Head Scratchers 4

**Bumper** · 09-28-2006

1. A 10 foot rope ladder hangs over the side of a boat with the bottom rung at the surface of the water. There is one foot between rungs and the tide goes up at the rate of 6 inches per hour. How long until three rungs are covered?

2. Joe and Tom and the boys in the bar were exchanging old war stories. Joe offered one about how his grandfather led a battalion against a German division during World War I. Through brilliant maneuvers, he defeated them and captured valuable territory. After the battle he was awarded a medal that was inscribed with: "For Bravery, Daring and Leadership. World War I. From the Men of Battalion 8." Tom looked at Joe and said, "You really don't expect anyone to believe that yarn, do you?" What's wrong with the story?

3. There is a common English word that is nine letters long. Each time you remove a letter from it, it still remains an English word- from nine letters right down to a single letter. What is the original word, and what are the words that it becomes after removing one letter at a time?

4. Five hundred begins it, five hundred ends it, Five in the middle is seen;
The first of all letters, the first of all figures, take up their stations between.
Join all together, and then you will bring, before you the name of an eminent king.

5. A man bumps into his mathematician friend on the street that he hasn't seen in 5 years. The man asks the mathematician how old his children are. The mathematician, who always replies in riddles said, "I now have three children. The sum of their ages is equal to the number of windows on the building in front of you and the product of their ages equals 36." The friend then says "I need one more piece of information." The mathematician then replies "My youngest child has blue eyes." What are the ages of the mathematicians three children?

6. What book was once owned by only the wealthy, but now nearly everyone can have it? You can't buy it in a bookstore or take it from a library?

7. There is a barrel with no lid and some wine in it. "This barrel of wine is more than half full," said Curly. "No it's not," says Mo. "It's less than half full." Without any measuring implements and without removing any wine from the barrel, how can they easily determine who is correct?

8. What fastens two people yet touches only one?

9. What six letter word in the English language contains ten other words without rearranging any of its letters?

10. If you divide thirty by 1/2 and add 10 what would you have?

**SunKneeMarie** · 09-28-2006

1. A 10 foot rope ladder hangs over the side of a boat with the bottom rung at the surface of the water. There is one foot between rungs and the tide goes up at the rate of 6 inches per hour. How long until three rungs are covered? Should be never as the boat would keep rising with the water level

2. Joe and Tom and the boys in the bar were exchanging old war stories. Joe offered one about how his grandfather led a battalion against a German division during World War I. Through brilliant maneuvers, he defeated them and captured valuable territory. After the battle he was awarded a medal that was inscribed with: "For Bravery, Daring and Leadership. World War I. From the Men of Battalion 8." Tom looked at Joe and said, "You really don't expect anyone to believe that yarn, do you?" What's wrong with the story? World War I wasn't known as World War I until World War II happened... who would have known at the time of WWI that there would be another one?

3. There is a common English word that is nine letters long. Each time you remove a letter from it, it still remains an English word- from nine letters right down to a single letter. What is the original word, and what are the words that it becomes after removing one letter at a time? (I'm working on this one)

4. Five hundred begins it, five hundred ends it, Five in the middle is seen;
The first of all letters, the first of all figures, take up their stations between.
Join all together, and then you will bring, before you the name of an eminent king. DAVID

5. A man bumps into his mathematician friend on the street that he hasn't seen in 5 years. The man asks the mathematician how old his children are. The mathematician, who always replies in riddles said, "I now have three children. The sum of their ages is equal to the number of windows on the building in front of you and the product of their ages equals 36." The friend then says "I need one more piece of information." The mathematician then replies "My youngest child has blue eyes." What are the ages of the mathematicians three children?

6. What book was once owned by only the wealthy, but now nearly everyone can have it? You can't buy it in a bookstore or take it from a library?

7. There is a barrel with no lid and some wine in it. "This barrel of wine is more than half full," said Curly. "No it's not," says Mo. "It's less than half full." Without any measuring implements and without removing any wine from the barrel, how can they easily determine who is correct?

8. What fastens two people yet touches only one?

9. What six letter word in the English language contains ten other words without rearranging any of its letters?

10. If you divide thirty by 1/2 and add 10 what would you have? 70

**Bumper** · 10-02-2006

The Official Answers

1. The rungs will never be covered because the boat rises with the tide

2. World War I wasn't called "World War I" until World War II.

3. Startling, starting, staring, string, sting, sing, sin, in, I

4. DAVID (Roman numerals)

5. They are 6, 6, and 1.

6. A telephone book

7. Tilt the barrel until the wine barely touches the lip of the barrel. If the bottom of the barrel is visible then it is less than half full. If the barrel bottom is still completly coverd by the wine, then it is more than half full.

8. A wedding ring

9. The word is "spared". The other words in it are: spa; spar; spare; pa (as in ma and pa); par; pare; pared; are; re (as in do-re-me); and red.

10. 30 / .5 = 60 + 10 = 70

**SunKneeMarie** · 10-02-2006

I still don't get #5.

**Jesus** · 10-10-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunKneeMarie

I still don't get #5.

5 years ago, he knew the friend had more than one kid (He asked how old were them). If the youngest one as X characteristic, and he now knows there are 3 in total, then two of them are known to him.

Confusing, but with the result it comes a little bit more undestandable.
Product = 36. 5 years since they saw each other, one more kid after that time. It´s impossible that the youngest would be older than 2, as the product wouldn´t be 36 with the first two sons older than 5.

Honestly, I wouldn´t have resolved it with those facts. But all the info matches.

itsmysecondtime · 10-10-2006

I have a problem with number 1, not even going to address the others, a mess

So as for the issue on number one, what about the oscilating of the boat in the ocean, or anywhere else for that matter?

The ondolating of the water surface will inevitably rock the boat, thus provoking the covering of one ormore rungs, depending on how rough the surface is. Left?

**Bumper** · 10-10-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunKneeMarie

I still don't get #5.

Gotta' say this one nearly killed me. The site I harvested it from just gave the answer, not the solution method. Spent days looking at other sites and found numerous similar riddles, but with other numbers, so finally skull-sweated it through this way.

There are only 5 possible sets of numbers that would give you a product of 36.
2 X 2 X 9 = 36 (Sum = 13)
1 x 6 X 6 = 36 (Sum = 13)
3 X 3 X 4 = 36 (Sum = 10)
2 X 3 X 6 = 36 (Sum = 11)
1 X 4 X 9 = 36 (Sum = 14)

If the number of windows equals anything other than 13, then the man would have known the answer right away, but he said he needed more information. That means the answer must be either 2 + 2 + 9 or 1 + 6 + 6. The mathemetician said his "youngest" daughter has blue eyes. He wouldn't refer to a "youngest" daughter if they were twins of the same age, so the answer must be 1, 6 and 6 in order for there to be a "youngest"

WHEW!! Does that cover it? If not.....bugger off.....that's as much of my life as I'm willing to devote to it.

**Bumper** · 10-10-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsmysecondtime

I have a problem with number 1, not even going to address the others, a mess

So as for the issue on number one, what about the oscilating of the boat in the ocean, or anywhere else for that matter?

The ondolating of the water surface will inevitably rock the boat, thus provoking the covering of one ormore rungs, depending on how rough the surface is. Left?

I would suggest the rocking of the boat would not really "cover" the rungs, but merely temporarily obscure them from time to time. And if you don't like that answer...you can bugger off too. (Cranky, ain't I? I think I need another cup of coffee!)

**SunKneeMarie** · 10-10-2006

Okay, between Bumper's and Jesus's explanations, I'm okay with it. I guess the window thing seemed extraneous. But no buggering for me today!!

**Jesus** · 10-10-2006

The windows issue was confusing for me, we don´t know if it was a highrise or a one room building.

Just by looking at the answer I was able to rationalize it, otherwise all that info was non-helpfull.

Dale · 10-11-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunKneeMarie

I still don't get #5.

I don't know....maybe I took it wrong but when the guy said how old are your children, I figured he knew the man had at least 2 children when he last saw him 5 years ago. Thus the only answer was 6,6,1. Maybe I lucked into it.

itsmysecondtime · 10-11-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bumper

I would suggest the rocking of the boat would not really "cover" the rungs, but merely temporarily obscure them from time to time. And if you don't like that answer...you can bugger off too. (Cranky, ain't I? I think I need another cup of coffee!)

I really do like them esoteric replies. Very much in keeping with reality.

itsmysecondtime · 10-11-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale

I don't know....maybe I took it wrong but when the guy said how old are your children, I figured he knew the man had at least 2 children when he last saw him 5 years ago. Thus the only answer was 6,6,1. Maybe I lucked into it.

I don't know about the rest of the gang, but you sure sound like a meister to me.

09-28-2006	#1 (permalink)
Bumper Class Clown Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 9,502	Head Scratchers 4 1. A 10 foot rope ladder hangs over the side of a boat with the bottom rung at the surface of the water. There is one foot between rungs and the tide goes up at the rate of 6 inches per hour. How long until three rungs are covered? 2. Joe and Tom and the boys in the bar were exchanging old war stories. Joe offered one about how his grandfather led a battalion against a German division during World War I. Through brilliant maneuvers, he defeated them and captured valuable territory. After the battle he was awarded a medal that was inscribed with: "For Bravery, Daring and Leadership. World War I. From the Men of Battalion 8." Tom looked at Joe and said, "You really don't expect anyone to believe that yarn, do you?" What's wrong with the story? 3. There is a common English word that is nine letters long. Each time you remove a letter from it, it still remains an English word- from nine letters right down to a single letter. What is the original word, and what are the words that it becomes after removing one letter at a time? 4. Five hundred begins it, five hundred ends it, Five in the middle is seen; The first of all letters, the first of all figures, take up their stations between. Join all together, and then you will bring, before you the name of an eminent king. 5. A man bumps into his mathematician friend on the street that he hasn't seen in 5 years. The man asks the mathematician how old his children are. The mathematician, who always replies in riddles said, "I now have three children. The sum of their ages is equal to the number of windows on the building in front of you and the product of their ages equals 36." The friend then says "I need one more piece of information." The mathematician then replies "My youngest child has blue eyes." What are the ages of the mathematicians three children? 6. What book was once owned by only the wealthy, but now nearly everyone can have it? You can't buy it in a bookstore or take it from a library? 7. There is a barrel with no lid and some wine in it. "This barrel of wine is more than half full," said Curly. "No it's not," says Mo. "It's less than half full." Without any measuring implements and without removing any wine from the barrel, how can they easily determine who is correct? 8. What fastens two people yet touches only one? 9. What six letter word in the English language contains ten other words without rearranging any of its letters? 10. If you divide thirty by 1/2 and add 10 what would you have? __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a pristine, well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally used up and worn out, shouting "Holy Shit...what a ride!!"

09-28-2006	#2 (permalink)
SunKneeMarie character encapsulator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 26,295	1. A 10 foot rope ladder hangs over the side of a boat with the bottom rung at the surface of the water. There is one foot between rungs and the tide goes up at the rate of 6 inches per hour. How long until three rungs are covered? Should be never as the boat would keep rising with the water level 2. Joe and Tom and the boys in the bar were exchanging old war stories. Joe offered one about how his grandfather led a battalion against a German division during World War I. Through brilliant maneuvers, he defeated them and captured valuable territory. After the battle he was awarded a medal that was inscribed with: "For Bravery, Daring and Leadership. World War I. From the Men of Battalion 8." Tom looked at Joe and said, "You really don't expect anyone to believe that yarn, do you?" What's wrong with the story? World War I wasn't known as World War I until World War II happened... who would have known at the time of WWI that there would be another one? 3. There is a common English word that is nine letters long. Each time you remove a letter from it, it still remains an English word- from nine letters right down to a single letter. What is the original word, and what are the words that it becomes after removing one letter at a time? (I'm working on this one) 4. Five hundred begins it, five hundred ends it, Five in the middle is seen; The first of all letters, the first of all figures, take up their stations between. Join all together, and then you will bring, before you the name of an eminent king. DAVID 5. A man bumps into his mathematician friend on the street that he hasn't seen in 5 years. The man asks the mathematician how old his children are. The mathematician, who always replies in riddles said, "I now have three children. The sum of their ages is equal to the number of windows on the building in front of you and the product of their ages equals 36." The friend then says "I need one more piece of information." The mathematician then replies "My youngest child has blue eyes." What are the ages of the mathematicians three children? 6. What book was once owned by only the wealthy, but now nearly everyone can have it? You can't buy it in a bookstore or take it from a library? 7. There is a barrel with no lid and some wine in it. "This barrel of wine is more than half full," said Curly. "No it's not," says Mo. "It's less than half full." Without any measuring implements and without removing any wine from the barrel, how can they easily determine who is correct? 8. What fastens two people yet touches only one? 9. What six letter word in the English language contains ten other words without rearranging any of its letters? 10. If you divide thirty by 1/2 and add 10 what would you have? 70 __________________ . . I BLOG HERE: http://charmarie221.wordpress.com/

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10-02-2006	#3 (permalink)
Bumper Class Clown Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 9,502	The Official Answers 1. The rungs will never be covered because the boat rises with the tide 2. World War I wasn't called "World War I" until World War II. 3. Startling, starting, staring, string, sting, sing, sin, in, I 4. DAVID (Roman numerals) 5. They are 6, 6, and 1. 6. A telephone book 7. Tilt the barrel until the wine barely touches the lip of the barrel. If the bottom of the barrel is visible then it is less than half full. If the barrel bottom is still completly coverd by the wine, then it is more than half full. 8. A wedding ring 9. The word is "spared". The other words in it are: spa; spar; spare; pa (as in ma and pa); par; pare; pared; are; re (as in do-re-me); and red. 10. 30 / .5 = 60 + 10 = 70

10-02-2006	#4 (permalink)
SunKneeMarie character encapsulator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 26,295	I still don't get #5.

10-10-2006	#6 (permalink)
itsmysecondtime añejo Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West of the Boston Tea Party Posts: 4,047	I have a problem with number 1, not even going to address the others, a mess So as for the issue on number one, what about the oscilating of the boat in the ocean, or anywhere else for that matter? The ondolating of the water surface will inevitably rock the boat, thus provoking the covering of one ormore rungs, depending on how rough the surface is. Left?

10-10-2006	#9 (permalink)
SunKneeMarie character encapsulator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 26,295	Okay, between Bumper's and Jesus's explanations, I'm okay with it. I guess the window thing seemed extraneous. But no buggering for me today!!

10-10-2006	#10 (permalink)
Jesus Nutty Peep Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mexico City, Mexico Posts: 4,622	The windows issue was confusing for me, we don´t know if it was a highrise or a one room building. Just by looking at the answer I was able to rationalize it, otherwise all that info was non-helpfull.

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