Solve Enjoyable Enigmas with Mr.E's Challenge

  • Thread starter Thread starter Enigman
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary
The forum thread invites puzzle enthusiasts to share various types of puzzles, including cryptograms and whodunnits, while emphasizing that participants should know the answers without resorting to online searches. A code message is presented, which participants attempt to decode, leading to discussions about its meaning and possible interpretations. Participants also engage in solving additional puzzles, such as cutting a cake into pieces with minimal cuts and a physics challenge involving water and matchsticks. The conversation highlights the enjoyment of problem-solving and the creative thinking required to tackle these enigmas. Overall, the thread fosters a collaborative atmosphere for sharing and solving intriguing puzzles.
  • #511
zoobyshoe said:
the puzzleland toy store charges $6 for a doll, $7.50 for a train, $4.50 for a top, and $12 for a paint set.

What would you pay there for a bicycle?

$10.50
[Edit: More detailed spoiler:]
The store charges by the letter.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #512
collinsmark said:
$10.50
[Edit: More detailed spoiler:]
The store charges by the letter.
Correct on both counts!
 
  • #513
Wait on me...yet again.
(more hypothetical money this time.)
I go to a restaurant and ask the waiter (you) to bring me two glasses, a jug of water, matchsticks, a table spoon, fork, paper towels and a fruit (just for the sake of tradition).
You bring the said things and set them on the table. I pour water from the jug into a glass and challenge you to transfer some water from the glass to the empty glass so that they both have approximately equal amounts of water. And of course do this without touching the glasses (or breaking them), you may use anything on the table and nothing else. Glasses are set at a close distance and may not be moved from their original places.
Extra tips- $200*

*T&C applied- money in concern is perfectly imaginary.[/size]
 
  • #514
I know this one, so I'll recuse myself.
 
  • #515
This is a cheap answer to the water transfer problem:
It says that we have to transfer SOME water from one glass to the other, so that both have about the same amount of water. So step 1 is to pour water from the jug into the empty glass until the glasses have about the same amount of water. At this point, if I transfer a very small amount of water from one glass to the other, then I will have transferred some water from one glass to the other, so that both have about the same amount of water (indeed, if I transferred more I would make the one glass have too much!). So I dip the paper towel into the one glass, and squeeze the water out into the other glass, completing the task
 
  • #516
Office_Shredder said:
This is a cheap answer to the water transfer problem:
It says that we have to transfer SOME water from one glass to the other, so that both have about the same amount of water. So step 1 is to pour water from the jug into the empty glass until the glasses have about the same amount of water. At this point, if I transfer a very small amount of water from one glass to the other, then I will have transferred some water from one glass to the other, so that both have about the same amount of water (indeed, if I transferred more I would make the one glass have too much!). So I dip the paper towel into the one glass, and squeeze the water out into the other glass, completing the task

...quite acceptable but there's a better physical answer... though this is certainly much quicker...
 
  • #517
I can't really move on to the next one till someone answers it...
ANYONE?
PLEAAASSSEEE?
 
  • #518
Does the answer involve boiling and condensation?
 
  • #519
nope. hint: most of the things I asked for are useless... choose that/those which will help. Also its going to take a long time...
 
  • #520
Enigman said:
Wait on me...yet again.
(more hypothetical money this time.)
I go to a restaurant and ask the waiter (you) to bring me two glasses, a jug of water, matchsticks, a table spoon, fork, paper towels and a fruit (just for the sake of tradition).
You bring the said things and set them on the table. I pour water from the jug into a glass and challenge you to transfer some water from the glass to the empty glass so that they both have approximately equal amounts of water. And of course do this without touching the glasses (or breaking them), you may use anything on the table and nothing else. Glasses are set at a close distance and may not be moved from their original places.
Extra tips- $200*

*T&C applied- money in concern is perfectly imaginary.[/size]

This is just a guess (I haven't experimented with this [yet]), but I'm thinking that all that is really necessary is the paper towel.

Let's assume that the two glasses are close together. If not use the fruit to attract Gad and then light a match which is laced through the prongs of the fork which is placed under the table. This startles Gad causing her to bump the table such that the glasses end up being closer together. (Or you could just kindly ask Gad to move one of the glasses next to the other.)

So at this point, the two glasses are next to each other, and one is filled with water, the other empty. Roll up the paper towel into a tube sort of shape. Fold this paper tube in half and put one end into each glass. That should do it, I think.

What I'm guessing will happen is that the water will rise up the paper towel through capillary action, and down the other side (into the empty glass). The water will will flow from the full glass to the empty glass as long as the water level in the once full glass is higher than the water level in the once empty glass. This is similar behavior to a siphon. The water level in each glass should asymptotically approach each other, ignoring evaporation effects. However, it might take a long time to reach something resembling equilibrium.
 
  • #521
Or how about
Use the spoon to scoop out a cavity in the fruit. Stick the fork in the fruit, and dip it into the full glass. Then pour the water filling the cavity into the empty glass. Rinse and repeat. Light your 200 dollar tip on fire with the matchstick and use it to smoke a cigar.

Or even better
Use the spoon to scoop water out of one glass and dump it in the other one. Rinse and repeat
 
Last edited:
  • #522
collinsmark said:
Let's assume that the two glasses are close together. If not use the fruit to attract Gad and then light a match which is laced through the prongs of the fork which is placed under the table. This startles Gad causing her to bump the table such that the glasses end up being closer together. (Or you could just kindly ask Gad to move one of the glasses next to the other.)
:smile: a tad sadistic and wholly unnecessary- I already mentioned that they are close to together.
And that's the answer I was looking for...
Office_Shredder said:
Or how about
Use the spoon to scoop out a cavity in the fruit. Stick the fork in the fruit, and dip it into the full glass. Then pour the water filling the cavity into the empty glass. Rinse and repeat. Light your 200 dollar tip on fire with the matchstick and use it to smoke a cigar.

Or even better
Use the spoon to scoop water out of one glass and dump it in the other one. Rinse and repeat
I am regretting ordering the spoon now...
:-p
 
  • #523
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8tlEoBs
A demo.

Okay, next one-
I show you a bottle of water* and say that I'll bet you a hundred bucks that you won't be able to pour the water out of the bottle any time soon, you refuse the bet.Why?
*Edit- liquid
 
  • #524
No fruit involved? :pThere's no water in the bottle/bottle is broken.
 
  • #525
Bottle is fine and filled with water. What's your favourite fruit Gad?
 
  • #526
So fruit is involved! :biggrin:

Let me see, hmm, I would say pomegranate. :-p
 
  • #527
Enigman said:
Bottle is fine and filled with water. What's your favourite fruit Gad?

Ok, cause it's locked inside a broken vending machine. :biggrin:
 
  • #528
Gad said:
Ok, cause it's locked inside a broken vending machine. :biggrin:

OK...that's acceptable I guess...:rolleyes:
Assume that the bottle is perfectly fine and is filled with liquid water and is in my hands. Also to make the enigma more solvable- If you did accept the bet I would do something to it which would make pouring the water out impossible- before handing the bottle to you.
hint:
Enigma is a physical one and a rather cool one at that.
 
Last edited:
  • #529
You must be thirsty to hold it in your hand. :p
 
  • #530
Gad said:
You must be thirsty to hold it in your hand. :p

I wouldn't drink it...
:wink:
 
  • #531
Enigman said:
You must be thirsty to hold it in your hand. :p
I wouldn't drink it...
:wink:

Also I don't know if I could hold it for too long...
 
  • #532
First guess is-
The bottle is actually made out of ice. By the time you pour out some water it can be argued that some ice melted and there is some water inside the ice. Holding it would be a pain too.
 
  • #533
consciousness said:
First guess is-
The bottle is actually made out of ice. By the time you pour out some water it can be argued that some ice melted and there is some water inside the ice. Holding it would be a pain too.
No.
Also doesn't explain why you would leave a hundred bucks and not take the bet...
The enigma is really cool!
 
  • #534
The bottle has mostly oil in it. (Its an emulsion.)
 
  • #535
Another answer-

The bet took place at one of the poles. The water will simply freeze when you try to pour it out. Taking the ice out will be a real challenge.
 
  • #536
My guess is something like
you are going to squeeze the bottle, put the cap on, then pop the bottle back into shape creating a vacuum inside and preventing you from ever uncapping it. Is this actually possible, I do not know
 
  • #537
consciousness said:
Another answer-

The bet took place at one of poles. The water will simply freeze when you try to pour it out. Taking the ice out will be a real challenge.

No. It can be done anywhere.
And the bottle contains only H2O
:biggrin:
 
  • #538
Office_Shredder said:
My guess is something like
you are going to squeeze the bottle, put the cap on, then pop the bottle back into shape creating a vacuum inside and preventing you from ever uncapping it. Is this actually possible, I do not know

It isn't. The bottle won't regain its shape...I have tried this before.
As I said it is a really cool enigma...
 
  • #539
The bottle is a hard plastic (can't be deformed) and you just removed it from a very cold freezer. The pressure in the bottle was 1 atmosphere going in, so with the temperature decrease it is now much less than one atmosphere. You shouldn't be able to open it until the bottle warms back up again (which if it's a thermos for example will be a very long time)
This doesn't have you doing something to the bottle after the bet is made so it can't be what you're thinking of, but possibly something along these lines.
 
  • #540
Office_Shredder said:
The bottle is a hard plastic (can't be deformed) and you just removed it from a very cold freezer.
So far so good.
The pressure in the bottle was 1 atmosphere going in, so with the temperature decrease it is now much less than one atmosphere. You shouldn't be able to open it until the bottle warms back up again (which if it's a thermos for example will be a very long time)
Water expands on freezing so the pressure should be greater.
This is a super cool enigma!
That was a huge hint.
 

Similar threads

Challenge Intermediate Math Challenge - August 2018
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
6K
Challenge Are You Ready for the Basic Math Challenge This August?
  • · Replies 57 ·
2
Replies
57
Views
12K
Challenge Basic Math Challenge - September 2018
  • · Replies 38 ·
2
Replies
38
Views
9K
Challenge Intermediate Math Challenge - September 2018
  • · Replies 28 ·
Replies
28
Views
7K
Challenge Math Challenge - October 2018
  • · Replies 71 ·
3
Replies
71
Views
13K
Challenge Math Challenge - December 2018
  • · Replies 67 ·
3
Replies
67
Views
15K
Challenge Can You Solve These Math Challenges?
  • · Replies 82 ·
3
Replies
82
Views
15K
Admissions Comments on PhD Statement of Purpose
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
Codebreaker Wanted~Find the diamonds
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
5K
Challenge Intermediate Math Challenge - May 2018
  • · Replies 61 ·
3
Replies
61
Views
12K