Your Favorite Brain Teaser

[Composer]

Here's a good one:
You have been captured by some organization. They give you a choice of three ways to die. A room filled with poison gas, a room filled with lions that haven't eaten in a year, or a room full of expert assassins.
Which room do you choose and why?

The lions because they would have starved to death?

i remember that one from grammer school.

 

[rokkolpo]

Here's a good one:
You have been captured by some organization. They give you a choice of three ways to die. A room filled with poison gas, a room filled with lions that haven't eaten in a year, or a room full of expert assassins.
Which room do you choose and why?

the lions because they starved

 

[2xDouble]

So, StevieWonderMk2 has the right answer here, and you can, of course, discuss your strategy before hand (are you familiar with what the word "after" means?). Fun fact: This type of strategy works with any finite number of hats and any finite number of hat colors. Now for something really sadistic: suppose you have an infinite number of people. Is there a way to answer such that you are guaranteed to save all but a finite number of people?

First off, "after" has no bearing on the other operative word, "madman". Once you toss insanity into the mix, logic pretty much goes out the window.
Second, there could never be infinite people. Even if there were somehow, there's no way a finite number of guards/henchmen/whatever could contain or imprison them all in such a way that they'd be able to see each other. (not even The Matrix was that complex)
Thirdly, yes there is. Simply divide into finite groups and apply the same strategy. In fact, the person in the "front" of each finite-numbered group would also be the "back" of the next finite-numbered group. He or she would know their own color from the person behind him or her so he or she would be "safe" and could start the next line.

This, of course assumes the system is closed (no other outside interference i.e. rescue attempts, coups or deals with the guards, starvation and dehydration from being trapped for eternity while an infinite number of people answer one at a time, etc.), there is ample time for discussion beforehand, and the "madman" keeps his word to spare the correct answerers.

You're being way too literal here. Of course you can't actually have an infinite number of people, mostly because there aren't infinitely many people. It's a thought exercise.

Your answer is incorrect, by the way. The person at the front of each finite group (I feel dirty conflicting terms like that, but we'll go with it) might be able to answer their color correctly, but that color might not correspond with the information that they need to give the people in front of them.

yeah, you're right. there would need to be separation between the finite groups. It was just a thought.

Besides (going way off topic), why do thoughts need exercising anyway? Isn't it our thought processes that need exercising? Wouldn't that then become a process exercise, or at least a brain exercise? Or, if it can be applied like regular exercise, wouldn't the problem itself be "thought resistance" and the process of thinking out the problem is the exercise? I could go on, but... I don't care anymore. lol!

 

[sheic99]

Your last good ping-pong ball fell down into a narrow metal pipe embedded in concrete one foot deep.
How can you get it out undamaged, if all the tools you have are your tennis paddle, your shoe-laces, and your plastic water bottle, which does not fit into the pipe?

You pee into the hole.

 

[QuadrAlien]

here's one I made up: 1 is 2; 2, 3, 5, and 9 are 5; 4 is 4; 6 is 6; 7 is 3; and 8 is 7.
What is 0? (Hint: it's NOT a math problem)

Is 0 zero?
or
0 is a number. Either of those the answer?

they are both answers. they are both correct in different contexts. but not for this riddle.

the hard part is figuring out what the heck I'm talking about. once you got that, it's easy.

0 is 6. The second number represents the number of lines that make up the number as they appear on a calculator or digital clock's display.

Your last good ping-pong ball fell down into a narrow metal pipe embedded in concrete one foot deep.
How can you get it out undamaged, if all the tools you have are your tennis paddle, your shoe-laces, and your plastic water bottle, which does not fit into the pipe?

You pee into the hole.

The water bottle presumably was meant to have still contained some water, so there was no need for that.... Tempted as I have been to enter 'URINE' instead of 'WATER' when this puzzle appeared in Professor Layton.

 

[2xDouble]

here's one I made up: 1 is 2; 2, 3, 5, and 9 are 5; 4 is 4; 6 is 6; 7 is 3; and 8 is 7.
What is 0? (Hint: it's NOT a math problem)

Is 0 zero?
or
0 is a number. Either of those the answer?

they are both answers. they are both correct in different contexts. but not for this riddle.

the hard part is figuring out what the heck I'm talking about. once you got that, it's easy.

0 is 6. The second number represents the number of lines that make up the number as they appear on a calculator or digital clock's display.

Your last good ping-pong ball fell down into a narrow metal pipe embedded in concrete one foot deep.
How can you get it out undamaged, if all the tools you have are your tennis paddle, your shoe-laces, and your plastic water bottle, which does not fit into the pipe?

You pee into the hole.

The water bottle presumably was meant to have still contained some water, so there was no need for that.... Tempted as I have been to enter 'URINE' instead of 'WATER' when this puzzle appeared in Professor Layton.

bingo

 

[ZeLunarian]

Hey everyone! Post your favorite brain teaser. Also check back and try to answer other people's.
Here's mine:
You are on a journey to the village of truth. You come to a fork in the road with a sign that says village of truth and village of lie but no arrows to designate which way leads to which village. A man stands at the side of the road. He says that you can ask one question of him and from that answer you can try to figure out which way to go. However, you don't know which village the man is from. What do you ask him to get you to the village of truth?

Hmmm... ask him wich way is directly opposite the village of truth. If he's a lier he'd point towards it, and if he's truth then you'll still know wich way ^.^

7 into 3 equals 1
1 into 3 equals 7

What am I?

Wronglols

 

[The_Decoy]

Hey everyone! Post your favorite brain teaser. Also check back and try to answer other people's.
Here's mine:
You are on a journey to the village of truth. You come to a fork in the road with a sign that says village of truth and village of lie but no arrows to designate which way leads to which village. A man stands at the side of the road. He says that you can ask one question of him and from that answer you can try to figure out which way to go. However, you don't know which village the man is from. What do you ask him to get you to the village of truth?

Is this guy the one who stabs people who asks tricky questions?


At any rate an easy one from a book I read:

ST ND RD __

next two letters?

And:

How can you count to over 1000 using just your 10 fingers, without counting any finger twice?

 

[sheic99]

Your last good ping-pong ball fell down into a narrow metal pipe embedded in concrete one foot deep.
How can you get it out undamaged, if all the tools you have are your tennis paddle, your shoe-laces, and your plastic water bottle, which does not fit into the pipe?

You pee into the hole.

The water bottle presumably was meant to have still contained some water, so there was no need for that.... Tempted as I have been to enter 'URINE' instead of 'WATER' when this puzzle appeared in Professor Layton.

To be fair, it was never mentioned that there was water in the bottle. All I had to go on was that there was a bottle there. I originally thought the bottle was meant to be peed in, and then use that to get the urine in the hole easier. But that sound much easier.

 

[SeaCalMaster]

7 into 3 equals 1
1 into 3 equals 7

What am I?

... you're working mod 4?

Here's one that's easier than the other one I have going. A woman leaves home one morning and quickly turns right. She jogs for a while, then decides to turn left. After another short distance, she turns left again and picks up speed. After turning left a third time, she heads back home, where she sees two people wearing masks. She is not alarmed in any way. Why not?

 

[Siuki]

Time for his sons to get a job? I have no clue XD

I kind of fail at these, but I have one:

A woman is reading in her house by the sea. She gets tired, turns off all the lights, and goes to bed. The next morning, she opens the paper to read "2000 killed in boat crash." She then immediately jumps out the window and kills herself. Why?

I assume that she lives in the Lighthouse and they were killed because she turned off the light?

Bing bing bing!! Way to go!

Here's a tougher one:

A girl's mother dies, and at the funeral, she meets a nice young man. A week goes by... then the girl stabs her sister to death. Why?

Before you freak out, this is a question I was posed when I was in high school. One answer means you have some dangerous tendencies.

Because that ***** tried to steal her man!!

I'm sorry, I really don't know.

OT, I don't really have any except this extremely easy one:

What can you catch but not throw?

Sickness?

 

[RedDeadFred]

Hey everyone! Post your favorite brain teaser. Also check back and try to answer other people's.
Here's mine:
You are on a journey to the village of truth. You come to a fork in the road with a sign that says village of truth and village of lie but no arrows to designate which way leads to which village. A man stands at the side of the road. He says that you can ask one question of him and from that answer you can try to figure out which way to go. However, you don't know which village the man is from. What do you ask him to get you to the village of truth?

Hmmm... ask him wich way is directly opposite the village of truth. If he's a lier he'd point towards it, and if he's truth then you'll still know wich way ^.^

That's not the actual answer but that works really well. You get an extra big cookie for figuring out a new answer.

 

[KillerH]

not sure on that one.

Here's mine:
There is a ruler in this kingdom
With the head of a Leper
the middle of a pig
the legs of a buffalo
and the tail of a dragon
who is the king?

did you mean "Leper" or "leopard"? if it was "leopard", the answer might be Lion.

I was copying it down from an old book I have, but leopard makes more sense. Yes the answer is lion.

Here's two new ones

#1.
What object has keys but opens no locks
space but no room
and you can enter, but not go in?

#2.
Imagine you are in a room with no windows or doors. All that's in the room with you is an empty paper cup and some string. How do you get out?

 

[2xDouble]

I was copying it down from an old book I have, but leopard makes more sense. Yes the answer is lion.

Here's two new ones

#1.
What object has keys but opens no locks
space but no room
and you can enter, but not go in?

#2.
Imagine you are in a room with no windows or doors. All that's in the room with you is an empty paper cup and some string. How do you get out?

1) a keyboard

2) (one answer) tear the cup in half, put the two halves together, and climb out through the "hole".

 

[ThatOneJewYouNo]

Ahh, I love brain teasers. Here are a few easy ones my dad taught me when I was just 12-13 years old.

You're stuck in a cabin and your compass is going haywire, saying every direction is north. You hear a bear roar outside, what color is it?

(This doesn't work very well in text, but it's fun to say aloud) A pilot fails to turn on autopilot before going to sleep in his chair and the airplane crashes on the US - Canada borders. 200 men and women are killed, but where do they bury the survivors? (And now you know why it's so easy to figure out on paper.)

Jack and Bob are sitting in a room with nothing but fifty-two Bicycles and a knife. Bob, in a fit of frustration, stabs Jack... But why?

 

[KillerH]

#1.
What object has keys but opens no locks
space but no room
and you can enter, but not go in?

#2.
Imagine you are in a room with no windows or doors. All that's in the room with you is an empty paper cup and some string. How do you get out?

1) a keyboard

2) (one answer) tear the cup in half, put the two halves together, and climb out through the "hole".

1 is right! nice.
That's a good answer for 2. The other answer is to stop imagining.

Here's a few famous ones (please don't just google them)

#1.
There is a boat with a ladder that extends 10 feet off of the side, with steps spaced half a foot apart. The water rises at a rate of 2 feet per hour. How long will it take for the water to reach the top of the ladder?

#2.
I turn polar bears white and will make you cry. I make guy have to sleep and girls comb their hair. I make geniuses look stupid and normal people look like geniuses. I turn pancakes brown and make your cola bubble. If you squeeze me, I'll pop. If you look at me, you'll pop. Can you guess the riddle?

3#.

1. In a street there are five houses, painted five different colours.
2. In each house lives a person of different nationality
3. These five homeowners each drink a different kind of beverage, smoke different brand of cigar and keep a different pet.

THE QUESTION: WHO OWNS THE FISH?

HINTS

1. The Brit lives in a red house.
2. The Swede keeps dogs as pets.
3. The Dane drinks tea.
4. The Green house is next to, and on the left of the White house.
5. The owner of the Green house drinks coffee.
6. The person who smokes Pall Mall rears birds.
7. The owner of the Yellow house smokes Dunhill.
8. The man living in the centre house drinks milk.
9. The Norwegian lives in the first house.
10. The man who smokes Blends lives next to the one who keeps cats.
11. The man who keeps horses lives next to the man who smokes Dunhill.
12. The man who smokes Blue Master drinks beer.
13. The German smokes Prince.
14. The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.
15. The man who smokes Blends has a neighbour who drinks water.

 

[2xDouble]

Hey everyone! Post your favorite brain teaser. Also check back and try to answer other people's.
Here's mine:
You are on a journey to the village of truth. You come to a fork in the road with a sign that says village of truth and village of lie but no arrows to designate which way leads to which village. A man stands at the side of the road. He says that you can ask one question of him and from that answer you can try to figure out which way to go. However, you don't know which village the man is from. What do you ask him to get you to the village of truth?

Is this guy the one who stabs people who asks tricky questions?


At any rate an easy one from a book I read:

ST ND RD __

next two letters?

And:

How can you count to over 1000 using just your 10 fingers, without counting any finger twice?

ZE?

and:
there's a couple dumb answers... just count to over 1000 without counting your fingers; count by 100's on your fingers;
or use binary code (each finger is a power of 2. 1, 2, 4, 8... 256, 512. summation puts the total at 1023. you don't count each finger individually more than once, technically)

 

[Scabadus]

Here's one that's easier than the other one I have going. A woman leaves home one morning and quickly turns right. She jogs for a while, then decides to turn left. After another short distance, she turns left again and picks up speed. After turning left a third time, she heads back home, where she sees two people wearing masks. She is not alarmed in any way. Why not?

It's Halloween and the people are her children wearing their costumes? Mabey? I've never heard this one before.

 

[Gavmando]

I present as a counter riddle -
I have two U.S. coins that add up to fifty-five cents. One is not a nickel. What coins are they?

A penny and a 1972 dime with a Roosevelt imperfection.

Give me my cookie!

Ahh, I love brain teasers. Here are a few easy ones my dad taught me when I was just 12-13 years old.

You're stuck in a cabin and your compass is going haywire, saying every direction is north. You hear a bear roar outside, what color is it?

(This doesn't work very well in text, but it's fun to say aloud) A pilot fails to turn on autopilot before going to sleep in his chair and the airplane crashes on the US - Canada borders. 200 men and women are killed, but where do they bury the survivors? (And now you know why it's so easy to figure out on paper.)

Jack and Bob are sitting in a room with nothing but fifty-two Bicycles and a knife. Bob, in a fit of frustration, stabs Jack... But why?

1. If you hear a bear roaring at the south pole you've got even more problems than you think...

2. They dont bury survivors. Well, maybe in Kazakhstan...

3. Jack's a ****.

 

[ThatOneJewYouNo]

Ahh, I love brain teasers. Here are a few easy ones my dad taught me when I was just 12-13 years old.

You're stuck in a cabin and your compass is going haywire, saying every direction is north. You hear a bear roar outside, what color is it?

(This doesn't work very well in text, but it's fun to say aloud) A pilot fails to turn on autopilot before going to sleep in his chair and the airplane crashes on the US - Canada borders. 200 men and women are killed, but where do they bury the survivors? (And now you know why it's so easy to figure out on paper.)

Jack and Bob are sitting in a room with nothing but fifty-two Bicycles and a knife. Bob, in a fit of frustration, stabs Jack... But why?

1. If you hear a bear roaring at the south pole you've got even more problems than you think...

2. They dont bury survivors. Well, maybe in Kazakhstan...

3. Jack's a ****.

1. Clever, clever. But you get the idea.

2. Never been to Kazakhstan, so I dunno.

3. He is, but that's not the right answer.