instruction stringlengths 15 30k |
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I'd say some variation of the following:
>! What is the Sphinx's riddle? |
>!Could you repeat the question? |
The first thing that comes to mind is
>!If this was the question, what would be the answer?
but that seems too easy
Another possibility in the literalist bent
>! Hold some object in your hand and ask "What?" |
Let's pack some T hexominoes and some small $a\times b$ rectangles to any bigger rectangle without holes and overlapping.
For example, I can pack two T hexominoes and eight $1\times1$ rectangles into a $5\times4$ rectangle:
![][1]
I can guarantee that there exist solutions for T hexominoes and the following re... |
The answer (*or answer*) is so easy though!
>! What did you just ask me? |
Not fully reasoned out yet, but:
>! Quarter (coin)
<br />
Reasoning:
*A face for every stage*
>! It's always had a "heads" side(?)
*A fraction*
>! 1/4 of a dollar - supporting number 2 might relate to not being a full dollar as well?
*Fifty-six new roles over the next decade*
>! [The 50 state quarter... |
Two mothers and two daughters were in a multi car accident. They were all pronounced dead at the scene. All the bodies have been moved to the local mortuary. There are only three coffins. No one is sharing a coffin and none are left out. How is it possible? |
>!What's the typical format of a *Jeopardy!* clue?
I'm not sure if the question is "elegant", but I think it works. |
The answer (*or question*) is so easy though!
>! What did you just ask me? |
Your ideal solution seems to be along the lines of a [quine][0].* We could embed the Sphinx's sentence in the response so that they "reproduce".
This question would be the result:
>!If "If this was an answer, what would be the question?" was the answer, what would be the question?
---
*One might call it "qu... |
The golden bird can only fly at 5 mph. That is the only way the bird can move. The bird **must** stop flying and rest its wings for 5 hours immediately after every hour of flying it does. That is the only way the bird can rest so it can continue flying. The ocean is 6 miles wide. The golden bird flies over the ocean an... |
Thus is a multi-part party installment.
A famous host is storing his party recipes on a data server, and rumor has it that the passwords are in his house. He has another party today without his famous recipes, but it gives you a chance to steal the password. You and your friend start spying on the guests. Both of yo... |
>!Could you repeat the question?
This is both a normal response and a question. Often people use it after a question they don't understand. |
What kind of pointer do you use to refer to the current object in C++?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_(computer_programming)#C.2B.2B |
I think the key lies in the use of the word **an**. It's not saying that this is **the** answer, but one of multiple. Then, you really just have to ask it something open-ended like:
>! What is an example of a self-referential riddle?
There are many such solutions, all with many possible answers, *including* the o... |
>! What is the opposite of "that"? |
My guess...
>! May I pass through?
And 'this was an answer'...
>! refers to how the Sphinx explained you need to solve her riddle to pass through |
This is both a normal response and a question. Often people use it after a question they don't understand.
>!Could you repeat the question?
or this. ;)
>!If the answer was **this**, what is the question? |
The answer (*or question*) is so easy though!
>! If I were to have you repeat that question in exact words, what would you reply with? |
What is the opposite of "that"? |
Here's my try:
> What sort of self-referential question could you ask that requests the question to the answer which is the question you just asked?
A quite literal interpretation of the question, but I think it works. |
>What's the typical format of a *Jeopardy!* clue?
I'm not sure if the question is "elegant", but I think it works. |
What is the opposite of "that"?
According to [Merriam-Webster][1], "that" is an antonym for "this".
[1]: http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/this |
I'd say some variation of the following:
>! What is the Sphinx's riddle?
The trick is to get the Sphinx to repeat herself somehow without repeating the text in the question yourself. I think this is about as simple and direct a method of doing this as is possible. It doesn't rely on any sort of social cue tricks ... |
Thus is a multi-part party installment.
A famous host is storing his party recipes on a data server, and rumor has it that the passwords are in his house. He has another party today without his famous recipes, but it gives you a chance to steal the password. You and your friend start spying on the guests. Both of yo... |
Your ideal solution seems to be along the lines of a [quine][0].* We could embed the Sphinx's sentence in the response so that they "reproduce".
Thus,
>If "If this was an answer, what would be the question?" was the answer, what would be the question?
But this may, as David pointed out, fall afoul of the "may ... |
You have 12 coins which each weigh either 20 grams or 10 grams. Each is labelled from 1 to 12 so you can tell the coins apart. You have one weighing device as well. At each turn you can put as many coins as you like on the weighing device and it will tell you exactly how much they weigh.
What is the minimum number ... |
Suppose you are traveling and come to a fork in the road. One of them leads to something good like a cat shelter and a company handing out free ice cream and money, while the other leads to something terrible like a series of pasta parties you can't join.
The path is guarded by $n>1$ guards. Each one either always t... |
Minimum no of questions required is
>!**3**
**Reasoning**
>!If you ask the first person that "If I ask which is the correct path to you and the second guard, whether your answers will be the same?"<br />then go to the second guard and ask him If I ask which is the correct path to you and the first guard, whethe... |
Heading down to the city of Thebes, you encounter a Sphinx who stops you in your journey and speaks to you. The Sphinx has a riddle for you: if you can solve it, she will let you pass; if you fail, she will devour you.
And this is the riddle the Sphinx has prepared for you:
> **If this were an answer, what would ... |
If this were an answer, what would be the question? |
Minimum no of questions required is
>!**3**
**Reasoning**
>!If you ask the first person that "If I ask which is the correct path to you and the second guard, whether your answers will be the same?"<br />then go to the second guard and ask him If I ask which is the correct path to you and the first guard, whethe... |
$1$ question will suffice - for whatever $n$ (given the other constraints). Take guard 1, $g_1$, given that we have 2 paths $p_1 ,p_2$ and we disregard the way we came from.
>! Ask $g_1$ "(you are a liar $\land$ $p_1$ leads to the cat shelter) $\lor$ (you are a truthteller $\land$ $p_1$ leads to the pasta party)?"
... |
The minimum number of questions required is 3.
Ask the first guard "If I ask you and the second guard which is the correct path, will your answers be the same?", then go to the second guard and ask him "If I ask you and the first guard which is the correct path, will your answers be the same?"
If the responses by... |
$1$ question will suffice - for whatever $n$ (given the other constraints). Take guard 1, $g_1$, given that we have $2$ paths $p_1 ,p_2$ and we disregard the way we came from.
Ask $g_1$ "(you are a liar $\land$ $p_1$ leads to the cat shelter) $\lor$ (you are a truthteller $\land$ $p_1$ leads to the pasta party)?"
... |
$1$ question will suffice - for whatever $n$ (given the other constraints). Take guard 1, $g_1$, given that we have $2$ paths $p_1 ,p_2$ and we disregard the way we came from.
>Ask $g_1$ "(you are a liar $\land$ $p_1$ leads to the cat shelter) $\lor$ (you are a truthteller $\land$ $p_1$ leads to the pasta party)?"
... |
The classic 1-guard solution works for any number of guards.
>! Pick a guard $G$, and ask him $H(G) \oplus I(P_1)$: "Are you honest XOR is path 1 good?" Then take path 1 if he says "True" and path 2 if he says "False". Since each guard XORs his answers with $H(himself)$, the answer you get will always be $I(P_1)$. |
>! What is the name of the capital city of the first dynasties of ancient Egypt?
or you could ask
>! What the other name for Thinis,the capital city of the first dynasties of ancient Egypt?
The questions above considers the given sentence literally by taking the word "this" to refer to the answer.
Source
... |
You're sitting at home reading a magazine and you came across a cool article, but there's a misprint. Most of the page is blank. You can make out that it's someone plugging an autobiography from the scattered words that halfway made it onto the page, but you don't see a name. Can you tell who it is from the paragraph t... |
Solution idea:
>! The classic 1-guard solution works for any number of guards.
What to ask and where to go:
>! Pick a guard $G$, and ask him $H(G) \oplus I(P_1)$: "Are you honest XOR is path 1 good?" Then take path 1 if he says "True" and path 2 if he says "False".
Why this works:
>! Since each guard XO... |
The following text is encrypted with its own key.
>Ip;g siyyiu el ytaik pl ej ygi dit el auillik =eyg pb zaazleyi jebhiuC
A hint for those that want it:
>! The entire solution is a syntactically valid English sentence (barring any mistakes from the manual encryption).
How did I encrypt this and what is the ... |
First thing that comes to mind:
>!What is the logical way you should question if i say this were an answer? |
Solution idea:
>! The classic 1-guard solution works for any number of guards.
What to ask and where to go:
>! Pick a guard $G$, and ask him $H(G) \oplus I(P_1)$: "Are you honest XOR is path 1 good?" Then take path 1 if he says "True" and path 2 if he says "False".
Why this works:
>! Since each guard al... |
The following text is encrypted with its own key.
>Ip;g siyyiu el ytaik pl ej ygi dit el auillik =eyg pb zaazleyi jebhiuC
A hint for those that want it:
>! The entire solution is a syntactically valid English sentence (barring any mistakes from the manual encryption).
Second hint:
>! It has something to ... |
To help people think this out, I've made it interactive:
[Play game here!][1]
This puzzle is about strategy in a variant of Tic-Tac-Toe. The game differs from the usual version in the following ways:
- The board is 16x16
- The two players have different goals
- Your goal is to get as long a line of p... |
>! "They say the answer of The Question of Life, the Universe and Everything is 42. What do you think?"
It looks like an anchronism, but if you consider the Sphynx as immortal, it cannot be.
|
I would answer:
>! Well, what are you going to ask me? |
To help people think this out, I've made it interactive:
[Play game here!][1]
This puzzle is about strategy in a variant of Tic-Tac-Toe. The game differs from the usual version in the following ways:
- The board is 16x16
- The two players have different goals
- Your only goal is to get as long a line... |
I would answer:
>! Well, what are you going to ask me?
And the explanation is, the dialogue must make sense played in both directions. For example, the sphinx question first and my answer after have to make sense, as well as my answer first and then the sphynx question.
However, there are probably many solut... |
I would answer:
>! Well, what are you going to ask me?
And the explanation is, the dialogue must make sense played in both directions. For example, the sphinx question first and my answer after have to make sense, as well as my answer first and then the sphynx question.
|
>! What is the name of the capital city of the first dynasties of ancient Egypt?
or you could ask
>! What's the other name for Thinis,the capital city of the first dynasties of ancient Egypt?
The questions above considers the given sentence literally by taking the word "this" to refer to the answer.
Source... |
**With perfect playing, it is not possible to get four-in-a-row.** It is at most possible to get two-in-a-row.
Let's let Player 1 be the player who's trying to achieve a high length using red squares, and Player 2 be the player who's trying to restrict the max length using blue squares. This follows your web example... |
**With perfect playing, it is not possible to get four-in-a-row.** It is at most possible to get two-in-a-row.
Let's let Player 1 be the player who's trying to achieve a high length using red squares, and Player 2 be the player who's trying to restrict the max length using blue squares. This follows your web example... |
This is about the objective interpretations/assessment/quantification of riddles. Let us define a riddle as a type of puzzle relying on the usage of only language and context.
Using precise English as a formal (non-opinion based) tool, and examples and sources like dictionaries, grammar sources (ELU.SE maybe), and ... |
How do I write a "solid" Riddle? |
This is about the objective interpretations/assessment/quantification of riddles. Let us define a riddle as a type of puzzle relying on the usage of only language and context.
Using precise English as a formal (non-opinion based) tool, and examples and sources like dictionaries, grammar sources (ELU.SE maybe), and ... |
I manually deciphered it as a hinted symmetrical substitution cipher
>! Each letter is typed as if the key is pressed with an opposite finger.
remark:
>! Mark that the "." would be a ":" on most(?) keyboards, if I were to guess, your keyboard has the "." and the ";" on the same key. Mine has an ":" when I pres... |
**With perfect playing, it is not possible to get four-in-a-row.** It is at most possible to get three-in-a-row.
Let's let Player 1 be the player who's trying to achieve a high length using red squares, and Player 2 be the player who's trying to restrict the max length using blue squares. This follows your web examp... |
**With perfect playing, it is not possible to get four-in-a-row.** It is at most possible to get three-in-a-row.
Let's let Player 1 be the player who's trying to achieve a high length using red squares, and Player 2 be the player who's trying to restrict the max length using blue squares. This follows your web examp... |
**With perfect playing, it is not possible to get four-in-a-row.** It is at most possible to get three-in-a-row.
Let's let Player 1 be the player who's trying to achieve a high length using red squares, and Player 2 be the player who's trying to restrict the max length using blue squares. This follows your web examp... |
**With perfect playing, it is not possible to get four-in-a-row.** It is at most possible to get three-in-a-row.
Let's let Player 1 be the player who's trying to achieve a high length using red squares, and Player 2 be the player who's trying to restrict the max length using blue squares. This follows your web examp... |
**With perfect playing, it is not possible to get four-in-a-row.** It is at most possible to get three-in-a-row.
Let's let Player 1 be the player who's trying to achieve a high length using red squares, and Player 2 be the player who's trying to restrict the max length using blue squares. This follows your web examp... |
A party is being held at a local mansion. The host is very rich and her apparently miraculous success is entirely due to her famous recipe for spaghetti. A friend of yours gatecrashed one of the earlier parties and found where the recipe is hidden - in one of the many wardrobes in the host's bedroom - but he was caught... |
To help people think this out, I've made it interactive:
[Play game here!][1]
This puzzle is about strategy in a variant of Tic-Tac-Toe. The game differs from the usual version in the following ways:
- The board is 16x16
- The two players have different goals
- Your only goal is to get as long a line... |
What for me is the most important property in a "solid" riddle - "the twist". These are small confusing details in a riddle. Let me give you an example (one of my favourite riddles in Neil Gaiman's "The books of magic"):
*When there is a fire in me, then I am still cold; When I own your true love’s face then you wil... |
<pre>Ok, as you might have expected I secretly implemented
many hints for you. This time I want you to answer with this:
a unique, selfmade picture with nothing else but the
solution on it. Please use colors with contrast to the
background color (for obvious reasons, I appreciate).
But first you should put yo... |
Basic idea: the classic 1-guard solution works for any number of guards.
What to ask and where to go:
>! Pick a guard $G$, and ask him $H(G) \oplus I(P_1)$: "Are you honest XOR is path 1 good?" Then take path 1 if he says "True" and path 2 if he says "False".
Why this works:
>! Since each guard already XOR... |
Thus is a multi-part party installment.
A famous host is storing his party recipes on a data server, and rumor has it that the passwords are in his house. He has another party today without his famous recipes, but it gives you a chance to steal the password. You and your friend start spying on the guests. Both of yo... |
The eleventh day of spring 26
The twelfth night of summer 74
The first night of autumn 80
The second day of winter 86
I hide the 4 song title on the sentences above, what is the song title? and who sings it?
- sung by different people
- based on wikipedia |
This is both a normal response and a question. Often people use it after a question they don't understand.
>!Could you kindy repeat the question?
or this but it isnt as eloquent :)
>!WHAT??? |
This is both a normal response and a question. Often people use it after a question they don't understand.
>!Could you kindy repeat the question?
or this:
>!How would you answer this? |
> The eleventh day of spring 26
> The twelfth night of summer 74
> The first night of autumn 80
> The second day of winter 86
I hide the 4 song title on the sentences above, what is the song title? and who sings it?
- sung by different people
- based on wikipedia |
You only have to ask one question.
Ask either Guard "If I were to ask the other Guard which is the best path to take what would be his answer?"
You then follow the opposite path.
The logic is one lies one tells the truth. So if you ask the question to the liar he will tell you the opposite of the true answer ... |
For every question you might ask<br>
Five answers might I give<br>
Despite my ever-changing mask<br>
No err will you forgive<br>
I may appear a fickle host<br>
But we’re both keeping score<br>
From the side, I will riposte<br>
And you’ll be back for more<br>
For posterity, I will protect<br>
Your quests wi... |
STORY
He awakes, covered in quite a thick layer of dust. Quite clearly suffering from some form of memory loss, this man begins to look around, eyes blurry, almost sticky in feeling. There's bodies around the town. The town is hot but cloudy, confusing him further. His last memory is that of America, talking to a fr... |
The answer has to be
>! Sarah Palin, in a parallel world where she became President of the United States.
First let's cover the basics. The “woman with the wheel” is the person who drives the country, i.e. the person at the very top. She's the head of the armed forces (“high up in the army”). We're told that she ... |
What is greater than God, worse than evil, the poor have it, the rich require it, and if you eat it, you die?
What is it? |
The answer has to be
>! Sarah Palin, in a parallel world where she became President of the United States.
First let's cover the basics. The “woman with the wheel” is the person who drives the country, i.e. the person at the very top. She's the head of the armed forces (“high up in the army”). We're told that she ... |
Although the correct answer has been posted, I think there is room for another answer:
>! Something
To support this claim, I offer that:
"What is greater than God"
>! If you assume the Mormon conception of God, there are multiple Gods recursively back forever, so "God" has his own "God" which has his one "G... |
The body was lying naked on the floor of an apartment living room. Crime scene investigators and forensics were inspecting the body and the nearby area. You, detective Randy opened the door and entered the room. After greeting your colleagues you have joined them in the investigation of the body.
You noticed that s... |
>! A riddle on puzzling.SE?
Given the current ... ahem ... tense political situation on this site, I think this is the answer.
*Requested by some to vacate <br>
in time I could pack and migrate*
>! Some people on puzzling.SE want to see all riddles taken off the site. But it would be possible (I suggested th... |
Is this about all the heroin? After everything? And this is how you repay me? I don't just mean keeping you clothed and respectable looking. I don't just mean saving your life. I thought we were close. I've been firmly with you everywhere you go. Even my words, you ass! Everything coming out of my mouth, coming from my... |
Well, I AM a giddy goat.
As a fan of
>! The IT Crowd,
I knew there was some connection but couldn't flipping put it together, until I read
> Let the countdown begin!
...which is a reference to
>! [*The Final Countdown*][1] (Season 4 Episode 2), in which ([as Wikipedia describes it][2]) "Moss stuns everyone ... |
Have You Tried Turning It Off And On Again? (Vigenere cipher) |
My guess is a
>!shoe
If only because they have a mouth, most notably a tongue, and the
>!wearer brings it to its "experiences" by walking, and can possibly outgrow it
Also, they keep people clothed and respectable looking enough, some places forbid service without having one or the other? The heroin bit throws... |
Is this about all the heroin? After everything? And this is how you repay me? I don't just mean keeping you clothed and respectable looking. I don't just mean saving your life. I thought we were close. I've been firmly with you everywhere you go. Even my words, you ass! Everything coming out of my mouth, coming from my... |
Heroin: H, after everything: at the end of the word.
You ass: US.
Experience: to be -> B.
It's
>! Bush
who let the national debt reach unprecedented levels (= at my limit again)? |
The body was lying naked on the floor of an apartment living room. Crime scene investigators and forensics were inspecting the body and the nearby area. You, detective Randy opened the door and entered the room. After greeting your colleagues you have joined them in the investigation of the body.
You noticed that s... |
The body was lying naked on the floor of an apartment living room. Crime scene investigators and forensics were inspecting the body and the nearby area. You, detective Randy opened the door and entered the room. After greeting your colleagues you have joined them in the investigation of the body.
You noticed that s... |
Here's my try:
> What sort of self-referential question could you ask that requests the question to the answer which is the question you just asked?
A quite literal interpretation of the question, but I think it works.
More poetically phrased (in the same way as the Sphinx), we might say it as such:
> If th... |
Well, I AM a giddy goat.
As a fan of
>! The IT Crowd,
I knew there was some connection but couldn't flipping put it together, until I realized
> Let the countdown begin!
is a reference to
>! [*The Final Countdown*][1] (Season 4 Episode 2), in which ([as Wikipedia describes it][2]) "Moss stuns everyone by de... |
The body was lying naked on the floor of an apartment living room. Crime scene investigators and forensics were inspecting the body and the nearby area. You, detective Randy opened the door and entered the room. After greeting your colleagues you have joined them in the investigation of the body.
You noticed that s... |
My guess is:
>! A security belt
It's all about the heroin
>! In this context, the heroin is a person belted up
I don't just mean keeping you clothed and respectable looking.
>! A security belt is not just something you put on like clothes.
I don't just mean saving your life.
>! A security belt can ... |
My guess is:
>! A security belt
It's all about the heroin
>! In this context, the heroin is a person belted up
I don't just mean keeping you clothed and respectable looking.
>! A security belt is not just something you put on like clothes.
I don't just mean saving your life.
>! A security belt can ... |
Let's pack some T hexominoes and small $a\times b$ rectangles to any bigger rectangle without holes and overlapping.
For example, I can pack two T hexominoes and eight $1\times1$ rectangles into a $5\times4$ rectangle:
![][1]
I can guarantee that there exist solutions for T hexominoes and the following rectang... |
Heroin: H, after everything: at the end of the word.
You ass: US.
Experience -> to be: B.
It's
>! Bush
who let the national debt reach unprecedented levels (= at my limit again)? |
The body was lying naked on the floor of an apartment living room. Crime scene investigators and forensics were inspecting the body and the nearby area. You, detective Randy opened the door and entered the room. After greeting your colleagues you have joined them in the investigation of the body.
You noticed that s... |
Let's pack some T hexominoes and small $a\times b$ rectangles to any bigger rectangle without holes and overlapping.
For example, I can pack two T hexominoes and eight $1\times1$ rectangles into a $5\times4$ rectangle:
![][1]
I can guarantee that there exist solutions for T hexominoes and the following rectang... |
Well, I AM a giddy goat.
As a fan of
>! The IT Crowd,
I knew there was some connection but couldn't flipping put it together, until I realized
> Let the countdown begin!
is a reference to
>! [*The Final Countdown*][1] (Season 4 Episode 2), in which ([as Wikipedia describes it][2]) "Moss stuns everyone by de... |
> The eleventh day of spring 26
> The twelfth night of summer 74
> The first night of autumn 80
> The second day of winter 86
I have hidden 4 song titles in the sentences above. What are the song titles, and who sings them?
- the songs are sung by different people
- based on Wikipedia |
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