we were suppose to send private messages.

And for Xeon. Brad Jones never said it was Hot, just that the sun was shining and the birds were out. I'm not sure of any birds in the North Pole, but it might get some in the summer. Although right at the North Pole, I don't think that there would be much of a temp. change.

[Simon666]

I thought that we were suppose to send private messages.


I edited the post fast and sent it as private message to Brad. I did this because there is no "Preview message" option. I'm sorry if you could read it in the mean while and that I spoiled the answer.


And for Xeon. Brad Jones never said it was Hot, just that the sun was shining and the birds were out. I'm not sure of any birds in the North Pole, but it might get some in the summer. Although right at the North Pole, I don't think that there would be much of a temp. change.


The fact that birds are singing does not matter. You can even hear beards singing inside a nuclear reactor control room, at least when you have a cage near you. Nobody said the birds are outside.

[JeffB]

Answer to my riddle (did not invented it thought!!): :)


1) the man take the sheep and bring it to the other side.
2) the man go back "alone"
3) the man take the lettuce and bring it to the other side.
4) the man come back with the "Sheep"
5) the man trade the sheep for the wolf, and take the wolf to the other side
6) the man come back "alone"
7) the man take the sheep to the other side (as Yves M. make me remarks (which has already traveled twice and is now wondering what this guy is up to) :D


As you see, it is pretty simple, I have receive three answers, only two were correct:

Congratulations to solarflare and Yves M. The actual winner is solarflare since he send it at first ;)

Edit:
After reviewing, dimm_coder was having the answer, but the private post just screw the "space" and I did not understand it. With some explanations, dimm_coder deserve the second place :)

JeffB

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Another one:

On a field there is an apple tree. On the tree there are two apples. After a while, there are no apples on the tree, and no apples on the ground. Knowing that no human or animal was there, and the tree is not placed on top of some hill so that the apples could roll away, explain what happened.

PMs, please.

[Simon666]

Sheepy, Wolfy and a poor lettuce head!

I didn't want to participate since this is a modified version of another riddle that I got once by mail. That version is funnier too. It can be downloaded over here (http://www.smu-net.com/games/download/useyourmind.zip). It uses Flash. While trying to find it back with Google I've noticed there is a VB version of this puzzle too over here (http://viger.netanday.it/cannibal.zip).

[Simon666]

On a field there is an apple tree. On the tree there are two apples. After a while, there are no apples on the tree, and no apples on the ground. Knowing that no human or animal was there, and the tree is not placed on top of some hill so that the apples could roll away, explain what happened.

PMs, please.


Can be everything:

It became autumn and they rotted away after a while? A twister? An attack from Al Qaeda? An asteroid impact? An atomic bomb? A temporary reverse in gravity?

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Originally posted by Simon666


Can be everything:

It became autumn and they rotted away after a while? A twister? An attack from Al Qaeda? An asteroid impact? An atomic bomb? A temporary reverse in gravity?

Ok, let me make it clear: "after a while", means a few hours, at a maximum. And there was no extra-ordinary phenomenon there - no atomic bomb, no aliens, ET also wasn't there etc, etc.

[Goodz13]

I got one.

This is a most unusual paragraph. How quickly can you find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so ordinary you'd think nothing was wrong with it - and in fact, nothing is wrong with it. It is unusual though. Why? Study it, think about it, and you may find out. Try to do it without coaching. If you work at it for a bit it will dawn on you. So jump to it and try your skill at figuring it out. Good luck - don't blow your cool!



I didn't make this up, so please don't cheet.

[SolarFlare]

Woohoo! Victory lap! The actual winner is solarflare since he send it at first
Those who dared defy me now bow in my wake.

Oh, by the way, after the man crossed the river, he ate the cabbage, shot the sheep and fed it to the wolf, shot the wolf and ate that too, then got killed by a whole bunch of natural disasters, so it didn't even matter that he crossed the river, but please, please just let me have my dignity.

[dimm_coder]

And now Jeff tell me why my diagram was incorrect by your meaning? Or you didn't got my PM?

Ohh, I write it, but when I have post this message I understand
myself , Why U didn't understand me. This diagram was looking
pretty when I was writting it, but when I had post it, I saw
it had horrible looking. All space characters were constricted,
and diagram was misunderstanding.
SORRY Jeff for my PM with it. Next time I'll check PM before posting. Above this diagram in more understand view I think.
And it keeps right answer.

left boat right
lettuce, wolf, sheep

1(<-) left( - ) , boat( man + sheep ) right( lettuce, wolf)
1(->) left(sheep), boat( man ), right( lettuce, wolf )

2(<-) left( sheep ) , boat( man + lettuce), right( wolf )
2(->) left(lettuce ), boat( man + sheep ), right( wolf )

3(<-) left(lettuce), boat( man + wolf ), right( sheep )
3(->) left(lettuce,wolf), boat( man ), right( sheep )

4(<-) left(lettuce,wolf) boat( man + sheep) , right(-)

end: left( lettuce, wolf,
sheep)

number is a number of trip
<- part of trip to another side
-> come back to first side

left - is another side of the river
boat - Whois on boat in this trip
right - this side of river
_____________________

[dimm_coder]

_________

Ok, I have task now, I posi it after tasks by Brad and Gabrial
will complete.

[Simon666]

Dimm_coder, could you please wait a bit, we still have a task from Brad and one from Gabriel. Please withdraw it for now.

[dimm_coder]

Ok Simon. I 'll post it in some near future.
But next task - is that task from me ;)

I have post PM to Brad with answer for task about bear,
and to Gabrial, I think that possible reason for apples at least :rolleyes:

[dimm_coder]

About task from Gabrial.

May be it consist some trick? Why 2 apples? It' s no matter how much apples?

Ooo... heh... May be it two Apple Mac computers hanging by malicious horrible Bill Gates? :D

[Xeon]

From Dimm_Coder:

First: post answers only by private messages.


Oh really! So sorry! I didn't see that! :):D

From Platinum Plus:

Beep .... wrong Professor Pentium !!! Xeon

Cool! Thank you, Platinum! Yes, yes....my ego is boosted. ;)

From Goodz13:

And for Xeon. Brad Jones never said it was Hot, just that the sun was shining and the birds were out. I'm not sure of any birds in the North Pole, but it might get some in the summer.

The sun was shining and the birds are out. Unless u're trying to be cool or u're acting indifferent, u would obviously picture a cute house with a tree beside it, and the sun is shining down onto the house while the birds are perchingon a branch of the tree, singing. ;)

From SolarFlare:
Those who dared defy me now bow in my wake.


People who dared defy SolarFlare:(names are in Order.......1st is the No.1 defier)

No. 1 : Xeon
No. 2 : Janet
No. 3 : Simone(****)
No. 4 : Hart
No. 5 : Amelie
No. 6 : Lynn
No. 7 : Mary
No. 8 : Jane
:):D

[Platinum Plus]

Originally posted by Xeon
People who dared defy SolarFlare:(names are in Order.......1st is the No.1 defier)

No. 1 : Xeon
No. 2 : Janet
No. 3 : Simone(****)
No. 4 : Hart
No. 5 : Amelie
No. 6 : Lynn
No. 7 : Mary
No. 8 : Jane
:):D

Xeon, now why the H E double toothpicks does your name appear on top of a list of **** like names :(

[Xeon]

From Platinum :

Xeon, now why the H E double toothpicks does your name appear on top of a list of **** like names

That's cos' I'm the No. 1 guy who dares to defy SolarFlare! That's why I'm appearing on the top of the list!
As for the list of ****-like names, it's all because I'm the one caring for them. Don't you know that I'm the Appointed Carer-Pamparer-Babysitter of all gurls alive????!!

God!!! :):D

[Simon666]

I'm the Appointed Carer-Pamparer-Babysitter of all gurls alive
Somebody call child abuse please. :rolleyes: Another thing, can Brad and Gabriel post the answers, so we can go on with a new task?

[dimm_coder]

Yes!!!
Brad and Gabrial please post your answers.
For Brad task it's easy, because there is only one place where
such house can stand.
But I don't know where those apples. I even lose my composure trying to find them every place.
Gabrial , pleeeaaaseee :( , say all us where you have hide them.

And after that, I'll post here new logical task.

[Goodz13]

I've only have one guess about my strange paragraph and it was the right one.

Yves M got it right.

There is no "e" in my paragraph. "e" is the most common letter in the english language and it isn't used once.

[Simon666]

There is no "e" in my paragraph. "e" is the most common letter in the english language and it isn't used once.


Now common? How good for you. You must carry humongous satisfaction for your own thinking. I think a normal man could not do such a thing without having any kind of abnormal braincapacity. I think you own such a capacity, so congratulations to you for having such an almost miraculous ability. Having a smart man as you around is an uncommon and unsual thing, I can truly admit that. I'm wishing right now that in an hour or day or month, I could also do such a thing. But I think this wish will stay, for it is a profanity, nobody can tip Goodz13, God of unusual paragraphs. I am just Simon666, Satan's incarnation, I am too dumb to show proof that I can do as good.


Note that previous line also doesn't have an "e" and that Goodz13's paragraph also does not contain a z or an x. It would really (only) be an unusual paragraph if it contained all letters except one, and if it were the "e", it would be truly exceptional. I invented last paragraph, so it appears you really do not have to be such a genious to figure such a thing out. However, non Engish speaking people do not know that "e" is the most common letter. Please, next time, use something that non-English people can figure out to. Although I have to admit Yves M is non English.

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

I will re-post the riddle, for your convenience. And I will mark the important parts of it:

On a field there is an apple tree. On the tree there are two apples. After a while, there are no apples on the tree, and no apples on the ground. Knowing that no human or animal was there, and the tree is not placed on top of some hill so that the apples could roll away, explain what happened.

Solution: one apple falls from the tree. On the tree there are no apples (but apple) and on the ground also are no apples (but apple).

The solution actually is very similar to that of Brads' riddle with the coins.

JeffB provided another solution, which I didn't think of:

The apples are falling off the tree, THEY ARE IN MID AIR so not on the tree, and not yet on the ground!


:)

[Simon666]

Gabriel and Brad and Goodz13, with your little word games you have just toppled Monthy Python qua extreme sillyness. :D :rolleyes: :o I notice this is apparently a moderator thingy.

[dimm_coder]

Ok. Another logical task from me.

U have got 80 coins. U have known that 1 of them is false coin
and that this false coin weighs some less than each of other
real coins. Also U have assay balance (cup scales).

Now Question: How not more than 4 deliberations U can find this
false coin?

_______________________________
My English is not good of caurse.
Have I written right word - Assay balance?
Assay balance - it's such type of weight I have mean.

[JeffB]

Originally posted by Gabriel Fleseriu
I will re-post the riddle, for your convenience. And I will mark the important parts of it:


Solution: one apple falls from the tree. On the tree there are no apples (but apple) and on the ground also are no apples (but apple).

The solution actually is very similar to that of Brads' riddle with the coins.


HUH!! So these are different :

-There is no apples on the ground
-There is no apple on the ground

hum... I was not aware of such "synthax" in english, anyway, good riddle.... so no one got it?!!!


JeffB

[dimm_coder]

There is only one place where such house can stand ( all windows
look at south ) - it's Noth Pole. It's key for task as I think.
And what kind of bears live on Noth Pole. I think only White.
Am I right?

[Xeon]

There is only one place where such house can stand ( all windows
look at south ) - it's Noth Pole. It's key for task as I think.
And what kind of bears live on Noth Pole. I think only White.
Am I right?

WRONG! :p
Notice that in the original question, Brad Jones said "birds are singing".
U can't find birds in the North/South pole, unless u're refering to the birds on men or the penguins. But the first is impossible. Men's birds can't sing. And penguins can't sing too. It's all rubbish!
Also, he said that "the sun is shining". On these cold continents, the sun doesn't shine. It's just there, misty and moist.
Also, regarding the house.....it can't be an Igloo.(Eskimo's house)
Igloos have no glass windows, not to mention 4 windows!
So, the color of the bear can't be white. It's brown.

Anyway, just to ensure that I score the victory :

//create a fall-through style switch statement
switch(m_nBearColor)
{
case BROWN:
m_strFinalAnswer = "Brown";
case WHITE:
m_strFinalAnswer = "Brown";
default:
m_strFinalAnswer = "Brown";
}


Actually, Brad.......no need to feel shy just because a kid like me got the answer right. Even experts lose to babies sometimes, u see. Too bad there's no prize, though!

Otherwise, I would be logging into my assistant site manager account by now.....aye~! :p :p :D :D :D :cool:

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Originally posted by Xeon


//create a fall-through style switch statement
switch(m_nBearColor)
{
case BROWN:
m_strFinalAnswer = "Brown";
case WHITE:
m_strFinalAnswer = "Brown";
default:
m_strFinalAnswer = "Brown";
}


That
switch(m_nBearColor)
{
default:
m_strFinalAnswer = "Brown";
}

paints the white bear only once in brown. And that:
m_strFinalAnswer = "Brown";

is even shorter, and does EXACTLY the same thing as your code :p

[Simon666]

This is the answer I sent Brad. By the way Xeon, I already mentioned in a post that birds can also be singing at the north pole, even in a nuclear reactor control room. All you need is a bird cage and on the north pole, preferably an encasing research station too. And the sun does shine on the exact north pole, even for 6 months continuously only to go down for another 6 months.

The first one can be solved easily: the house is on the exact location of the north pole. If you have a sphere and you put a point on this sphere and draw meridians originating from this sphere, all meridians will cross each other in a point diametrically against the first point on the sphere.

This means in our case that if we are located on the north pole, if we look in any direction, we are actually looking south, mathematically speaking at least. Physically, your compass will just go nuts instead of pointing south or downwards.

Anyway, since we are on the north pole, the bear is most likely a polar bear and thus white in color.

And concering the baby, who is bigger, I'm not sure. I think it has something to do with the family name, but I do not exactly how this works out in English. I think the name behind Mrs. is the husbands name. So the actual name of the baby will be Bigger, but Mrs. Bigger's real (maiden (?)) name is not Bigger. This means the baby is (a) Bigger, while Mrs. Bigger is not a Bigger, speaking in terms of blood relationships.

Speaking in terms of size, Mrs. Bigger is bigger of course. But on the radio, you cannot tell the difference from bigger and Bigger. I think they just like to be annoying and do not want to give you the prize if you say Mrs. Bigger is bigger.

In any case, the first is a pretty hard question, the second is completely nuts.

You cannot have all sides of a rectangle (= walls of the house) facing in the same direction, at least not in a planar 2D geometry. It requires a 2D geometry bent in a third dimension, such as the surface of a sphere, in casu the earths surface.

Yes, Xeon, the world is round :D , and in case you wondered, it was already known around 400 BC. by Erastothenes calculating its perimeter around 40000km, remarkably accurate. Anybody knows how you can determine that with the means available at that time? I know the answer.

[Yves M]

Originally posted by Simon666
Please, next time, use something that non-English people can figure out to. Although I have to admit Yves M is non English.

I hadn't thought about that problem. But well, I studied in the UK so I guess I have an unfair advantage over other non-english people :/

Solution: one apple falls from the tree. On the tree there are no apples (but apple) and on the ground also are no apples (but apple).


No offence, Gabriel, but I think this works best in German. Keine Apfel (in plural, I don't have the capitalized ä on my keyboard) is a bit clearer to me.

U have got 80 coins. U have known that 1 of them is false coin
and that this false coin weighs some less than each of other
real coins. Also U have assay balance (cup scales).

I'll PM you the solution ;)

[JeffB]

Actually, the sun is really SHINING on North Pole. Do you know that a certain time of year, there is no NIGHT (right at the Nort Pole, I mean right right right at the North North north of the earth)? That is because of the earth inclinaison, the sun just make a 360 degrees in the sky. Never go to North Pole thought.... ;)

For these birdies, that's a godd question, is there any birds in North Pole? Like Bernache or "long travelers birds" ?, maybe there is some that past by there, it is a shortcut between Canada and Russia....

For the bear, sure it is WHITE, not BROWN, right at the NORTH POLE, you are in the ocean ( or in that case on an big Iceberg) Any brown bear here would be really really lost... :)

JeffB

[Yves M]

Well, I guess that according to some people the squeaking of penguins could actually be qualified as singing :p

[Simon666]

Do you know that a certain time of year, there is no NIGHT.
I already pointed that out. On the exact Nrth pole it is even for 6 months. The more south you go, the less it becomes. Below the polar circle the effect disappears. I think this is around 68-69 degrees because the earths inclination is around 21 degrees. I'm not sure about this value. And, not there are no birds on the North pole, because there is no solid ground unlike on Antarctica. When it is frozen in autumn, winter and spring you can setup some research station or some tents on the North pole if you like. The Russians even shoot you in space against payment. :D And I think birds do not fly over the northpole, it would require them to be flying awake for too long. If you want to go from Canada to Russia and back as a bird, the Bering Street is the way to go.
Just a fact: last year, some crazy Belgians tried to cross the North Pole by foot. They failed. :D I do not know the plan, I think it was to walk from the most nothern Russian island to Greenland or something.

[Simon666]

For pinguins you need to be on the South Pole Yves.

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Yves: you will agree to me that there is a difference between:
- there are no apples on the tree
- there is no apple on the tree

[Yves M]

No penguins on the North Pole at all ? Arf, yes that's true :rolleyes:

Well, you could take your pet penguin then to the north pole ;)

[Yves M]

Originally posted by Gabriel Fleseriu
Yves: you will agree to me that there is a difference between:
- there are no apples on the tree
- there is no apple on the tree

Well, what can I say... In the common usage of the sentence there is no difference. But if you are a programmer, mathematician or logistician, I guess you can afford to being a bean-counter so you can say there is a difference.

I mean, if Simon would have said that there are no penguins on the north pole, would you think that it could be true that there was one single penguin on the North Pole ?

[Simon666]

I mean, if Simon would have said that there are no penguins on the north pole, would you think that it could be true that there was one single penguin on the North Pole ?

The Vatican is everywhere, be suspicious, it is a conspiracy against satanists. What you think of as a penguin in the distance, could just be a nun. Watch your back. :D

[Yves M]

Are you implying that there are nuns on the North Pole ? ;)

[Goodz13]

To Simon666

Why didn't you send me an answer if you thought it was so easy? I thought the point of this thread was to have a little fun. There's no reason to get insulting.

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Guys,

we are not going to start a flame war, are we?

[Simon666]

It was not intended to be insulting. It was to point you to the fact that the letter "e" is the most frequent used in English is not well known, to the fact that I think it is only exceptional when it uses all letters except one, and to the fact that it is relatively easy to make up a paragraph of a certain length without the letter "e". I added in some elements to prove that I wrote it, which may come over insulting. That is because the list of available words is rather small to express myself in.

Again, I did not say it is easy to figure it out, I think I would not have found it. I just said such a number of lines is easy to come up with and thus not exceptional. The reason why I didn't answer it is because I didn't though it was a riddle, there is nothing to reason over, only something to notice. I thought it was just another one of those absurd things as Brad's two coins and Gabriels two apples. I really couldn't figure those two out although I gave them much attention. Must be a difference between brain structure, I'm more mathematically thinking and you guys probably more linguistic. Did you solve dimm_coder riddle quickly, speaking of math?

[Yves M]

I solved it ;)

That is because the list of available words is rather small to express myself in.


That is an important thing to keep in mind. With nothing bad intended a sentence can actually sound insulting to somebody of a different culture, background or better command of the language.

[Simon666]

That is an important thing to keep in mind. With nothing bad intended a sentence can actually sound insulting to somebody of a different culture, background or better command of the language.


OK, step by step translation:


Meaning, look, it's funny, I can make such a thing too.


Now common? How good for you. You must carry humongous satisfaction for your own thinking. I think a normal man could not do such a thing without having any kind of abnormal braincapacity.
You do not have to be an engineer (although I am one :D ) to invent a paragraph of your own containing no "e"s.


I think you own such a capacity, so congratulations to you for having such an almost miraculous ability. Having a smart man as you around is an uncommon and unsual thing, I can truly admit that.
Ironically saying again you do actually not need to be smart or anything to write such a piece of text. First part may be insulting, since it is directed to "you". But I only can choose between "I" or "you" because "he", "she" and "we" are unavailable.


I'm wishing right now that in an hour or day or month, I could also do such a thing.

Ironically wishing I could do it too. Note the pun, I AM doing it in case you didn't notice. This is one of the concepts of irony.


But I think this wish will stay, for it is a profanity, nobody can tip Goodz13, God of unusual paragraphs. I am just Simon666, Satan's incarnation, I am too dumb to show proof that I can do as good.

Showing I have written this paragraph, while also referring to the 666 in my user name and the "God" like sounding of Goodz. If you take this insulting, please don't. It is just demonstrating how to play with words, referring to their implication (God-Goodz, Simon666-Satan).




It's finally over. I was repeating the same stuff over and over anyway (not having to be smart to invent your own paragraph) due to lack of other subjects to talk on and limited vocabulary.

I hope this clears things up a bit.

[Simon666]

By the way, Goodz13, I am thinking of this for a while. Is that your photo? Downsized and so it looks like a picture from Cuba Gooding Junior (don't laugh, there is this Zoolander guy somewhere around here). If this is not the case, can you post your picture here on in another thread?

[Goodz13]

That's me. Although I don't see the resemblence

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Isn't Cuba Gooding Junior black?

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Are we talking about this guy?
http://www.tribute.ca/all_actors/bios/1714.htm

[Simon666]

Gabriel: Yes. Resemblances are: bald head, small beard, friendly smile usually. Cuba is black ofcourse, Goodz13 not sure, depends on the lighting. It is a dark room with a bright TV on the background. Got to go sleeping now. Discuss maybe further tomorrow.

[dimm_coder]

Ok guys!
......................................
There are 3 duellists:
John, which can kill enemy(other duellist) with 100% probability,
Garry - 80% probability,
Smit - 50% probability.

They shoots by this sequence:
first - Smit, second - Garry, third - John and then for circle.

What strategy Smit must take, to have maximum chances
to stay living in this duel.

Every duelist has known about possibility of each other.
.......................................
Have ideas. Now I think about it to :rolleyes:

[Simon666]

They shoots by this sequence:
first - Smit, second - Garry, third - John and then for circle.

What is the meaning of this line? If Smit must face John in the end it doesn't matter anyway since he has 100% probability. I would say, they leave with their back facing each other, while counting loud to 30 and then they turn around and shoot. If Smit knows of his chances and of John's, he'll use foul play, turn around at the count of 1 and shoot John in the back of his head. :D I would go for this. ;)

[dimm_coder]

Hehehehe Simon! ;)

I mean next:

They are all stand face to face ( like in triangle ).
They should shoot by turn.

1) Smit
2) Garry
3) John

Strategy - Smit can shoot in John or Garry or himself :rolleyes: or... etc.
So what strategy has maximum chances to stay living.
Everyone know about everyones probability.

Do U now understood?

[Yves M]

dimm, I sent you the answer in a PM.

here is another riddle. Three dwarfs of the Yellowbeard clan are travelling through a tunnel. The tunnel is so narrow that they can only walk one after the other. Suddenly they encounter three dwarfs of the RedBeard clan travelling in the opposite direction. Since they can't move around each other, they decide to climb over each other. While they are discussing this, the dragon that the Yellowbeards wanted to kill appears on the RedBeard side and the dragon for the Redbeards appears at the Yellowbeard side. So they are in a hurry to get to their phat lewt.

How do they do this ?

Scematically it looks like this :

X = YellowBeard
O = RedBeard
D = Dragon

DOOO XXXD

note the space in the middle

[Simon666]

Yves, please, one riddle at a time. And even then, two a day is a bit much. Some people are very busy, like getting one of those frustrating rich edit thingies to work.

[JeffB]

Originally posted by Yves M
dimm, I sent you the answer in a PM.

here is another riddle. Three dwarfs of the Yellowbeard clan are travelling through a tunnel. The tunnel is so narrow that they can only walk one after the other. Suddenly they encounter three dwarfs of the RedBeard clan travelling in the opposite direction. Since they can't move around each other, they decide to climb over each other. While they are discussing this, the dragon that the Yellowbeards wanted to kill appears on the RedBeard side and the dragon for the Redbeards appears at the Yellowbeard side. So they are in a hurry to get to their phat lewt.

How do they do this ?

Scematically it looks like this :

X = YellowBeard
O = RedBeard
D = Dragon

DOOO XXXD

note the space in the middle


I'm probably completly out of it, but is that suppose to be easy to explain!!? :) It seems I have trouble to explain the two last riddles. It's like "think i got it, but... how can I... arrggh" :) ;)

JeffB

[Simon666]

Jeff, don't worry, if you are not stressed, you understand what the poster is trying to say, you have some time and some paper, all riddles are feasible. :) Unfortunately, for the moment all elements are not present in my case and people just start flooding each other with riddles. AAAAAARGHHHH....

[Yves M]

Ok, I'll take out the dwarf and dragon bit and reformulate it schematically only. You have X on the right and O on the left.

An X can only move to the left, an O can only move to the right.
An X can jump over a single O if there is a free space behind that O (so that from _OX you get XO_ where _ is a space). Similarly, an O can jump over a single X if there is a space on the right of the X.
the starting position is OOO_XXX
the ending position has to be XXX_OOO


You can write the solution as a series of states, so you would write something like
OOO_XXX
OOOX_XX
...
XXX_OOO

Is this clearer ?

Yves, please, one riddle at a time. And even then, two a day is a bit much. Some people are very busy, like getting one of those frustrating rich edit thingies to work.

I've been doing that for one year now :D

[Simon666]

I've been doing that for one year now
Was the picture of the hairy Yves taken from one of those programming moments? ;) :D

[Yves M]

It sure was :p

But then again, so is the other one ;)

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Originally posted by Yves M
Ok, I'll take out the dwarf and dragon bit and reformulate it schematically only. You have X on the right and O on the left.


An X can only move to the left, an O can only move to the right.
An X can jump over a single O if there is a free space behind that O (so that from _OX you get XO_ where _ is a space). Similarly, an O can jump over a single X if there is a space on the right of the X.
the starting position is OOO_XXX
the ending position has to be XXX_OOO


You can write the solution as a series of states, so you would write something like
OOO_XXX
OOOX_XX
...
XXX_OOO

Is this clearer ?



I've been doing that for one year now :D

What I marked bold is very important. Cannot an X move to the right even if there is the empty space?

[JeffB]

YES, now I see the "problem" in here, you know, my first schema was looking like:



//Starting:
XXX_OOO

//Some move and it ends like... three dwarfs on the three others heads...
XXX
OOO


You know, if they can walk on top of each others... :D

JeffB

[Yves M]

Originally posted by Gabriel Fleseriu


What I marked bold is very important. Cannot an X move to the right even if there is the empty space?

Yep, this is very important. X can never move to the right. He wants to get as quickly as he can to the dragon on the left and will bash you with his two meter axe if you tell him to move away from the dragon :p

And Jeff... What do I do with you ? ;)

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Yves: are you sure that the problem has a solution? Besides of that one with the dwarves walking on top of each other :)

[Yves M]

Yes I'm sure ;) It would even work with 100 dwarves on each side ;) Just give it a little more waste of time, huh I mean thought :p

[Yves M]

I hadn't realized that so many people had sent me PMs already ;) Sorry for the delay on the answers. So far there are two correct (and by the way optimal) answers from Goodz13 and JeffB. Sorry Jeff, but Goodz sent his PM a full minute earlier ;)

[SolarFlare]

"The last man on earth sat alone in his room. Suddenly there was a knock at the door!"
Can you change one word in the first sentence to make the man's isolation before the knock at the door more complete?

pm me with answers. I will post the answer in a few days.

[JeffB]

JeffB is requesting answer and explanation to that &?$#%? 80 coins riddle... :D

JeffB

[Simon666]

Actually, for simplicity say we have 81 coins.

Then we can divide this neatly into three piles of 27 coins. We can weigh two of these piles against each other. If they weigh as much, the third remaining pile contains the false coin, otherwise the lighter pile contains the coin. Now we have 27 coins where we can use the same procedure again.

We have one operation to select a pile of 27 out of 81 coins.
We have one operation to select a pile of 9 out of 27 coins.
We have one operation to select a pile of 3 out of 9 coins.
We have one operation to select a pile of 1 out of 3 coins.

These are 4 operations. With 80 coins we use the same procedure but always use one coin less in the pile that is not used on the balance.

It took me a couple of seconds to realize 80 is close to 81 which is 3 to the fourth power. Exactly 81 coins would be a bit suspicious.

[dimm_coder]

In free time visit this:
http://www.loveis.ru/games/pearl2/index.html
and play this logical game.

(Main site by russion but game on english. Look at center of page for big black square with man).

Enjoy!!! :D

And what about common strategy for this game. Is it possible :confused:

I trying to find it now.

[Yves M]

Ok, here is the solution to the dwarf battles :)


01 OOO_XXX
02 OOOX_XX
03 OO_XOXX
04 O_OXOXX
05 OXO_OXX
06 OXOXO_X
07 OXOXOX_
08 OXOX_XO
09 OX_XOXO
10 _XOXOXO
11 X_OXOXO
12 XXO_OXO
13 XXOXO_O
14 XXOX_OO
15 XX_XOOO
16 XXX_OOO

So there are 16 moves. The first correct answer was by Goodz and JeffB (1 minute apart) Then a correct one by dimm_coder. Gabriel was getting closer and closer, but he kept on going backwards ;)

Actually Jeff raised an interesting idea. It *seems* that as soon as you make a move which is not in the line with the optimal solution, you get stuck. So every valid solution will be in 16 moves (and there are actually only two valid solutions, one starting OOOX_XX and the other OO_OXXX)

[JeffB]

Originally posted by Yves M
Actually Jeff raised an interesting idea. It *seems* that as soon as you make a move which is not in the line with the optimal solution, you get stuck. So every valid solution will be in 16 moves (and there are actually only two valid solutions, one starting OOOX_XX and the other OO_OXXX)

Actually, it do not seems, it is. Any non-conform move will prevent the dwarf to pass one on top of another, but that is only if they CAN'T step back. I've just done a small VB program (for fun), and it is easy to try and see that there is only 2 solution, but it's still an interesting "mathematical" riddle.

Oh and by the way, there is 15 moves... since the first is not really a move... :)

Which riddle left now... the man alone, ... any others??! :)

JeffB

[SolarFlare]

"The last man on earth sat alone in his room. Suddenly there was a knock at the door!"
Here's the intended answer:
"The last person on earth..."
thereby eliminating the possibility that his wife or daughter or mom or someone was knocking on the door.
I got answers from Gabriel Fleseriu and JeffB at exactly the same time! Only, JeffB's answer:
"The last man on universe..."
doesn't make sense grammatically in English.
Gabriel is the only one who sent the correct answer, stating it as:
"The last human on earth..."
which is equally valid.

Here's a new problem to have fun with:
Name something money can't buy.

I have one specific answer in mind, but I'm sure there are really hundreds. pm me.

;) :) :) :D :cool:

[JeffB]

Originally posted by solarflare
Only, JeffB's answer:
"The last man on universe..."
doesn't make sense grammatically in English.


Oh thanks to "tell others" :D :D

What exactly doesn't make sense? Is universe not a word in english?? :confused: in universe? of the universe, oh yes, it is of the, it is what Altavista Translation software just tell me... nevermind :D :D

JeffB - Thanks to not read that post :)

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by JeffB
What exactly doesn't make sense?

I believe it would be "the last man in the universe..."

cout << endl;

;) :)

[temple]

Originally posted by Simon666
Thus, if there is a God, you will in the best case (Christianity) send 0.67*10.000.000.000 people = 6.700.000.000 people to h*ll, just because they do not recognize or haven't been told about God.
Incorrect, get your Chrisitianity straight before you try to speak.

[temple]

Figured the riddle without reading the entire 11 or 12 pages of this. 3 hats, 2 white, 5 men, 4 have black hats, doesn't add up.

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Originally posted by temple
Incorrect, get your Chrisitianity straight before you try to speak.


Temple,

religious discussions are likely to produce more heat than light. This comment of yours is rather on the rude side, in my oppinion. It is essential to understand that it is perfectly ok to fight an idea in the thread of the discussion, but it's not allowed to start a flamewar against anyone. I thought I state this clearly before it happens.


Figured the riddle without reading the entire 11 or 12 pages of this. 3 hats, 2 white, 5 men, 4 have black hats, doesn't add up.

That were 3 men, 5 hats (3 black and 2 white).

[Yves M]

Ok, we really need a new riddle here ;)

I'll do a variation on the coins problem.

You have 12 coins, one of which is a false coin and has a different weight from the other ones. You don't know whether it's lighter or heavier. You can only use scales to weigh them (so you'll know whether one pile is heavier or lighter than the other one, or whether they have the same weight).

Now, by using the scales at most three times, find out which coin is the false one and whether it's lighter or heavier than the other ones.

As always, if you think you have the solution, send a private message to me. If you want to discuss the problem, you can do it here ;)

[JeffB]

Thou have to send a message to Yves M. because thou want to answer a riddle. Thou have a headache by trying to explain the answer and the following message (see attachement) appears as you finally click "Send message button", what to do?

JeffB:D

[Yves M]

You take one character off your message :p

[Yves M]

Interesting answer by the way. Unfortunately 3*3 is not 12 though ;)

[SolarFlare]

Here's the intended answer to my previous puzzle:
Originally posted by solarflare
Name something money can't buy.

poverty

by the way, no correct answers on this one... :(:(:(

[SolarFlare]

All these coin problems where you can only use balance scales... hmmm... You know, in my country, most post offices have real scales which weigh things in grams or ounces or whatever instead of against other things. Also, it doesn't cost anything to use, so you can weigh things like coins as many times as you want. Maybe I'm just special to have access to such an extraordinary tool, I don't know. But I guess these coin problems are just too unrealistic and impractical. The dwarves and dragons problem, now there's something that is likely to happen in the real world ;).

:D :cool: :cool: :p

[Yves M]

But I guess these coin problems are just too unrealistic and impractical. The dwarves and dragons problem, now there's something that is likely to happen in the real world

I couldn't have put it better ;) Ok, let's rephrase my coin problem then.

You have twelve dwarfs. They go kill a dragon and get the phat loot. They decide to divide it up equally, but one of the dwarfs is a bit of a joker and took a different share. Noone knows which one it is though. So since the dwarfs are all of the same clan (the Yellowbeards), they are all the same model number and hence all weigh the same.

They don't have access to any high technology so they decide to figure out who is the joker by weighing themselves using a fallen tree. They realize that the tree won't be able to withstand more than three weighings, so they have to be very careful on the procedure. Luckily a wandering elf is kind enough to provide them with a solution that will find out which dwarf is the joker and whether he took more or less gold.

What did the elf suggest ?

Are the dwarfs going to kill the elf instead of trying to figure out who is the joker ?

[JeffB]

WOW Yves M., how interesting!

Was that elf a drow? :) :D

JeffB

[Yves M]

Originally posted by JeffB
WOW Yves M., how interesting!

Was that elf a drow? :) :D

JeffB

That depends on whether you believe that his solution actually works or is just an elaborate plan to kill the dwarfs ;)

[SolarFlare]

The elf gave an incorrect solution! The dwarves didn't realize this until after their third weighing, and went on the tree branch a fourth time. It broke, of course, and they plummeted 4 feet (long distance for a dwarf) into the murky swamp below. The elf was going to then kill the dwarves and eat them, but the dragon came back to life! It ate the elf as the dwarves came out of the swamp. The dwarves slayed the dragon again and got double the gold! Yes, that's right, the dragon's gold reserves regenerated when it was resuscitated. So the dragon is dead, the lying bastarrd elf is dead, and the dwarves have double the gold! Oh, and by the way, the jokester dwarf confessed. The end!

[SolarFlare]

Since the subject of this thread is "Try to solve this interesting logical task" I thought I'd add another interesting logical task...

Whats wrong with this picture (http://www.dayudie.com/whatswrong.asp)?

pm answers to me!

;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) :cool: :cool: :D

[Yves M]

Not exactly a difficult logical task ;)

Hum and your solution to the dwarfs riddle second edition... what can I say... There is another outcome ;)

[edit:
Wow, I didn't expect this one to fall as quickly ;) solarflare PMed me his solution to the 12 coin problem and it's correct.]

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by Yves M
Not exactly a difficult logical task ;)
It's funny, though! It scared the cr*p out of me the first time I saw it... my speakers were pretty loud...

Originally posted by Yves M
Wow, I didn't expect this one to fall as quickly ;) solarflare PMed me his solution to the 12 coin problem and it's correct.
Actually, it was pretty difficult for me... at first I expected the solution to be symmetrical, but it's not! Very odd.

:D :cool: ;) :p :p :o

[Yves M]

Originally posted by solarflare

It's funny, though! It scared the cr*p out of me the first time I saw it... my speakers were pretty loud...

Well, I didn't have the sound on since I was listening to music ;)

Originally posted by solarflare
Actually, it was pretty difficult for me... at first I expected the solution to be symmetrical, but it's not! Very odd.

:D :cool: ;) :p :p :o

Yep, it's much more interesting than the one where the coin is lighter. The solution is "sort of" symmetric, but it's true that you have to think about it a bit before you get it.

Actually I got the riddle off some other forum some years ago. After I posted it here I had to spend a quarter of an hour finding a solution, since I wasn't sure anymore that it was even feasible :p

[Simon666]

Yves, I just read your "new" riddle, but the solution (or the method used) is EXACTLY the same as the one I already posted here to the previous coin problem.

[Yves M]

Hum, are you quite sure, Mr. Simon ? The point being that in my riddle you don't know whether the false coin (resp. the dwarf joker) is lighter or heavier. Have you tried it ?

I can tell you that the solution is quite a bit different from the one to your problem ;)

[Simon666]

That makes it different indeed.

[Yves M]

Good luck, Simon :)

[Yves M]

Hum, nobody else has tried the 12 coin riddle ?

[Simon666]

No time, seems impossible anyway.

[Simon666]

Plus I got hit by a car which may have damaged my brain. Have I mentioned yet I like gurls and chicken chop?

[Yves M]

Originally posted by Simon666
Plus I got hit by a car which may have damaged my brain. Have I mentioned yet I like gurls and chicken chop?
Hum... even if you'vew got hit by a car, you could still be considerate with other members of the board ;)

[JeffB]

Will you finally post the answer to that 12 coins / dwarfs / dragons / jokers / gems / gold / washing machine... huh anyway :D :D :D

JeffB

[Yves M]

Ok, if you want me to spoil the riddle then I'll do it ;) The solution is not simple by any means though.

Actually, here is the reason it's feasible :

You have to find one false coin in twelve (12) and it can be lighter or heavier (2), so you have to distinguish between 12*2 = 24 states. With one weighing you can distinguish three states : lighter, heavier or equal. With three weighings, you can distinguish 3^3 = 27 states. So since 24 < 27 you can actually solve the riddle theoretically. Now all you have to do is find an algorithm ;)

[gjs368]

And this approach is guaranteed to return the result in three comparisons?
I would be interested in seeing a working algorithm.

There is an approach that will get the result in no more than four tries...


Divide the coins into two piles of six and weigh them.
Take the lighter pile, divide it into two piles of three
and weigh them.

if these piles weigh the same, the false coin is heavier;
divide the heavier pile of six in two piles of three and weigh them.
Select two coins from the heavier pile of three. If they weigh the same, the false coin is the one not weighed; otherwise the false coin is the heavier one.

On the other hand, if one of the two piles of three is lighter, the false coin is lighter. Select two coins from the lighter pile and weigh them. If they are equal, the false coin is the one not weighed; otherwise, it is the lighter one.
:D

[Yves M]

As I said in the post before, it it feasible, since we can differentiate between 27 possibilities and there are only 24.
Here is a hint:
Each coin can have four different states in the process :

You don't know anything about it. It could be the false coin (lighter or heavier) or a correct coin
It's either the false coin and lighter or a correct coin.
It's either the false coin and heavier or a correct coin.
It's a correct coin.

I've left the state out when you have identified the false coin, since that's only at the end. Counting possibilities, 1) adds two possibilities, 2) and 3) add 1 possibility and 4) doesn't add any (it's certain)
In the first weighing you have 24 possibilities to start with. With one weighing you can divide that by three and remain with 8 possibilities for each outcome (pile 1 is heavier / lighter / same as pile 2).

So... The first weighing has to be four coins (pile A) versus four other coins (pile B). If A is lighter then all coins in A will be in state 2), all coins in pile B in state 3) and all coins of the remaining four will be in state 4). So we have 4 + 4 + 0 = 8 possibilities left.
If A were the same weight as B then we would know that A and B are in state 4 and the remaing 4 are in state 1), so we have 0 + 0 + 2*4 = 8 possibilities.
The rest is similar ;)

[gjs368]

Since any one coin can be A)lighter, B)heaver, or C)equal in weight to a good coin, are there not in fact 12*3 (36)
possibilities to resolve?

[Yves M]

No, because only one coin is false. So the correct way of calculating the possibilities is :
- choose 1 coin out of 12 to be the false coin (12 possibilities)
- choose whether it's lighter or heavier (2 possibilities)

which makes 12 * 2 = 24.

[Musaran]

Originally posted by dimm_coderThere are 3 duellists:
...
They are all stand face to face ( like in triangle ).

Then they are triellists, not duellists.

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by Simon666
I got hit by a car which may have damaged my brain. Have I mentioned yet I like [chicken chop]?
His story checks out.

[gjs368]

Yves,
Consider this scenario:

Pile1 and Pile2 weigh the same; this tells us that the false coin is in Pile3.

Take two coins from Pile3 and weigh them with two coins from Pile1 (Pile1 contains all good coins)

If these two coins weigh the same, you could weigh one of the untested coins from Pile 3 against a known good coin.
If the third comparison is also even, you have found the bad coin (the one not weighed from Pile3),
but you still don't know if it is heavier or lighter; you have to do a fourth comparison to find out! :(

(if you know a more efficient way to resolve this scenario, please let me know)

[Yves M]

It's not as easy as that ;)

If you have 4 coins which you know nothing about (pile C), then you have to split the possibilities into three again. But, unluckily, 8 is not divisible by 3, so we divide the possibilities into 3, 3 and 2.

So you will weigh A1C1 (pile 1) versus C2C3 (pile 2) and leave C4 aside. If pile 1 is lighter then either C1 is false and lighter or C2 or C3 is false and heavier (3 possibilities). The same if pile 1 is heavier. If they are equal, then C4 is the false coin (2 possibilities).

[gjs368]

So, you would recombine one of the good piles(PileA or PileB) with PileC to make 8 coins total and retest?

[SolarFlare]

This is a second solution I've found, one which is much more dynamic than the first which I sent to Yves. I'll start you off: 1234v5678. If balanced, you can weigh 9(10)(11)v123 and go from there. If imbalanced, you can weigh 125v369 and go from there. See if you can finish my thought. Yves, msg me if you want me to send you this second solution (although I'll probably forget it by then...;)).

[Yves M]

Well, it looks like your second solution is a bit closer to my original pen and paper one :)

Actually it's true that your solution to weigh 9,(10),(11) in one pile is actually nicer than mine where I weigh 1,9 vs (10),(11). But the net result is the same, you split the possibilities into 3, 3 and 2 :)

So, you would recombine one of the good piles(PileA or PileB) with PileC to make 8 coins total and retest?

Nono :) Maybe my notation was misleading ;)

A1 is the first coin from pile A. C1 is the first coin from pile C etc.

So I would weigh A1, C1 versus C2, C3 and leave C4 aside. I would only test 4 coins and not eight :)

But it's true that it's also possible by recombining to make 8 coins. After all, adding known correct coins on each side doesn't matter at all. This is what solarflare's original solution relies on (which is actually pretty nice, I have to say :) )

[gjs368]

Thanks, Solarflare and Yves!
I understand it now:D

[SolarFlare]

Theoretically, each weighing can have three outcomes: left, balanced, or right. There are originally 24 possibilities for the fake coin (12 coins, one of which is either heavier or lighter). You have three weighings, giving the possibility of narrowing it down 3^3(3 weighings, 3 possibilities each time)=27. Since 24<=27, the coin can be determined. It seems as though one of 13 coins could be determined using this information alone (26 possibilities < 27 possible outcomes) but don't be decieved. The first weighing presents a difficulty. Ideally, it should divide 26 possibilities into 8,9,or 9 possibilities. But the scale does not allow this: if balanced, the possibilities are either lighter or heavier for the coins not weighed, giving an even number of leftover possibilities. If unbalanced, there are an even number of coins on the scale (otherwise the scale would not work- same number on each side), and therefore an even number of possibilities leftover. So, the closest to 8,9,9 we can come with this scenario is 8,8,10. Since 10 isn't <= 3^2 (2 weighings left), this approach cannot always work. The only way it could work is if you had a special scale in which you could weigh 5 coins vs 4 coins, and it would tip one way if a coin on that side were heavier than average or a coin on the other side were lighter than average. This type of scale would not be a balance scale, however. In a balance scale, the side with 5 coins would always tip the scale, regardless of the location of the anomalous coin. Therefore, this problem cannot work with 13 coins unless the weighing rules were changed slightly. But it is still easily possible with 12 coins.

Hey Yves, I'm really beginning to like this problem, in case you haven't noticed ;).

[Yves M]

I like your unbalanced scale idea ;)

[gjs368]

Of course, you'd have to know the weight of a good coin first....

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by gjs368
Of course, you'd have to know the weight of a good coin first....
No you wouldn't, the scale would do all the work. That's why it doesn't work, because there's no such scale that does that.

Yves, got any more "interesting logical tasks" where that came from?

[freaky_NL]

I know sort of a similar riddle. I think I'll post it here just for fun...

One day a big giant came down from his land to the land of the dwarves. There he captured x dwarves and took them back to his land to eat them. The giant, fortunately for the dwarves, was in a good mood and decided to give them 1 chance on freedom. Now the dwarves all have hats on but they don't know which color it is because their wives put them on, fortunately for you the dwarves only like blue and red so they only have blue and red hats. The giant told them: All of you stand in a line, you can't communicate with eachother and you don't know the colors of your hat, but, if all blue hats manage to step 1 step forward all at once and the red hats all stand still I'll let you all go free, I'll come look every morning if you'll do that, if you don't do anything at all I'll go back home and come back the next morning. If you do it wrong I'll eat you all.

Now the dwarves all went free. One day the giant came out and all the blue hats did a step forward. 2 things you need to know, the dwarves have to figure out for themselves which color their head is, no telepathy, kicking and stuff like that. Also, they all think the same solution, otherwise this won't work :-)

How did they do it?


I forgot some stuff... Atleast both colors occur once :-) now the numbers don't manner pick any you like but if it helps you let's say 11 dwarves 6 blue ones and 5 red

[SolarFlare]

can they see each other? and if not, what do they know?

[freaky_NL]

yea they can see eachother.

they know that if they make a wrong move they die, they all think the same solution, they all know there's atleast 1 of each color and they know that each day they do nothing, nothing happens. They do get free though.

[Yves M]

Ha, I know this one, I'll PM you the solution :)

[Yves M]

By the way, dimm_coder has (nearly) solved the twelve coins riddle without looking at the solutions solarflare and I provided here in the thread :) That is of course if we believe him ;)

[SolarFlare]

Well, dimm_coder is the godfather of this thread. Show some respect. :cool:

[Yves M]

Ok, so we believe him then ;)

[Yves M]

This one is particularly for solarflare, but open to everyone else (he asked for a new one, sorry ;)).

You have 9 coins with 2 false ones. The false ones are the same make, meaning that they have the same weight and are either both lighter or both heavier than a standard coin. Find out in four weighings which two coins are false and whether they are lighter or heavier than standard coins.

It's a hard one, I have to admit ;)

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by Yves M
You have 9 coins with 2 false ones.
Wow, we are really beginning to become corrupt here, aren't we...

[SolarFlare]

I know you're expecting a brilliant answer immediately from me :rolleyes:, but I'm actually busy right now, so I'll come look at it later today, maybe tomorrow... ;)

[Yves M]

Originally posted by solarflare

Wow, we are really beginning to become corrupt here, aren't we...

No we just really like jokers :p

I know you're expecting a brilliant answer immediately from me
Exactly, you have all the pressure on you ;)

[SolarFlare]

Call me "treasurer" (that is to say, I solved the coins problem)

[dimm_coder]

First:
Yves and others, I thank You for your reliance. ;)

Second: Please, Yves, don't post answer for task about 9 coins this week. Now I haven't enough time, but I hope to find it, and solve this task by this week:rolleyes: :)

[Yves M]

Good luck, dimm_coder. solarflare has already nearly solved it correctly. The idea is there but there are a few small mistakes.

[Yves M]

Argggg ! It's actually not solvable in four weighings in the general case :( Sorry, so the riddle with 2 false out of 9 is not solvable. You can do it in five weighings though.

Arg ;)

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by Yves M
Argggg ! It's actually not solvable in four weighings in the general case :( Sorry
Really? I thought for sure that... oh well. Can you prove that it can't be done in 4? 'cause I thought I had it. Sometime this weekend I'll check it out.

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by Yves M
solarflare has ... a few small mistakes.
Highly probable, it could be just a typo, or maybe I messed up one of the weighings... a program like that is gonna be annoying to debug, its one huge series of "if" statements!

[Yves M]

By the way, here is the solution to the problem with 12 coins, one of which is false and you don't know whether it's lighter or heavier.

It's an HTML file and I hope it's clear enough :)

Of course there are many different ways of solving it, this is only one.

[Yves M]

Originally posted by solarflare

Really? I thought for sure that... oh well. Can you prove that it can't be done in 4? 'cause I thought I had it. Sometime this weekend I'll check it out.

Well, it's not easy to prove. But in case pile A is lighter (or heavier) in the first weighing, you are left with 24 states. BUT these states can't be partioned into 8, 8, 8 or 9, 9, 6 states by any weighing. So you have to make do with 10, 7, 7 and since 10 > 3^2 you require one weighing more.

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by Yves M
in case pile A is lighter (or heavier) in the first weighing, you are left with 24 states. BUT these states can't be partioned into 8, 8, 8 or 9, 9, 6 states by any weighing. So you have to make do with 10, 7, 7 and since 10 > 3^2 you require one weighing more.
Incorrect, I believe. They can be divided into 8,8,8. More info when I pm u in a sec. (so dimm_coder doesnt see)

[SolarFlare]

The 2 of 9 coins puzzle is certainly doable in 4 weighings, what I'm now wondering is whether or not it can be done in 4 predefined weighings ;)

[Yves M]

Of course you are right ;)

Ok, so it is solvable, sorry for the Args ;)

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by solarflare
what I'm now wondering is whether or not it can be done in 4 predefined weighings ;)
Unfortunately, I have just proven it cannot be done this way. I'll have to stick with my original plan of attack.

[Yves M]

Well nobody except solarflare seems to have tried the 9 coins 2 false problem, so I'll post the solution. Dimm_coder, you can still go on and try it, you just don't have to look at the solution ;)

here is the solution in HTML form (http://membres.lycos.fr/yvesmaurer/interesting/coins_9_2.html)

[Yves M]

And for those wondering whether I did that HTML page all by hand, here is a small C++ program I wrote for generating the solution ;)

program source (http://membres.lycos.fr/yvesmaurer/interesting/ctest.zip)

[dimm_coder]

Yves, if really, I spent some time near 1 hour trying to solve it, but I can't. :( Now I haven't enough time.

[Yves M]

Don't worry it's really hard. I don't even know if solarflare tried to solve it by hand, I sure didn't ;)

If you are interested, have a look at my program which solves the problem automatically. That's what I used to generate the solution ;) I did check it by hand though, but that's a bit easier than trying to find a solution by hand.

[dimm_coder]

Ok, Yves, I 'll look at your program. Thank U. :)
I tried to find solution only logical way, not programming.
Of course, it's more mathematical problem than pure logical.

[Yves M]

New riddle

The russian mafia is looking for a hacker who will hack the World Bank for them to get tha phat loot. They are very civilised people they take their task very seriously and prepare a test for the candidates. So they kidnap their first programmer, a guy who calls himself code_by_dimm_light. Since they have a very peculiar sense of humour they present him with the following task.

He is put into a romm lit only with small candle. code_by_dimm_light suspects that the candle will go out in about five minutes so he's eager to get done with the task. Probably especially so since if he fails he'll get to see the potatoes grow from below or something to this effect.

The mafia ganglord (who shall remain unnamed for security purposes) explains the problem to him.

"Here are eight light switches in this room. This wall is in fact a window and there are eight light bulbs in the room behind it. Each switch is connected to one light bulb and vice-versa. You will have to figure out which switch is connected to which bulb. You can test a configuration by turning on the master switch here. But to make things interesting, you can only turn the master switch on three times."

The mafia sub-boss besides him mumbles somthing to the effect of "If we had a better battery you could have four tries", but is silenced directly by the ganglord.

How does code_by_dimm_light solve this task ? Will he hack the world bank or become an ex-code_by_dimm_light ?

Here is the configuration :

O O O O O O O O <- Light bulbs
------------------------- <- Window
\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ <- switches

X <- frightened code_by_dimm_light

M <- Master switch
C <- candle burning out


How should the switches be set for the three times that he can press the Master switch ?

[SolarFlare]

Originally posted by Yves M
I don't even know if solarflare tried to solve it by hand
Yes, I solved it by hand, and what a waste of time it was ;). You wasted an hour and a half of my life, and I want it back! Oh who am I kidding, I'd only lose it again anyway...

[dimm_coder]

Wow, Yves! Ok, hehehe, I'll try it :)
I think that I mast solve it by logical way, not programming, because ganglord didn't gave computer and I haven't notebook :rolleyes:
At free time I'll try it.

[Yves M]

Originally posted by solarflare

Yes, I solved it by hand, and what a waste of time it was ;). You wasted an hour and a half of my life, and I want it back! Oh who am I kidding, I'd only lose it again anyway...

Well that's still pretty good compared to me wasting something like 7 hours to write that program :p
I think that I mast solve it by logical way, not programming, because ganglord didn't gave computer and I haven't notebook
True, the solution is purely logical and can be found without the usual (if this happens then do that etc...)