Two missiles speed directly toward each other, one at 9,000 mph and the other at 21,000 mph. The start 1,767 miles apart. Without using pencil and paper, calculate how far apart they are one minute before they collide.

500 miles ?

doesn't matter how far apart they are to begin with (unless they are closer than on minute apart).

thier combined speed is 30,000 miles per hour.

60 minutes in one hour.

30 / 60 = .5 ... thus 500 miles ?

You're a good'n jamieW!

Without doing sums or writing anything down answer me this:

In a knockout tennis tournament of 259 players how many matches will have been played to determine the winner?

One I guess. Although with 259 players and assuming singles play there would be a total of 278 matches with 5 byes, including a bye into the final.

Damn it !!! they get harder :o

258 ... I agree with you Carl.

Although I would have no 'byes' ... instead I have 6 un-seeded players and 253 seeded players.

The un-seeded players play off in 3 games to leave 3 ... added to the 253 seeded = 256 players for round 2 ...

To get from 256 to 1 takes 255 games using binary subdivision.

256 to 128 = 128 games ...
128 to 64 = 64 games ...
64 to 32 = 32 games ...
32 to 16 = 16 games ...

basically from 256 to 1 is (256 - 1) ...

255 + 3 = 258.

Yessir - although from what I remember of my 'Parks League' games in the 50's and 60's, in a real tournament you do have byes. It's interesting that with there being 3 more than a power of 2 in the tournament (256 +3) that the 'final is between 3 players - hence the last bye in the semi.

This one reminded me of the old ' when I was going to St. Ives...

I like your signature Carl :)

Thanks jamieW.

Here's my synopsis of the tennis tournament:

1st round: 129 matches + 1 bye
2nd round: 75
3rd round: 37 + 1
4th round: 19
5th round 9 + 1
6th round 5
7th round 2 + 1
8th round 1 + 1
9th round Final
Total 278 matches

Hence, with byes, a total of 278 matches.

I'm confused !!

How did you get 75 matches for the second round ... should it not be 65 ? (130 players gone through from the first round).

I hang my head in shame - **** - I AM getting old or senile or both or stoned!

My humble apologies.

It is, of course:

129+1
65
32+1
16+1
8+1
4+1
2+1
1+1
1 Final
Total: 258

Please forgive an idiot who can't divide by two.
The only excuse I can give is that I did follow the instructions and did it in my head.

NOT Henman!

The simple answer is that in a knockout everybody except the winner gets knocked out. So, in a competition of 259 people 258 people get knocked out therefore 258 matches have to be played. Note, matches not byes.

The same goes for any number: 715 players, 714 losers therefore 714 matches.

I did say no sums and no writing down.

Originally posted by max
The simple answer is that in a knockout everybody except the winner gets knocked out. So, in a competition of 259 people 258 people get knocked out therefore 258 matches have to be played. Note, matches not byes.

The same goes for any number: 715 players, 714 losers therefore 714 matches.

I did say no sums and no writing down.

Damn. You bet me to it. I figured it out as I was eating my breakfast this morning.

Nomme

Originally posted by nommedenet
Damn. You beat me to it. I figured it out as I was eating my breakfast this morning.

Nomme

Sorry, I thought 14 hours was long enough to leave it un-answered. I'll think of another one and leave it longer.

Originally posted by max
Sorry, I thought 14 hours was long enough to leave it un-answered. I'll think of another one and leave it longer.

Yeah..... but those 14 hours included the average 8 most of us get some kip!!

Anyway - any good at cryptic crossword clues? If you *know* the answers to these straight off please refrain from posting the answers (i.e spoiling it for others who haven't seen them before), but if you figure them out then by all means show how clever you are.
Here's some of my favourites :

1) HIJKLMNO (5)
2) GEGS (9,5)
3) E (13)

Nomme

Originally posted by max
The simple answer is that in a knockout everybody except the winner gets knocked out. So, in a competition of 259 people 258 people get knocked out therefore 258 matches have to be played. Note, matches not byes.

The same goes for any number: 715 players, 714 losers therefore 714 matches.

I did say no sums and no writing down.

It could also be argued semantically that only ONE match actually determines the winner!

Hence the 'St. Ives' analogy.

Originally posted by Carlwarker
It could also be argued semantically that only ONE match actually determines the winner!

Hence the 'St. Ives' analogy.

Yeah, I spotted that in one of your earlier posts but you still had to use sums and writing down to get the right answer, eventually.

Originally posted by max
Yeah, I spotted that in one of your earlier posts but you still had to use sums and writing down to get the right answer, eventually.

If you look at my postings you'll find that I DID NOT use pencil or paper or a calculator - except the old 'bonce' - which did let me down at one stage (130/2 = 75 !!!!!! idiot me). And thanks to JamieW, I did correct the arithmetical error, again solely with the old grey matter.

ps. Keep 'em coming Max.

Originally posted by Carlwarker
If you look at my postings you'll find that I DID NOT use pencil or paper or a calculator - except the old 'bonce' - which did let me down at one stage (130/2 = 75 !!!!!! idiot me). And thanks to JamieW, I did correct the arithmetical error, again solely with the old grey matter.

ps. Keep 'em coming Max.

OK, apologies for implying that. However, the point of that teaser was that you didn't need to do any sort of calculations as it was a logic problem not a maths one.

I love max's solution to the tennis tournament :)

It's funny how human beings can have a tendency to make things more complex than they need to be ... or to look for more complex solutions !!

I'm guilty of being too complex loads ... mind you ... it wouldn't look good if people called me simple :o

Originally posted by Carlwarker
If you look at my postings you'll find that I DID NOT use pencil or paper or a calculator - except the old 'bonce' - which did let me down at one stage (130/2 = 75 !!!!!! idiot me)...


What amazes me is that you got the 75 .. 37 .. etc .. and after adding up all games played in each round ... you still got 258 !!!


Pure class lol !!!

Thanks JamieW - but I did make that damn error - and at my age that's worrying!

Guess I'll just have to check and re-check next time (should do that anyway).

How about this one ... with no pencils / paper / calculators ...

There once was a salmon who tried to swim upstream to the place where she was born. She had to swim 1,010 feet upstream to reach the shady pool of water where she had once hatched from her egg.

Every five minutes she swam 30 feet upstream, but then in the next two minutes, while she rested,the rushing current would push her 10 feet back downstream.

She continued this way, swimming for five minutes then resting for two minutes, until she reached her destination.

How long did it take her to swim the entire 1,010 feet?

5hr 48 minutes.

Boy you were fast Zamo :)

Correct !!! ... 348 minutes (= 5hr 48mins)

50 x 30 feet (1500 feet) - 49 x 10 feet (490 feet) = 1010 feet

50 x 5 mins (250 mins) + 49 x 2 mins (98 mins) = 348 mins ...

Phew!!!

Almost got caught out by including a 2 minute rest at the end!

Originally posted by max
The simple answer is that in a knockout everybody except the winner gets knocked out. So, in a competition of 259 people 258 people get knocked out therefore 258 matches have to be played. Note, matches not byes.I was taught this as part of my General Studies A-Level course :)

Another way of reasoning is that the salmon goes 20 ft upstream every 7 minutes which gives 980 ft in 343 min, plus 5 min for the last 30 ft.

Guess there was no 'catch' involved in that teaser! (groan).

Originally posted by Carlwarker
Another way of reasoning is that the salmon goes 20 ft upstream every 7 minutes which gives 980 ft in 343 min, plus 5 min for the last 30 ft.

Guess there was no 'catch' involved in that teaser! (groan).

Yeah - that's how I figured it out.

How about this one then :

The son of a rich bullion merchant left home on the death of his father. All he had with him was a gold chain that consisted of 114 links. He rented a place in the city center with a shop at the lower level and an apartment at the upper level. He was required to pay every week one link of the gold chain as rent for the place.

The landlady told him that she wanted one link of the gold chain at the end of one week, two gold links at the end of two weeks, three gold links at the end of three weeks and so on.

The son realized that he had to cut the links of the gold chain to pay the weekly rent. If the son wished to rent the place for 114 weeks, what would be the minimum number of links he would need to cut?

(You may use pen/paper/calculators/slide rules!!)

Nomme

(114 + 1) * 114/2 = 6555

However if he only had 114 links it would run out after 2 weeks

(14 + 1) * 14/2 = 105

Originally posted by nommedenet
Yeah..... but those 14 hours included the average 8 most of us get some kip!!

Anyway - any good at cryptic crossword clues? If you *know* the answers to these straight off please refrain from posting the answers (i.e spoiling it for others who haven't seen them before), but if you figure them out then by all means show how clever you are.
Here's some of my favourites :

1) HIJKLMNO (5)
2) GEGS (9,5)
3) E (13)

Nomme

The first one is water - H to O or H little2 O (chemical symbol for water)

The second one and the third one I am still pondering

hurray, I have the second one too now

Scrambled EGGS!

third one looking tricky though....thinking
E for emergency
E for England
E for errrrrrrrrrrrr

Nomminenmenendentenam ...

Is the answer 4 ?

Originally posted by LouiseB
hurray, I have the second one too now

Scrambled EGGS!

third one looking tricky though....thinking
E for emergency
E for England
E for errrrrrrrrrrrr

E for vescence!

Originally posted by Carlwarker
E for vescence!

That cant be right, not enough letters

Still scratching my head.........

I wonder if there is a place with 13 letters in its name to be found at E13?
My knowledge of the east end is shocking but it looks like West Ham
I cant spend all night worrying about this Nomme, please put me out of my misery

Originally posted by JamieW
Nomminenmenendentenam ...

Is the answer 4 ?

Yes.

Now explain your answer.....

Originally posted by LouiseB
I wonder if there is a place with 13 letters in its name to be found at E13?
My knowledge of the east end is shocking but it looks like West Ham
I cant spend all night worrying about this Nomme, please put me out of my misery

Well I'll just give the others some more time. I've PM you the answer.

Nomme

Originally posted by nommedenet
Well I'll just give the others some more time. I've PM you the answer.

Nomme

Thanks, I have read it and I would never have got it in a million years

Keep up the good work posing them though

Louise
xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Incidentally what I really like best is a bit of lateral thinking....got any puzzles like that up your sleeve, guys and gals?

Originally posted by LouiseB
That cant be right, not enough letters

Still scratching my head.........

I WAS joking - it' from the old alphabet ditty:

A for horses

B for mutton, etc.

E for vescences! (13)

Originally posted by Carlwarker
I WAS joking - it' from the old alphabet ditty:

A for horses

B for mutton, etc.

E for vescences! (13)

In actual fact, and despite appearances to the contrary, I am really quite clever, so I did know you were joking....honest

((carl))

Originally posted by max
(114 + 1) * 114/2 = 6555

However if he only had 114 links it would run out after 2 weeks

(14 + 1) * 14/2 = 105

I think you meant 14 weeks, didn't you max?

Four men in hats brain teaser.

Click here for the puzzle (http://cundys.bizland.com/men.html)

I first saw this years ago now it's all over the net so try and solve it without Googling the answer.

You have to name the man and the reason.

Originally posted by Carlwarker
I think you meant 14 weeks, didn't you max?

OK, in my haste I translated 14 to days then into weeks. The maths is OK though, isn't it?

Originally posted by Carlwarker
I WAS joking - it' from the old alphabet ditty:

A for horses

B for mutton, etc.

E for vescences! (13)

Isn't it:

E for anaesthetic
F for vescence

If it's E(12) not E(13) then the answer is individually

Originally posted by Carlwarker
Two missiles speed directly toward each other, one at 9,000 mph and the other at 21,000 mph. The start 1,767 miles apart. Without using pencil and paper, calculate how far apart they are one minute before they collide.


Come on all you Einsteins!!!

C shout out black.

If he was white D would have shouted out black long ago.

John ... what are you on about ?

Upholder posted a problem and I've given the answer.

Originally posted by max
If it's E(12) not E(13) then the answer is individually

Nope, it's definitely E(13).
However, I'd like to hear your explaination of 'individually' for E(12)

Nomme

Originally posted by John
C shout out black.

If he was white D would have shouted out black long ago.

Correct :D

Originally posted by nommedenet
Nope, it's definitely E(13).
However, I'd like to hear your explaination of 'individually' for E(12)

Nomme

Oh well, back to the drawing board. My solution, though wrong, is:

individual e

Originally posted by max
Oh well, back to the drawing board. My solution, though wrong, is:

individual e

Ah - nice one. If no one gets it I'll post the solution later today or tomorrow.

Meanwhile......

This is quite a good one if you've not seen it before :

Allegedly, this is one of the questions for potential Microsoft employees. I must warn you, you can really get caught up trying to solve this problem.

Reportedly, one guy solved it by writing a C program, although that took him 37 minutes to develop (compiled and ran on the 1st try though). Another guy solved it in three minutes. A group of 50, at Motorola, couldn't figure it out at all. See how long it takes you.


"U2" has a concert that starts in 17 minutes and they must all cross a bridge to get there. All four men begin on the same side of the bridge.
You must help them across to the other side. It is night.

There is one flashlight. A maximum of two people can cross at one time. Any party who crosses, either 1 or 2 people, must have the flashlight
with them. The flashlight must be walked back and forth, it cannot be thrown, etc. Each band member walks at a different speed.

A pair must walk together at the rate of the slower man's pace:

Bono:- 1 minute to cross
Edge:- 2 minutes to cross
Adam:- 5 minutes to cross
Larry:-10 minutes to cross

For example: if Bono and Larry walk across first, 10 minutes have elapsed when they get to the other side of the bridge. If Larry then
returns with the flashlight, a total of 20 minutes have passed and you have failed the mission.

Notes: There is no trick behind this. It is the simple movement of resources in the appropriate order. There are two known answers to this
problem. This is based on a question Microsoft gives to all prospective employees.

Note: Microsoft expects you to answer this question in under 5 minutes!

Don't take it too hard if you don't figure this out...

(I nicked this from elsewhere - so I don't know if the stuff about microsoft is actually true or not)

Originally posted by John
C shout out black.

If he was white D would have shouted out black long ago.

That is brilliant John, I hope you didnt cheat. You are obviously very clever - and you sorted it for me !

At the moment I cant do the U2 thing in less than 19 minutes, but then I am never much good at those ones

Originally posted by LouiseB
At the moment I cant do the U2 thing in less than 19 minutes, but then I am never much good at those ones

Me too Louise, unless there's 'piggy-backing' aloud - but , I guess, that's a trick solution.

And, having just awoken (11.30 am) from a heavy night, 'logic' questions seem extra difficult through the murky mists of my mind.

Ah, the joys of being retired.

1+2 go across bridge (2 mins)
1 comes back (1 mins)
5+10 go cross bridge (10 mins)
2 comes back (2 mins)
1+2 go across bridge (2 mins)

17 mins total ... took about 1 minute to figure out.

still working on nommedenet 's rock problem ... grrr.

Well I wont give it away, but I cheated and looked on the net.

As soon as I found the answer, I remembered that the answer to all these bridge crossing type thingies always works like that, and I am always crap until afterwards..........sigh

Louise
x

nommedenet's rock problem ...

you have a 40kg lump of rock.

you have some wieghing scales (like on the libra starsign).

break the lump of rock up in to 4 pieces ... such that you can weigh anything between 1kg and 40kg.

what are the weights of the 4 lumps?

8
9
10
13


9 - 8 = 1
10 - 8 = 2
13 - 10 + 3
8 + 9 + 17 - 13 = 4
13 - 8 = 5
10 + 9 - 13 = 6

Havent bothered to work out any further up, hope that will do it

It had better because I am sitting here all chuffed for finally working one out!

LouiseB

I had those exact same numbers last night louise ... and i got up to 15 ... but couldn't for the life of me get 16 (was even dreaming about it).

8kg 9kg 10kg 13kg ....


how do you weigh something at 16kg?

unless you can say ... it weights more than 15 ... but less that 17 ?

does that count as cheating ?

Originally posted by JamieW
I had those exact same numbers last night louise ... and i got up to 15 ... but couldn't for the life of me get 16 (was even dreaming about it).

LOL - Hey I did say don't lose any sleep over it.

Nomme

Originally posted by JamieW
unless you can say ... it weights more than 15 ... but less that 17 ?

does that count as cheating ?

I dont think it would be cheating.

We know our lumps are exact weight, so more than 15 but less than 17 can only be 16.

I am still working on 16 (since you mentioned it) but promise not to fall asleep thinking about it

LOL ... I just thought it can't be 8 9 10 13 ... and fell asleep ... mmmm ... lovely sleep ...

What do you think nomme ?

More than 15 but less than 17 ... is that an ok solution to the 16 ?

Originally posted by JamieW
LOL ... I just thought it can't be 8 9 10 13 ... and fell asleep ... mmmm ... lovely sleep ...

What do you think nomme ?

More than 15 but less than 17 ... is that an ok solution to the 16 ?

It would be OK in my book. I don't actually know if there is more than 1 answer, but looking at the numbers you have I'm struggling to see how you would do the high thirties, say from 34 - 40.

Good point ... certainly would be a struggle to get 39kg with the lowest chunk of rock being 8kg.

In order to get 39kg ... you would need a 2kg smallest rock.

i.e. less than 40 but more than 38.

I am guessing that you need to use the less than 'x' but more than 'y' approach.

Originally posted by nommedenet
It would be OK in my book. I don't actually know if there is more than 1 answer, but looking at the numbers you have I'm struggling to see how you would do the high thirties, say from 34 - 40.

I'm still 'fuzzy' from last night - but how do you get any weighing above 24, except for 40?

8 on one side,
the rest on the other is obviously 32

9 on one side
with the rest on the other is obviously 31

10 on one side
with the rest on the other is obviously 30

etc

You just have to keep adding and substracting until you make it work

I still think this is the answer, but am open for someone to tell me an alternative

Thankyou LouiseB - as I said I am fuzzy - someone must have spiked my drink last night, 'coz I'm not usually THAT fuzzy.

Thus, goodbye for a while friends, it's time to recuperate...

As I read the original rocks thing the idea was to weigh anything not just the bits of rock. I took this to mean that if, for instance, you had something weighing 34kg you could add a 3kg lump to that and put the remaining 37kg of rocks on the other side. If that is the problem then it opens up another can of worms.

Did anybody else read it that way?

But Louise ...

How do you determine if something is 39 ?

If you only have 8,9,10 and 13 ?

Originally posted by max
As I read the original rocks thing the idea was to weigh anything not just the bits of rock. I took this to mean that if, for instance, you had something weighing 34kg you could add a 3kg lump to that and put the remaining 37kg of rocks on the other side. If that is the problem then it opens up another can of worms.

Did anybody else read it that way?

Max go away and shake your head
of course that is what it means
you put the thing - a lump of cheese, in the scales to BALANCE THEM.........doh...

Originally posted by JamieW
But Louise ...

How do you determine if something is 39 ?

If you only have 8,9,10 and 13 ?

You cant, we messed up, those numbers are wrong

I have cheated and found the answer but will keep it to myself while you start again.......grrrr

Originally posted by LouiseB
Max go away and shake your head
of course that is what it means
you put the thing - a lump of cheese, in the scales to BALANCE THEM.........doh...

Oops :blush:

U cheat !!!

lol

Yeah that is how I understood the problem MAX.

I think you need to work out the smallest size rock u will need to weigh something at 39.

I recon this would be a 2kg rock.

I think you need to use the more than x and less than y thingy too.

I think I have recuperated - try 1, 3, 9 and 27.

Originally posted by Carlwarker
I think I have recuperated - try 1, 3, 9 and 27.

Yup, that works. Nice one.

Next puzzle please!

Nice one Carl ... that seems to do the trick !

1,3 and 9 can do anything up to 13

27 - 13 = 14
27 - 12 = 15
:
27 - 2 = 25
27 - 1 = 26

27 = 27

27 + 1 = 28
27 + 2 = 29
:
27 + 12 = 39
27 + 13 = 40

Also interesting is that they are the first four powers of 3 (3 to the zero ... 3 cubed).

Originally posted by JamieW
Nice one Carl ... that seems to do the trick !

1,3 and 9 can do anything up to 13

27 - 13 = 14
27 - 12 = 15
:
27 - 2 = 25
27 - 1 = 26

27 = 27

27 + 1 = 28
27 + 2 = 29
:
27 + 12 = 39
27 + 13 = 40

Yes well done Carlwarker. Phew - someone got it!

Next time you see a set of weights take a look a the sequence they take....

1,2,4,8,16,32 ,64 etc......
cf
1,3,9,27

cheers
Nomme

So I DIDNT get it after all

wipes smirk off own face

:(

Try me with something else then, useless ol' me

Oh well Louise hunni ... at least someone else was barking up the same wrong tree as you *blushes* lol

Originally posted by LouiseB
So I DIDNT get it after all

wipes smirk off own face

:(

Try me with something else then, useless ol' me

Nevermind try this one.

Explain this :

A man walks into a bar and asks the barman for a glass of water. The barman pulls out a gun and points it at the man. The man says 'Thank you' and walks out.

Nomme

Originally posted by nommedenet
Nevermind try this one.

Explain this :

A man walks into a bar and asks the barman for a glass of water. The barman pulls out a gun and points it at the man. The man says 'Thank you' and walks out.

Nomme

I know that one already but thanks for trying for me
It is Fab isnt it

Gus is a water pistol ?

Originally posted by JamieW
Gus is a water pistol ?

No it's a real gun.

Nomme

Originally posted by LouiseB
I know that one already but thanks for trying for me
It is Fab isnt it

Doh! How about this one:

One day Jill celebrated her birthday. Two days later her older twin brother, Jack, celebrated his birthday. How come?

Nomme

Originally posted by nommedenet
Doh! How about this one:

One day Jill celebrated her birthday. Two days later her older twin brother, Jack, celebrated his birthday. How come?

Nomme

I know that one as well sorry, try a different website, I think I went there yesterday

Originally posted by JamieW
Gus is a water pistol ?

Jamie, it is easy if you take it in stages.

I wont give you a clue, but, start at the beginning

The man asks for a glass of water..........why would he want a glass of water?

Then you are there in seconds.....I worked it out yesterday when I was on the same website Nomme is now on I imagine. Sadly it means I will know them all.....sigh

Originally posted by nommedenet
Yes well done Carlwarker. Phew - someone got it!

Next time you see a set of weights take a look a the sequence they take....

1,2,4,8,16,32 ,64 etc......
cf
1,3,9,27

cheers
Nomme

Regarding the binary system, it’s interesting that, although Liebnitz is credited with it’s ‘discovery’ in the West, he was aware, through his contact with Pere Bouvet ( a Jesuit missionary and mathematician in China), of Fu Hsi’s arrangement of the hexagrams of the I Ching ( about 3000 BC) – the first known ‘counting’ in the binary system (0 – 63 in decimal numeration).

I know it doesn’t change (no pun) the price of bread, but …

Originally posted by LouiseB
Sadly it means I will know them all.....sigh

Grrr! My last go then. No cheatin' !!!

Which letter is missing from this sequence :.....

A, A, A, A, *?* A, A, A, A, A, A

Note: the answer is not A.

Nomme

W for Watling Street, the A5?
weak I know...........thinking.........

H? Ha ha ha.

Originally posted by Carlwarker
H? Ha ha ha.

Nope.

Louise - its not 'w' either.

Nomme

Some kind of synonym for 5'A's?

Or is it the answer to the old riddle:

When is a door not a door?

When it's aaaajaaaaaa!