Author Topic: Einstein's Riddle (Read 7159 times)

AmbulanceDriver · « **on:** May 18, 2012, 12:58:48 AM »

http://www.manbottle.com/trivia/einstein_s_riddle

Took me about an hour and a half. My head hurts now...

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #1 on:** May 18, 2012, 01:58:20 AM »

I was doing pretty well but I got water and beer reversed. No chance after that.

vaskidmark · « **Reply #2 on:** May 18, 2012, 06:42:26 AM »

Figured out it was the German in about 4 seconds. I clicked the link to the answer.

Do I get a prize anyhow?

stay safe.

AmbulanceDriver · « **Reply #3 on:** May 18, 2012, 06:53:21 AM »

No prize for you!

:-)

Ned Hamford · « **Reply #4 on:** May 18, 2012, 01:00:00 PM »

My chart had the columns and rows reversed. This was a simple logic game, a nice throwback to the LSAT.

These things are pretty easy as long as you have a method to solve them. On that vein its really just a test of ignorance [AKA, lack of education/exposure] rather than one for stupidity or cleverness.

AmbulanceDriver · « **Reply #5 on:** May 18, 2012, 03:46:31 PM »

Yeah, the struggle that I had was getting my grids set up properly, and being distracted by the show the Mrs. had on the TV... :D Once I got the first couple of relationships established, it all went pretty quickly...

BlueStarLizzard · « **Reply #6 on:** May 18, 2012, 07:39:25 PM »

The saddest part is I had a good start but then I lost my train of thought and couldn't figure out why I had what I had, restarted and couldn't get it back.
Once I gave up and check the answers, I found I would have had it if I had just kept going

Ned Hamford · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2012, 08:23:40 PM »

I just made the fellow who was interviewing to be my new intern do it.

He did not do well at all. He will be trusted with nothing of importance.

cordex · « **Reply #8 on:** May 19, 2012, 10:50:40 AM »

That was fun. Anyone with time and paper should be able to solve it.

Quote

ALBERT EINSTEIN WROTE THIS RIDDLE EARLY DURING THE 19th CENTURY. HE SAID THAT 98% OF THE WORLD POPULATION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SOLVE IT.

Einstein wasn't alive in the early 19th century.
Regardless, I believe that anyone who could solve this in their head would be among the smartest folks.

Ned Hamford · « **Reply #9 on:** May 19, 2012, 11:12:59 AM »

Quote from: cordex on May 19, 2012, 10:50:40 AM

Regardless, I believe that anyone who could solve this in their head would be among the smartest folks.

If anyone ever presents me with this problem, I will stare at it for 3 minutes and then announce that it was the German

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #10 on:** May 19, 2012, 01:09:59 PM »

Quote from: cordex on May 19, 2012, 10:50:40 AM

That was fun. Anyone with time and paper should be able to solve it. Einstein wasn't alive in the early 19th century.

This. It also reminds me I need to go buy a mechanical pencil.

230RN · « **Reply #11 on:** May 19, 2012, 05:02:29 PM »

Quote

If anyone ever presents me with this problem, I will stare at it for 3 minutes and then announce that it was the German.

Don't forget to stare at an imaginary blackboard and point your finger here and there, up and down, side to side, and "erase" and "re-write" imaginary cells.

The answer to your next question is no, but I remember "truth-tabling" it unsuccessfully about twenty years ago, and like Hawkmoon, I got two or four of the variables mixed up.

I'm really terrible on puzzles n' stuff like that.

Fail.

Terry, 230RN

geronimotwo · « **Reply #12 on:** May 19, 2012, 05:55:45 PM »

the riddle is unsolvable by logic, as you must make the assumption that the house with no pets mentioned has fish. for all we know they could raise giraffes.

230RN · « **Reply #13 on:** May 22, 2012, 11:53:44 AM »

Well, see, now, I didn't get that far. But I guess it would be "logical" to insert the "fish" variable in the one "Don't Know/Don't Care" cell remaining.

I tend to draw my sword and take the "Gordian Knot" approach to these kinds of things, since I'm admittedly awful on puzzles 'n such-like.

WHACK! So there, knot! :)

Brute force solution. Elegant, in its own way. Sometimes.

Terry, 230RN

Ned Hamford · « **Reply #14 on:** May 22, 2012, 12:32:14 PM »

I shared it with a friend of mine... its now part of the interview process for the college IT staff.
I don't know if I should be proud or horrified at what I've done.

AmbulanceDriver · « **Reply #15 on:** May 22, 2012, 12:35:39 PM »

That......

That's awesome Ned.... I mean seriously.... IT staff that is actually required to be able to solve a logic puzzle where they not only have a limited set of information, but no instruction as to the *how* it should be solved.... Personally, I think that this test should be part of the admissions exam for every university.....

charby · « **Reply #16 on:** May 22, 2012, 12:48:00 PM »

Quote from: vaskidmark on May 18, 2012, 06:42:26 AM

Figured out it was the German in about 4 seconds. I clicked the link to the answer.

Do I get a prize anyhow?

stay safe.

Took me 30 seconds without looking at the answer, I just figured out who didn't have a pet and went from there.

Normally I don't do that well with logic puzzles because I think to abstract about them

erictank · « **Reply #17 on:** May 22, 2012, 01:35:06 PM »

Solved it. It took longer than I would have liked, at least in part because I had to keep setting it aside and going to do work-related stuff (being, y'know, at work and all...

), but I got it. Took a clean copy home to the wife, who likes logic puzzles. I didn't give it to her until just before I went to bed (early, to get up at ohtwofreakingthirty to get ready for work this AM), but I expect she solved it rather faster than I did.

Quote from: Ned Hamford on May 22, 2012, 12:32:14 PM

I shared it with a friend of mine... its now part of the interview process for the college IT staff.
I don't know if I should be proud or horrified at what I've done.

That is pretty awesome. How much time do the candidates get?

Quote from: Ned Hamford on May 19, 2012, 11:12:59 AM

If anyone ever presents me with this problem, I will stare at it for 3 minutes and then announce that it was the German

And I need to remember that for future use. Actually, should have done that when I handed it to Lori...

230RN's suggested amplification on the idea has a lot of merit to it, too.

geronimotwo · « **Reply #18 on:** May 22, 2012, 01:43:51 PM »

Quote from: 230RN on May 22, 2012, 11:53:44 AM

Well, see, now, I didn't get that far. But I guess it would be "logical" to insert the "fish" variable in the one "Don't Know/Don't Care" cell remaining.

I tend to draw my sword and take the "Gordian Knot" approach to these kinds of things, since I'm admittedly awful on puzzles 'n such-like.

WHACK! So there, knot! :)

Brute force solution. Elegant, in its own way. Sometimes.

Terry, 230RN

so much for my cop-out. i guess i will have to solve it know.

Ned Hamford · « **Reply #19 on:** May 22, 2012, 05:24:04 PM »

My friend said 3 hours, but I assume that also includes the actual interviewing. Or it may just be how long they think watching someone struggle will amuse them.

280plus · « **Reply #20 on:** May 23, 2012, 07:09:37 AM »

Anybody who draws up a grid can figure it out so I figured Einstein would know that and employed other logic. Therefore I came up with Norwegian because it's a big part of their diet so they should have some fish laying around. Just sayin'...

280plus · « **Reply #21 on:** May 23, 2012, 07:10:29 AM »

I wonder if he meant only 2% can figure it out without a grid? Hmmmm....

cordex · « **Reply #22 on:** May 23, 2012, 09:28:03 AM »

Quote from: charby on May 22, 2012, 12:48:00 PM

Took me 30 seconds without looking at the answer, I just figured out who didn't have a pet and went from there.

In 30 seconds you were able to figure out who didn't have a pet, and because that information doesn't become apparent until you solve for the other cells, you figured out the rest of the grid in one fell swoop?

If so, I'm impressed.

charby · « **Reply #23 on:** May 23, 2012, 10:53:49 AM »

Quote from: cordex on May 23, 2012, 09:28:03 AM

In 30 seconds you were able to figure out who didn't have a pet, and because that information doesn't become apparent until you solve for the other cells, you figured out the rest of the grid in one fell swoop?

If so, I'm impressed.

yeah pretty much, I'm still trying to figure out how I did it.

cordex · « **Reply #24 on:** May 23, 2012, 11:43:19 AM »

Quote from: charby on May 23, 2012, 10:53:49 AM

yeah pretty much, I'm still trying to figure out how I did it.

To hell with trying to figure out how you did it Rainman, go break codes or make some serious coin in the stock market or something.

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Author Topic: Einstein's Riddle (Read 7159 times)