bibelot
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 322
Registered: 07-11-2003
IP: Logged

That's right, 70 degrees. Of course, given that the answer came out exact, there's a nice non-trigonometric solution that only involves basic geometry, if anyone cares to look for it. I'll post it some time tomorrow if no one else does.

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1182
Registered: 08-19-2004
IP: Logged

It must have something to do with 20 degrees though since if you change the vertex angle, the answer is no longer a nice simple number.

____________________________
Progress Quest Progress

Hix
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 106
Registered: 12-31-2004
IP: Logged

I think the "nice" solution boils down to certain triangles that just happen to be similar when the vertex measures 20 degrees.

Fried Chips
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 17
Registered: 02-06-2005
IP: Logged

I have it down to a triangle that is isosceles under the given conditions - now all I have to do is figure out why ...

____________________________
Die dulci freurete, homines

bibelot
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 322
Registered: 07-11-2003
IP: Logged

File: tri.PNG (6.9 KB)
Downloaded 123 times.
License: Other
From: Unspecified

This picture should be enough for you to figure it out.

All right, I guess it's Fried Chips' turn then.

Fried Chips
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 17
Registered: 02-06-2005
IP: Logged

Here's a puzzle I saw a while ago and loved:


All those who neither dance on tight ropes nor eat peanut butter are tall.

Creatures with spikey hair who look silly will go swimming if they do not dance on tight-ropes.

A kangaroo looks silly wearing sunglasses.

A smart creature will always do what he ought to do.

No one ought to go swimming who looks silly and eats peanut butter.

A smart driver wears sunglasses.

Kangaroos that have sneezing fits are avoided.

Short creatures who go driving have sneezing fits.

No creatures ought to dance on tight-ropes if they have sneezing fits.

All those who do not dance on tight-ropes and who are avoided, have spikey hair.


Given these statements, what assumption can we make about short, smart kangaroos?

____________________________
Die dulci freurete, homines

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1182
Registered: 08-19-2004
IP: Logged

I numbered the statements:

1. All those who neither dance on tight ropes nor eat peanut butter are tall.
2. Creatures with spikey hair who look silly will go swimming if they do not dance on tight-ropes.
3. A kangaroo looks silly wearing sunglasses.
4. A smart creature will always do what he ought to do.
5. No one ought to go swimming who looks silly and eats peanut butter.
6. A smart driver wears sunglasses.
7. Kangaroos that have sneezing fits are avoided.
8. Short creatures who go driving have sneezing fits.
9. No creatures ought to dance on tight-ropes if they have sneezing fits.
10. All those who do not dance on tight-ropes and who are avoided, have spikey hair.

if a creature is short, smart kangaroo,
by statement 4, it must do what it ought to.
suppose it goes driving. Then it must have sneezing fits (8) and therefore be avoided (7) and also wear sunglasses (6).
So it doesn't dance on tight ropes (9). By (1) it must eat peanut butter (since otherwise it would be tall). It must look
silly (3). And thus doesn't go swimming (5). It has spikey hair (10). So by (2), it will go swimming. This contradicts the fact that it doesn't go swimming. So, a short, smart kangaroo will not go driving.



____________________________
Progress Quest Progress

Fried Chips
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 17
Registered: 02-06-2005
IP: Logged

That one didn't last very long

Anyway, you're up, stigant

____________________________
Die dulci freurete, homines

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1182
Registered: 08-19-2004
IP: Logged

Sorry to take so long. Here's another "Which one doesn't belong?" No tricks this time. And here's a hint: There are some red herrings and all red herrings are created equal, but some red herrings are more equal than others.

MS
CM
MO
PP
MP
MG
MW

____________________________
Progress Quest Progress

AlefBet
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 979
Registered: 07-16-2003
IP: Logged

Well, it could be PP as the only one not containing an M, or it could be PP as the only one with one letter repeated. Or it could be MO as the only one containing a vowel. Or MG as the only one where the second letter comes before the first one alphabetically. Or it could be MP since M and P occupy symmetric positions of the English alphabet. But to be honest, I was never much good at spotting the one most likely of several possible patterns in a vacuum, so I'll just post this and see where it goes.

____________________________
I was charged with conspiracy to commit jay-walking, and accessory to changing lanes without signaling after the fact .

++Adam H. Peterson

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1182
Registered: 08-19-2004
IP: Logged

sure, but none of those explain the hint.

I'll post another hint in 6 hours:
You monkeys need to use your brains, uncommon as they may be

____________________________
Progress Quest Progress

Hix
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 106
Registered: 12-31-2004
IP: Logged

I predict that the CLUE to be revealed in 2 hrs 40 mins will be "Communism is just a red herring."

The answer is MO.

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1182
Registered: 08-19-2004
IP: Logged

I predict that the CLUE to be revealed in 2 hrs 40 mins will be "Communism is just a red herring."

The answer is MO.

Actually, no, that's not the clue... the clue was "You monkeys will have to use your brains, uncommon as they may be."

But yes, the answer is MO... for bonus points, where did I get MO?

____________________________
Progress Quest Progress

Fried Chips
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 17
Registered: 02-06-2005
IP: Logged

Based on the different MOs of killing? Just a stab in the dark...

____________________________
Die dulci freurete, homines

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1182
Registered: 08-19-2004
IP: Logged

Nope. The other sets were initials of the characters/suspects in Clue: Mr Green, Mrs. Peacock, Col. Mustard, Miss Scarlet, Prof. Plum, and Mrs. White. MO is another set of initials, but from a different movie.

____________________________
Progress Quest Progress

Hix
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 106
Registered: 12-31-2004
IP: Logged

An old puzzle: A man walks into a bar orders a glass of water. The bartender immediately reaches under the counter for a glass, but instead pulls out a shotgun and points it at the man, who says "Thanks" and leaves without getting a drink. What is going on here?

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1182
Registered: 08-19-2004
IP: Logged

I've heard this one... so I'll wait 24 hours...
The man had the hicoughs. He wanted a glass of water to help cure them, but instead of giving him a glass of water, the bartender scared him.

____________________________
Progress Quest Progress

krammer
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 904
Registered: 02-12-2003
IP: Logged

stigant wrote:
Nope. The other sets were initials of the characters/suspects in Clue: Mr Green, Mrs. Peacock, Col. Mustard, Miss Scarlet, Prof. Plum, and Mrs. White.

Huh? In all versions I've ever played he's called Reverend Green... and the game is called Cluedo. I'm 99% sure that's the original name too. (Why do the Americans keep changing the names of things?)

____________________________
+++ Divide by Cucumber Error +++ Please Reinstall Universe and Reboot +++

"Oook!"

Abbyzzmal
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 348
Registered: 07-03-2004
IP: Logged

Is MO from Reservoir Dogs?

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1182
Registered: 08-19-2004
IP: Logged

krammer wrote:

stigant wrote:
Nope. The other sets were initials of the characters/suspects in Clue: Mr Green, Mrs. Peacock, Col. Mustard, Miss Scarlet, Prof. Plum, and Mrs. White.

Huh? In all versions I've ever played he's called Reverend Green... and the game is called Cluedo. I'm 99% sure that's the original name too. (Why do the Americans keep changing the names of things?)

Yeah, I had a clue/cluedo set from England when I was younger, and I think you're right about that. However, I just used the characters out of the movie version.

Is MO from Reservoir Dogs?

yes.


____________________________
Progress Quest Progress

Hix
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 106
Registered: 12-31-2004
IP: Logged

You got it, stigant.

Tim
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1979
Registered: 08-07-2004
IP: Logged

Hey stigant, are you still posting something?

Can I just post something in between?

Let's assume that one of my hobbies is collecting weather information from around the world. (Not true though.) And let's say that I usually want to know what temperature it is in my basement, Canberra, Australia at midnight time. And I can do this now by checking the weather web site at exactly 14:00 CET (Central European Time).

The problem is, there's that thing called Daylight Savings Time. And it is this weekend.

Here's the question: During the next few days, (Saturday, Sunday and Monday), at what CET time should I check that same website to get the weather at midnight in Canberra? And an explanation is required as well.

For bonus points: I want the times at noon in Canberra as well...

[Edited by Tim at Local Time:03-25-2005 at 12:38 PM: added the second question]

____________________________
The best way to lose customers is to let little kids running loose on a forum with too many mod points.

Rabscuttle
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2518
Registered: 09-10-2004
IP: Logged

Oh yeah, DS finishes this week. Or starts, depending where you are.


If my research is correct:

27/3 2am (standard time) CET -> 27/3 3am (daylight saving) CET lose an hour
27/3 3am (daylight saving) AEST -> 27/3 2am (standard) AEST gain an hour

If you're checking at 1400, that means CET is currently 10 hours behind AEST.

So Fri/Sat and Sat/Sun midnight AEST time should still be 2pm CET
Sun/Mon midnight occurs after both time changes. So you should check at 4pm CET.

Saturday Noon and Monday Noon should be 2am and 4am respectively.
Sunday noon. hmm....

1400 CET / 0000 AEST-ds
1600 CET / 0200 AEST-ds
1700 CET / 0200 AEST
0000 CET / 0900 AEST
0100 CET / 1000 AEST
0300 CET-ds / 1100 AEST
0400 CET-ds / 1200 AEST

Sunday Noon AEST will be 4am CET. Hrrm...that looks like it should have been obvious without having to do a table.


[Edited by Rabscuttle at Local Time:03-25-2005 at 02:12 PM]

Tim
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1979
Registered: 08-07-2004
IP: Logged

Rabscuttle is right on the answer. You won't believe how many times I've already been asked this week about those clock changes

Rabscuttle wrote:
Oh yeah, DS finishes this week. Or starts, depending where you are.

You are almost right. Actually, most of the US people have it next week. For more precise information, you can visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_Savings

Now if stigant is still posting a new puzzle...

____________________________
The best way to lose customers is to let little kids running loose on a forum with too many mod points.

stigant
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1182
Registered: 08-19-2004
IP: Logged

To be honest, I don't have one (sorry). I'll try to think of one, but if somebody else wants to post one, I'll be more than happy to solve it. :-)

____________________________
Progress Quest Progress

Maurog
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1501
Registered: 09-16-2004
IP: Logged

It's time to revive this topic. Here's a puzzle for you:

Beethro was slowly making his way home after yet another successful extermination. The pay was relative to the number of evil brains destroyed, and Beethro got paid in fifteen identical sacks of fifteen greckels each. This made the long road home less boring though, because Beethro counted the sacks jingling happily on his belt as he was going. He happily chanted "..Fifteen, One, Two, Three..", took a sharp turn in the road and bumped into a short and extremely non-handsome stranger. "Pardon me", muttered Beethro under his breath shoving the stranger aside with his mighty belly. "Where was I? Ah, nevermind, One, Two, ..., Fifteen, Sixteen, One..umm, what?". Quickly counting the sacks again confirmed that there are now sixteen, and under close examination, all sixteen had fifteen greckels each. This could mean only one thing - the stranger planted another sack of greckels on his belt. "Oh no!", thought Beethro recalling how short, green and ugly the stranger was, "Goblin greckels! If anybody finds some on me, I'm gonna be accused of seeding and expelled for sure!". The worst thing was that goblin greckels are exactly identical to greckels in all ways, except for the fact that they weight one grain less. Or one grain more, Beethro wasn't so sure, but he was sure he must quickly find which greckels are the bad ones and dispose of them. But how? As he was thinking of possible solutions, he gazed upon an old road sign upon which was written "Ye Ole Librae - The most exact scales in the world! This way =====> ". Following the road this way, Beethro came upon a great contraption towering high above him featuring two great plates and complex looking machinery. An old man in greasy overalls was tinkering with the gears. "So, how does this thing work?", asked Beethro. "Oh, these are the most exact scales in the world", replied the old man cheerfully, "You put something on one plate and something on the other plate, and then you pull this switch, and this here gauge tells you the exact difference in grains between their weight". "Sounds like just the thing I need", said Beethro, reaching for his greckels. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot", said the old man, "Each time you weigh things, the scales get out of calibration and it takes a week to calibrate them again. Luckily for you, they are calibrated now". "This is gonna be harder than I hoped", said Beethro, thought for a moment, and then quickly arranged the greckels on the plates, pulled the switch and looked at the gauge. "Aha!", he exclaimed, grabbing fifteen of his greckels and tossing them away as far as he could. Then, he happily went back home muttering "One, Two, Three..." leaving the old man to calibrate the scales again.

How did Beethro find the goblin greckels?

____________________________
Slay the living! Raise the dead!
Paint the sky in crimson red!

Garlonuss
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 276
Registered: 06-28-2004
IP: Logged

Beethro placed a specific number of greckles from each bag onto the scales:

1 from bag 1 onto side 1.
2 from bag 2 onto side 1.
3 from bag 3 onto side 1.
4 from bag 4 onto side 1.
5 from bag 5 onto side 1.
6 from bag 6 onto side 1.
7 from bag 7 onto side 1.
8 from bag 8 onto side 1.
9 from bag 9 onto side 1.
10 from bag 10 onto side 2.
11 from bag 11 onto side 2.
12 from bag 12 onto side 2.
13 from bag 13 onto side 2.
14 from bag 14 onto side 2.
15 from bag 15 onto side 1.
None from bag 16.

This placed 60 greckels on each half of the scales. No matter which side weighs more or less, the number of grains that they differ will indicate which bag the Goblin Greckels came from. (Five grains more or less means that it is the pile of five greckels.) If they weigh the same, the sixteenth bag is the one with the bad greckels.

____________________________
Haikus are easy.
Sometimes they don't make much sense.
Refrigerator.

Maurog
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1501
Registered: 09-16-2004
IP: Logged

Ah yes, the mystery of the goblin greckels is solved.

Your turn, Garlonuss

____________________________
Slay the living! Raise the dead!
Paint the sky in crimson red!

Garlonuss
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 276
Registered: 06-28-2004
IP: Logged

Okay, here's a very basic one.

On his day off, Beethro is given two seemingly identical metal rods and is told that one of the rods is a magnet that was stolen from the Goblin King's castle while the other one is simply an iron rod. The Goblin King's minions are hot on their tail and they have to determine which one is the magnet so that they can give it back and not get killed. Looking in his pockets, Beethro realizes that he has no metal on his person. Not even his sword since it is his day off. The only thing that he can do is touch the two rods together. How can he determine which one is the magnet and which is the iron rod?


[Edited by Garlonuss at Local Time:03-29-2005 at 12:40 AM]

____________________________
Haikus are easy.
Sometimes they don't make much sense.
Refrigerator.

Hix
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 106
Registered: 12-31-2004
IP: Logged

Something like this, maybe.... Arbitrarily designate one end of each rod as S, and the other as N. Using only the N end of Rod A, rub Rod A along Rod B, from B's side N to side S. If A is the magnet, doing this repeatedly will give all of B a magnetic orientation (I can't remember which way, but it doesn't matter), and A will still be a magnet. If B was the magnet, doing this will have no significant effect on either B or the S end of A. To test which case we are in, see if the S end of A repels either end of B. If so, A is the magnet. Otherwise, B is.