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Brain Teasers

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 12:07 pm
by Saint_
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?

Brain Teasers

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 12:32 am
by Affinity One
Fire again, no spin.

Brain Teasers

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:08 am
by theia
Are the bullets blanks? In which case Henry's choice wouldn't matter?

Brain Teasers

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 7:05 am
by Saint_
Yup! No spin. probability is 1/4 without the spin, but gets worse to 1/3 with the spin.

Brain Teasers

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 8:48 am
by ZAP
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

Brain Teasers

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:35 am
by Saint_

Brain Teasers

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:44 am
by Snowfire
A famous Times crossword clue

Clue......... HIJKLMNO

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

Brain Teasers

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:54 am
by YZGI
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.

Brain Teasers

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:04 am
by Snowfire
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

Brain Teasers

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:13 am
by Saint_
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.:D