time

Oblivion

17:14, 12:01, 07:04, ?

BicycleTree

I don't know, maybe 12:11? Have you really given enough terms to figure this out?

whozum

I can think of three legit answers.

JamesU

And They Are....?

whozum

Enough to tell me that this riddle isnt complete and thus has no answer.

Oblivion

They are specific times that have something in common. If you figure out the relationship between the first three, the last one will be apparent.

DaveC426913

Well, 01:32 works. It may not be the most simplest pattern, but it does work...

Jimmy Snyder

You should realize that given any finite sequence of numbers, no matter how long the sequence is, and no matter what the numbers in the sequence are, you can give any number you want as the next number in the sequence and justify it. The way to do so is to produce a polynomial whose zeros are the numbers in the given sequence plus the one that you answered with. That having been said, I can justify the following answer based on a difference equation.

Answer whited out

02:23

ArielGenesis

17:14, 12:01, 07:04, 02:10

DaveC426913

I think this is one of those "when you get the answer you'll know it" kind of puzzles.

The answer isn't merely arbitrary - i.e.: not merely an extrapolation from the given numbers. The answer will be obvious (once the logic is demonstrated).

eg.: N S E ?

There are many answers that could satisfy the pattern, but W is obviously the correct answer.

<<<GUILLE>>>

if you notice the minutes, first 14, then it's components in right to left order: 1 and 4. then if you notice the hours, first there is 17, then form right to left order: 1 and 7. the problem here for me is the 2 in 12:01. maybe it means that it is the second 1, so maybe, you try to say that next is the first right inumber of the middle hour (the socond one) and the first right minute of the socond hour. I know it is extremely confusing, I don't know to how to explian it, but here are my three possibilties:

13:00
10:00
01:00

Rahmuss

17:14, 12:01, 07:04, 01:51

BicycleTree

Oblivion, are you still around?

<<<GUILLE>>>

is it random guessing or you have a background pattern?

Oblivion

solution:

02:00 because when they're seen on a digital watch they have 5:6,7:8,9:10,11:12 lines.(The smallest possible ones must be the solution.)
or
From the 1st set to the 3rd set, you replace the 1's with 0's. Following the same logic of replacing the 1's with 0's, going from the 2nd set to the 4th set you end up with 02:00.

BicycleTree

Pretty good explanation (your first explanation, about the digital watch). I think no one would ever have gotten it.