Brain Teasers

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 12:07 pm

Rules: Post your favorite brain teaser. No posting new ones until the previous one is solved.

Henry has been caught stealing cattle, and is brought into town for justice. The judge is his ex-wife Gretchen, who wants to show him some sympathy, but the law clearly calls for two shots to be taken at Henry from close range. To make things a little better for Henry, Gretchen tells him she will place two bullets into a six-chambered revolver in successive order. She will spin the chamber, close it, and take one shot. If Henry is still alive, she will then either take another shot, or spin the chamber again before shooting.

Henry is a bit incredulous that his own ex-wife would carry out the punishment, and a bit sad that she was always such a rule follower. He steels himself as Gretchen loads the chambers, spins the revolver, and pulls the trigger. Whew! It was blank. Then Gretchen asks, "Do you want me to pull the trigger again, or should I spin the chamber a second time before pulling the trigger?"

What should Henry choose?

Affinity One · Post by **Affinity One** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 12:32 am

Fire again, no spin.

theia · Post by **theia** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:08 am

Are the bullets blanks? In which case Henry's choice wouldn't matter?

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 7:05 am

Yup! No spin. probability is 1/4 without the spin, but gets worse to 1/3 with the spin.

ZAP · Post by **ZAP** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 8:48 am

Saint_;1318504 wrote: Yup! No spin. probability is 1/4 without the spin, but gets worse to 1/3 with the spin.

That is correct. But what happened to Henry?:-2

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:35 am

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:44 am

A famous Times crossword clue

Clue......... HIJKLMNO

Answer...... _ _ _ _ _ (ie 5 letters)

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:54 am

Snowfire;1318559 wrote: A famous Times crossword clue

Clue......... HIJKLMNO

Answer...... _ _ _ _ _ (ie 5 letters)
I'm so slow it took me a while to notice it was part of the alphabet.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:04 am

YZGI;1318560 wrote: I'm so slow it took me a while to notice it was part of the alphabet.

Well thats very important. You're half way to getting the answer

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:13 am

That's so weird! I just used that one with my class yesterday! (So I won't say the answer, that'd be cheating!) I like to have a brain teaser on the board so that the kids have something to do that will fire their imagination while I'm taking care of housekeeping chores like taking attendance.