instruction stringlengths 15 30k |
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An ideal solution seems to be along the lines of a [quine][0], posing a question that contains the Sphinx's challenge so that the two "generate" each other. Unfortunately, embedding her riddle verbatim --
>If "If this was an answer, what would be the question?" was the answer, what would be the question?
-- is n... |
You showed two general parity cases.
The first was a single dedge flip (OLL parity). When you are solving a 3x3x3 cube and get to the last layer, don't you often have to swap two corners/two edges? Sure. The same is true for the 4x4x4. A 4x4x4 has two inner layers which a related phenomena occurs. No mystery he... |
You showed two general parity cases.
The first was a single dedge flip (OLL parity). When you are solving a 3x3x3 cube and get to the last layer, don't you often have to swap two corners/two edges? Sure. The same is true for the 4x4x4. A 4x4x4 has two inner layers which a related phenomena occurs. No mystery he... |
Do these series work? If so, I know the answer.
Example 1
> "Am I thinking about a raisin?" "Nope"
> "Am I thinking about an ostrich?" "Nope"
> "Am I thinking about a finger?" "Nope"
> "Am I thinking about a moose?" "Nope"
> "Am I thinking about an astronaut? "Yes"
Example 2
> "Am I thinking a... |
I found this puzzle [online](http://www.folj.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=12849):
>On the top floor of a castle lives a princess. The floor has 17 bedrooms arranged in a row. Each bedroom has doors connecting to the adjoining bedrooms as well as to the outside corridor. The princess sleeps in a different bedroom each nigh... |
Why does this solution guarantee that the prince knocks on the right door to find the princess? |
You are living in the **22nd century**. The fuel prices are unimaginably high and it is very rare to get, so the Government has introduced some new laws to control fuel smuggling.
> Rule 1: One cannot carry more fuel than their vehicle's tank capacity
> (fuel cannot be carried by hand or any other method. The only ... |
Determine color and direction of the missing elephants in the picture.
![enter image description here][1]
Here's a textual representation of the above.
G< R< R< G< R< M> G< R< R> M<
G< G< G> G< G> G< G< G< G> G>
G< M> M> G< G< ?? M> M> G< G<
Y< Y> G> G< Y< Y> Y< G> G< Y>
G< G< G> G> M< ... |
Maybe it is not a
>! list of words they agreed upon, but the item before the right answer is a thing Andrew has got, for example, at home.
>! In fact, the first words are somewhat weird things, like "Bavarian Sky", or "a spider", while the last word before the right one is something more "real" than the others.
... |
A dragon and a knight live on an island where the only sources of fresh water are a pond (containing ordinary water) and six wells, numbered 1 to 6. Each well's water is completely indistinguishable from the pond water, but contains a magical poison that has no immediate symptoms, yet suddenly kills the drinker about a... |
The object of the following flow-chart is to rearrange the numbers in boxes 1, 2 and 3 in such a fashion that, at the end:
Box 3 will always contain the largest number,
Box 1 will always contain the smallest number,
However, this flow-chart is INCORRECT. As it stands, it will not accomplish the desired purpos... |
The knight can ensure survival
>! by drinking from well 4 first, and 3 + 5 after. If the dragon uses pond water, or 1, 2, 3 or 4, the last drink from 5 will neutralize the others (4, ? and 3). If the dragon gives 5 or 6, it will neutralize the first '4', then 3 will be neutralized by 5.
As AeJey said, the dragon ca... |
We want to arrange the numbers so that reading down from 1 to 3, they are increasing in size. There is one particular branch which is clearly wrong.
**Which one?**
>! Look at the 2 branches coming off step 5.
**I still don't see it**
>! The yes branch... does that look a bit strange?
**Nope**
>! Step ... |
A dragon and a knight live on an island where the only sources of fresh water are a pond (containing ordinary water) and six wells, numbered 1 to 6. Each well's water is completely indistinguishable from the pond water, but contains a magical poison that has no immediate symptoms, yet suddenly kills the drinker about a... |
*This is part 3 of a series of multiple parts about a takeover of all the computers on earth. The links to previous questions are here:*
* http://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/3853/computer-crisis-takeover-part-1
* http://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/5431/computer-crisis-takeover-part-2
You just... |
A dragon and a knight live on an island where the only sources of fresh water are a pond (containing ordinary water) and six wells, numbered 1 to 6. Each well's water is completely indistinguishable from the pond water, but contains a magical poison that has no immediate symptoms, yet suddenly kills the drinker about a... |
*Because these have been so successful in the past, I had to bring up my own. In fact, this puzzle was **inspired by [Find the next number][1]** even though I (and I guess everybody but the author) still don't know the intended solution yet. Anyway, here it is:*
----------
## The puzzle ##
The British inventor... |
<pre>Another riddle coming to you from the land of poets and thinkers!<? It's not Poland of course...>
Focus on word building this time. Well, as you might have thought...it's easy.</pre><br>
I decide if sweet or stinky<br>
For most locks I'm the key<br>
Go ahead and keep on piling<br>
because even a child can f... |
Are you clever enough? Feel the Enlightenment! |
<pre>Another riddle coming to you from the land of poets and thinkers!<? It's not Poland of course...>
Focus on word building this time. Well, as you might have thought...it's easy.</pre><br>
I decide if sweet or stinky<br>
For most locks I'm the key<br>
Go ahead and keep on piling<br>
because even a child can f... |
The following message can be unambiguously decoded to reveal an eleven letter word. It can be deciphered with pen and paper, although knowing a bit of Python would probably help.
What is the word?
> o83AfLftzPrpZPdflFo4AFlhTFIeOpvoRd5f5lFDfPrqnFudFfiSa
> tHFiSapbVOp0vorvmApD4fLFpBvo1oaiEofF2lhTdFprpBvo2FieO
> 9... |
<pre>Another riddle coming to you from the land of poets and thinkers!<? It's not Poland of course...>
Focus on word building this time. Well, as you might have thought...it's easy.</pre><br>
I decide if sweet or stinky<br>
For most locks I'm the key<br>
Go ahead and keep on piling<br>
because even a child can f... |
<pre>Another riddle coming to you from the land of poets and thinkers!<? It's not Poland of course...>
Focus on word building this time. Well, as you might have thought...it's easy.</pre><br>
I decide if sweet or stinky<br>
For most locks I'm the key<br>
Go ahead and keep on piling<br>
because even a child can f... |
Chaos at the international conference for world leaders: What should have been a peaceful exchange of ideas for common growth quickly exploded into hostility short after the German speaker addressed the USA delegates with accusations:
> "We have recently discovered hacking-attempts at our security network.
> Someo... |
Chaos at the international conference for world leaders: What should have been a peaceful exchange of ideas for common growth quickly exploded into hostility shortly after the German speaker addressed the USA delegates with accusations:
> "We have recently discovered hacking-attempts at our security network.
> Some... |
A dragon and a knight live on an island where the only sources of fresh water are a pond (containing ordinary water) and six wells, numbered 1 to 6. Each well's water is completely indistinguishable from the pond water, but contains a magical poison that has no immediate symptoms, yet suddenly kills the drinker about a... |
<pre>Another riddle coming to you from the land of poets and thinkers!<? It's not Poland of course... Are you saying Poles can't be poets and thinkers? :-[ - rand>
Focus on word building this time. Well, as you might have thought...it's easy.</pre><br>
I decide if sweet or stinky<br>
For most locks I'm the key<br>... |
Chaos at the international conference for world leaders: What should have been a peaceful exchange of ideas for common growth quickly exploded into hostility shortly after the German speaker addressed the USA delegates with accusations:
> "We have recently discovered hacking-attempts at our security network.
> Some... |
Could it be a
>! conjuror's hat?
*You're very close <br>
But I'm always ahead*
>! When wearing a hat, you are very close to it, but it's always above ('ahead of'?) your head (so the word 'ahead' is sort of wordplay too).
*Can be beheaded <br>
but can't be fed*
>! 'Beheaded' is here used to mean 'remove... |
This is a riddle with a twist. Almost all the lines will point you in the right direction, but hidden somewhere in the riddle is a red herring. If you find the right solution, I'll accept your answer, but if you find the red herring *and* the right solution, I'll upvote and accept. Don't be afraid; the puzzle is still ... |
How is it that a person born in Russia , were both parents were born in Russia, is not born a Russian. Citizen? |
How is it that a person born in Russia, where both parents were born in Russia, is not born a Russian citizen? |
<pre>Another riddle coming to you from the land of poets and thinkers!<? It's not Poland of course... Are you saying Poles can't be poets and thinkers? :-[ - rand>
Focus on word building this time. Well, as you might have thought...it's easy.</pre><br>
I decide if sweet or stinky<br>
For most locks I'm the key<br>... |
Both parents were born in places that were *then* in Russia but are now in e.g. Finland or Kazakhstan? |
How is it possible that a person born in Russia, with parents that were indeed born in Russia, is not born as a Russian citizen?
> **Tip: This riddle is a little tricky, but when you think about it should come.** |
Parents were born before February 6, 1992 to Russian residents, who themselves were born prior to December 30, 1922, and moved elsewhere before returning to visit and giving birth. (Not sure, though. Would the parents have any citizenship?)
...Or the parents denounced their citizenship but delivered on a vacation ... |
The kid was born on a plane above Russia but the parents (who decided to do this is the bathroom) both passed out. The mother because of the pain, and father who had been frightened to death for his wife. They weren't found until they arrived at their destination, then they were found in the bathroom, so the baby was g... |
Police found the body of a computer technician in front of his computer, with a belly wound. There was a possibility of the victim bleeding to death after being stabbed with a sharp object. There were no signs of damage on the windows or doors, which indicated that the killer was someone close to the victim. The dead b... |
>! What do the letters T-H-I-S spell?
Or another possibility (though this doesn't have a unique answer...):
>! What's an anagram of 'hits'?
Sorry, I think I'm too much of a fan of wordplay and misinterpretation! |
*I am one of many siblings in a great family. <br>
We are the most perfect of our race, <br>
Because each of us has a clear worst enemy. <br>
My foe - I know him well - is much like me, <br>
But we continually fight each other; <br>
We never hide our hatred for each other.*
*Wave at my eldest brother and he bec... |
Police found the body of a computer technician in front of his computer, with a belly wound. There was a possibility of the victim bleeding to death after being stabbed with a sharp object. There were no signs of damage on the windows or doors, which indicated that the killer was someone close to the victim. The dead b... |
This may already be an existing riddle, but I've never heard it before and I just thought of it so:
When does one plus one equal three? |
When does 1+1=3? |
When? This is very easy...
>! Never. |
I've asked one like this before but I figured I'd do it again.
> "I lie inside this question, and I hide behind a mask. I don't think you'll see me from my appearance. I hope you conclude where I'm too, but I doubt you will without clever thinking"
What am I?<? Hello, I'm the answer, just waiting for you :D>
*... |
The answer is quite simply this.<? Hello, I'm the answer, just waiting for you :D> |
Determine color and direction of the missing elephants in the picture.
![enter image description here][1]
Here's a textual representation of the above.
G< R< R< G< R< M> G< R< R> M<
G< G< G> G< G> G< G< G< G> G>
G< M> M> G< G< ?? M> M> G< G<
Y< Y> G> G< Y< Y> Y< G> G< Y>
G< G< G> G> M< ... |
The answer is
>!"Hello, I'm the answer, just waiting for you :D"
It's hidden with
>!< ? tag. Click edit to see it |
<pre>Another riddle coming to you from the land of poets and thinkers!<? It's not Poland of course... Are you saying Poles can't be poets and thinkers? :-[ - rand>
Focus on word building this time. Well, as you might have thought...it's easy.</pre><br>
I decide if sweet or stinky<br>
For most locks I'm the key<br>... |
<pre>Another riddle coming to you from the land of poets and thinkers!<? It's not Poland of course... Are you saying Poles can't be poets and thinkers? :-[ - rand>
Focus on word building this time. Well, as you might have thought...it's easy.</pre><br>
I decide if sweet or stinky<br>
For most locks I'm the key<br>... |
Dr. George Wenzel and his colleague Dr. Martin Hupp are two expert bio-chemists researching brain-wave changing drugs. Their work has long been handled as being worth the Nobel-price, in particular since their recent success with large cats. They showed that they could boost the intelligence of those animals to close-h... |
Dr. George Wenzel and his colleague Dr. Martin Hupp are two expert biochemists researching brain-wave-changing drugs. Their work has long been regarded as being worthy of the Nobel Prize, in particular since their recent success with large cats. They showed that they could boost the intelligence of those animals to nea... |
That is my guess:
>! I'm loving it!<br>
>! It is a Big Mac.
Why?
----------
> The epitome of an evil the skewed letter would label
<!-- -->
>! It is an skewed M, and some people says that McDonald's is evil.
----------
> To many is such truth, not a fable
<!-- -->
>! Some people are *lovi... |
That is my guess:
>! I'm loving it!<br>
>! It is a Big Mac.
Why?
----------
> The epitome of an evil the skewed letter would label
<!-- -->
>! It is an skewed M, and some people says that McDonald's is evil.
----------
> To many is such truth, not a fable
<!-- -->
>! Some people are *lovi... |
He asked her
>! Did your son suffer from deuteranopia (red-yellow-green color blindness)?<br><br>Deuteranopia is characterized by an inability to distinguish between colours in the red-orange-yellow-green spectrum except by brightness.<br><br>The two Series VII/6 boxes are identical save for the labeling. We can rea... |
That is my guess:
>! I'm loving it!<br>
>! It is a **Big Mac**.
Why?
----------
> The epitome of an evil the skewed letter would label
<!-- -->
>! It is an skewed M, and some people says that McDonald's is evil.
----------
> To many is such truth, not a fable
<!-- -->
>! Some people are *... |
One of the riddles we used to have painted on the walls of one of our classrooms in secondary school (with the last part added in :+ ):
> What runs but doesn't walk, has a mouth yet still can't talk, has a head but doesn't think, has a bed but will not sleep and twists yet is not a riddle?
Took us 12 year old st... |
Is it a
>! river?
Because
>! A river runs, there is a river mouth, a river head, a riverbed, and there are rivers with twisting shapes. |
That is my guess:
>! I'm loving it!<br>
>! It is a **Big Mac**.
Why?
----------
> The epitome of an evil the skewed letter would label
<!-- -->
>! It is an skewed M, and some people says that McDonald's is evil.
----------
> To many is such truth, not a fable
<!-- -->
>! Some people are *... |
Determine color and direction of the missing elephants in the picture.
![enter image description here][1]
Here's a textual representation of the above.
G< R< R< G< R< M> G< R< R> M<
G< G< G> G< G> G< G< G< G> G>
G< M> M> G< G< ?? M> M> G< G<
Y< Y> G> G< Y< Y> Y< G> G< Y>
G< G< G> G> M< ... |
Which square doesn't belong here and why?<br>
![enter image description here][1]
[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/QunoV.gif |
Who is the Stranger? |
Police found the body of a computer technician in front of his computer, with a belly wound. There was a possibility of the victim bleeding to death after being stabbed with a sharp object. There were no signs of damage on the windows or doors, which indicated that the killer was someone close to the victim. The dead b... |
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 ... |
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 ... |
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 ... |
<pre>Hello everybody, can someone help me? This riddle really gave me the gilles so far.
<strike>I need to solve this for school but I have no idea!</strike> joking ;)
Not sure if it will help - [check this out. So funny!][1] </pre><br>
You're very close<br>
But I'm always ahead<br>
Can be beheaded<br>
but can'... |
A dragon and a knight live on an island where the only sources of fresh water are a pond (containing ordinary water) and six wells, numbered 1 to 6. Each well's water is completely indistinguishable from the pond water, but contains a magical poison that has no immediate symptoms, yet suddenly kills the drinker about a... |
You're very close<br>
But I'm always ahead<br>
Can be beheaded<br>
but can't be fed<br>
You can have<br>
a look inside<br>
there will be<br>
no place to hide<br>
However,<br>
You try to enter me<br>
and more room arises<br>
suddenly<br>
Can you explain this trick to me? |
<pre>Hello everybody, can someone help me? This riddle really gave me the gilles so far.
<strike>I need to solve this for school but I have no idea!</strike> joking ;)
Not sure if it will help - [check this out. So funny!][1] </pre><br>
You're very close<br>
But I'm always ahead<br>
Can be beheaded<br>
but can'... |
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 ... |
When does one plus one equal three? |
For simplicity, I'm going to refer to the associates as knight, knave, and joker. Also, I'm assuming that they won't reveal the location of the money. If they did, then obviously you would switch to that once they reveal it.
Assuming that there is an equal chance of any of the three associates coming up and talking ... |
A very old man has a million dollars, which he's going to pass down to you! He has 3 associates who have been ordered to help you. The 3 associates know the location where it is, and they tell you it is in either **a)** a box, **b)** a safe, or **c)** a hole.
**One of the associates always tells the truth, one alway... |
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 ... |
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 ... |
Which (if any) of these intervals is it possible to measure given two sand timers (which change from question to question)? There are no minute marks, halfway points, etc.
A. 7 minutes with 4- and 5-minute timers
B. 15 minutes with 7- and 11-minute timers
C. 14 minutes with 5- and 8-minute timers
If one (o... |
This is an old puzzle and won't take long to be solved, but I think it's a useful addition to the site.
> In a hotel in France at the time of the German occupation, two men and two women are in a lift moving downwards. One of the men is a uniformed German officer, the other a secret member of the French resistance. ... |
>! it's Bill
They only steal it on the days John is in though; that's why they weren't caught red handed.
If she was going to waste two weeks why didn't she just watch the fridge?
Based on the first set of clues you would assume it was John because it's only stolen on the days he's there. However she followed ... |
*I might be a city in one of the 'stans. <br>
I might be a river or more in Australia. <br>
I might have once bifurcated cleanly. <br>
I might have colleges named after me. <br>
What can I be to gather such renown?*
The answer is a single word. |
Riddle - who am I to gather such renown? |
*I might be a city in one of the 'stans. <br>
I might be a river or more in Australia. <br>
I might have once bifurcated cleanly. <br>
I might have colleges named after me. <br>
I might be said to be covered in blood. <br>
What can I be to gather such renown?*
The answer is a single word. |
Which square doesn't belong here and why?
![Image][1]
[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/QunoV.gif |
I think the answer is
>!MARY
I might be a city in one of the 'stans.
>!Mary is the capital city of Mary Province in Turkmenistan
I might be a river or more in Australia.
>!The Mary River is a large river system in South East Queensland, Australia
I might have once bifurcated cleanly
>!Not sure. May... |
The answer is;
>!MARY
I might be a city in one of the 'stans.
>!Mary is the capital city of Mary Province in Turkmenistan
I might be a river or more in Australia.
>!The Mary River is a large river system in South East Queensland, Australia
I might have once bifurcated cleanly
>!This is referring to ... |
The answer is:
>!MARY
I might be a city in one of the 'stans.
>!Mary is the capital city of Mary Province in Turkmenistan
I might be a river or more in Australia.
>!The Mary River is a large river system in South East Queensland, Australia. [OP note: there are three Mary Rivers in different parts of Aus... |
You're not allowed to restate the question, or answer with a question. What could the answer be? |
What could the only answer to this question be? |
This is my revised guess and check strategy. You may argue that it's pointless and wastes time, but I don't want to spend the weekend reading up on college-level math.
**Not sure if this is static or dynamic**
First, weigh the below coins and note the weights.
- 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11
- 2, 3, 5, 6, 12
- 1, 3, ... |
It's well-known that a knight placed on one square of a chessboard can get to any other square, but a bishop can only reach half the squares from a fixed starting point. [Another question on this site](http://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/2929/the-bunnys-tour) dealt with a new type of chess piece with a differen... |
It's well-known that a knight placed on one square of a chessboard can get to any other square, but a bishop can only reach half the squares from a fixed starting point. [Another question on this site](http://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/2929/the-bunnys-tour) dealt with a new type of chess piece with a differen... |
It's well-known that a knight placed on one square of a chessboard can get to any other square, but a bishop can only reach half the squares from a fixed starting point. [Another question on this site](http://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/2929/the-bunnys-tour) dealt with a new type of chess piece with a differen... |
There couldn't be any answers to this question because this question was put on hold by Doorknob.
From [Meta.SE](http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/10582/what-is-a-closed-or-on-hold-question):
> ## What does it mean for a question to be *closed*?
>
> When a question is closed, **no additional answers may ... |
You've been known to your government to be an expert in decrypting messages for years so you're not really surprised when a man in a black suit knocks on your door one rainy afternoon.
*“Good afternoon, your country needs you.”*
Much later, somewhere you’ve never been and would never know how to get to – or get ... |
Not mathematics again? |
It's well-known that a knight placed on one square of a chessboard can get to any other square, but a bishop can only reach half the squares from a fixed starting point. [Another question on this site](http://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/2929/the-bunnys-tour) dealt with a new type of chess piece with a differen... |
This will be a tricky one, I think.
The whole puzzle is self-contained in the information between the two horizontal bars below.
The answer to this riddle is a book title of 5 words. The book is rather well known literature and can be legally obtained for free as e-book.
The word search-puzzle comes with a few a... |
Instructions
------------
The game is **fill in the blank** with a word or few - no more than three. No tricksy nonsense. No hidden meanings. No "lateral thinking." In fact, only vertical, parallel, dorsal, collinear, and/or perpendicularly derived answers will be accepted.
At the end, name the apparent theme ... |
The seventh and final blank, which gives the theme, is surely
>! pizza topping!
Second blank is
>! mushroom ("fun guys" is a hint to this, since it sounds like 'fungi').
Third blank could be
>! grated cheese.
Fourth blank could be
>! anchovies? (doesn't quite rhyme with neuroses, but it's the only ... |
As rand'al'thor said, the last one is
>! Pizza topping
I think I have them figured out though.
>! 1: Pepperoni <br/>
>! 2: Mushroom <br/>
>! 3: Extra cheese <br/>
>! 4: Anchovies? <br/>
>! 5: Pineapple (Hawaiian pizza is great) <br/>
>! 6: Margherita <br/> |
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