Can anyone figure out this riddle?

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Author	Topic: Can anyone figure out this riddle?
Student of Trinity Electric Sheep One Member # 3431	written Friday, July 1 2005 18:21 Profile #75 Hey, is System's Twilight by Andrew Plotkin? If so, I never got anywhere with it, but I've enjoyed most of his other work. The man's a monster. I recently finished his Praser 5 'maze', which is available from his website after being 'out of print' (as it were) for years. It is brutal; in fact there were two puzzles for which I cheated, by disassembling the code. One was, in retrospect, not so bad; but the other, I still have no idea why the answer is what it is. His IF is very good, too/though. Spider and Web, in particular, is an amazing experience. To anyone who has ever played it, one word will forever be charged with peculiar meaning. -------------------- It is not enough to discover how things seem to seem. We must discover how things really seem. Posts: 3335 \| Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00
Spring Shaper Member # 5450	written Friday, July 1 2005 18:24 Profile Homepage #76 General Gasslefield, accused of high treason, is sentenced to death by the court-martial. He is allowed to make a final statement, after which he will be shot if the statement is false or will be hung if the statement is true. Gasslefield makes his final statement and is released. What did he say? ---------------- It's always 1 to 6, it's always 15 to 20, it's always 5, but it's never 21, unless it's flying. What is this? ---------------- An old farmer died and left 17 cows to his three sons. In his will, the farmer stated that his oldest son should get 1/2, his middle son should get 1/3, and his youngest son should get 1/9 of all the cows. The sons, who did not want to end up with half cows, sat for days trying to figure out how many cows each of them should get. One day, their neighbour came by to see how they were doing after their father's death. The three sons told him their problem. After thinking for a while, the neighbour said: "I'll be right back!" He went away, and when he came back, the three sons could divide the cows according to their father's will, and in such a way that each of them got a whole number of cows. What was the neighbour's soultion? I got them off the net. -------------------- I'll put a Spring in your step. Polaris Posts: 2396 \| Registered: Saturday, January 29 2005 08:00
Thuryl ...b10010b... Member # 869	written Friday, July 1 2005 18:34 Profile Homepage #77 quote: Originally written by Student of Trinity: Hey, is System's Twilight by Andrew Plotkin? That it is. There's a hint guide for it here, but apparently Andrew personally requested that its author not give out the solution to the final puzzle. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 \| Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00
Or else o'erleap. Law Bringer Member # 335	written Friday, July 1 2005 18:48 Profile Homepage #78 quote: Originally written by Spring: General Gasslefield, accused of high treason, is sentenced to death by the court-martial. He is allowed to make a final statement, after which he will be shot if the statement is false or will be hung if the statement is true. Gasslefield makes his final statement and is released. What did he say? He said, "I will shot." Unfortunately, he was not released. He was drawn and quartered. quote: [b]An old farmer died and left 17 cows to his three sons. In his will, the farmer stated that his oldest son should get 1/2, his middle son should get 1/3, and his youngest son should get 1/9 of all the cows. The sons, who did not want to end up with half cows, sat for days trying to figure out how many cows each of them should get. One day, their neighbour came by to see how they were doing after their father's death. The three sons told him their problem. After thinking for a while, the neighbour said: "I'll be right back!" He went away, and when he came back, the three sons could divide the cows according to their father's will, and in such a way that each of them got a whole number of cows. What was the neighbour's soultion? [/b] 17 isn't divisible by 2, 3, or 9. On the other hand, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/9 don't add up to 1. They add up to 17/18. The neighbor came back with a piece of paper explaining this fact to the sons, who divided up the horses the obvious way and questioned what their father intended to have done with the "extra" horse that they don't have. —Alorael, who can't think of anything good for the middle problem. Posts: 14579 \| Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Spring Shaper Member # 5450	written Friday, July 1 2005 18:54 Profile Homepage #79 The first one is 'I will be shot'. Correct. I won't say the answer to the second one just yet. The third one is also half correct. That is not the answer, but you are on the right track in saying that 17 is not the right amount. And they are cows :P . -------------------- I'll put a Spring in your step. Polaris Posts: 2396 \| Registered: Saturday, January 29 2005 08:00
Zephyr Tempest Guardian Member # 2339	written Friday, July 1 2005 19:08 Profile #80 The second one is a die. 1-6 are its sides. The sum of the exposed faces always add up to somewhere between 15-20(so it's never 21 when it's resting). 5 faces are always showing when it is at rest. When it is flying through the air, its sides will add up to 21. Here is another riddle: If you have too much of me, you will never be born. But if you have none of me, apart your life will be torn. -------------------- Blue screen error NONEXISTANT WINDOWS ERROR Windows detects no current errors, so Windows has decided to screw around with the files until one occurs. If you never rise against your oppressor, then you've already lost. -Zephyr Tempest, your personal entertainer Posts: 1779 \| Registered: Monday, December 9 2002 08:00
Slp006 Warrior Member # 5986	written Friday, July 1 2005 19:25 Profile #81 quote: Originally written by Zephyr Tempest: The second one is a die. 1-6 are its sides. The sum of the exposed faces always add up to somewhere between 15-20(so it's never 21 when it's resting). 5 faces are always showing when it is at rest. When it is flying through the air, its sides will add up to 21. I object. You're right, but that's only for a d6! ;) quote: Here is another riddle: If you have too much of me, you will never be born. But if you have none of me, apart your life will be torn. I'm thinking pain. Too much of it means something will kill you, even as a fetus. Too little of it means you can injure yourself without knowing it and die later. If you're looking at it from a religious standpoint, it could be purity, because if you are too "pure" you aren't fit for the Earth (as far as I know in Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism, this is the case; I'm very much an atheist and am by no means a professional theologian), and won't be born. However, a lack of spirit will make like void, hypothetically. Hmm... EDIT: How about cardiovascular activity? Should I stay away from the physical? [ Friday, July 01, 2005 19:51: Message edited by: Slp006 ] -------------------- Wu wei... it's the only way Posts: 154 \| Registered: Monday, June 20 2005 07:00
Zephyr Tempest Guardian Member # 2339	written Friday, July 1 2005 19:45 Profile #82 quote: Originally written by Slp006: quote: Here is another riddle: If you have too much of me, you will never be born. But if you have none of me, apart your life will be torn. I'm thinking pain. Too much of it means something will kill you, even as a fetus. Too little of it means you can injure yourself without knowing it and die later. If you're looking at it from a religious standpoint, it could be purity, because if you are too "pure" you aren't fit for the Earth (as far as I know in Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism, this is the case; I'm very much an atheist and am by no means a professional theologian), and won't be born. However, a lack of spirit will make like void, hypothetically. Hmm... It is not pain. Purity does fit decently, but it is not what I'm looking for. -------------------- Blue screen error NONEXISTANT WINDOWS ERROR Windows detects no current errors, so Windows has decided to screw around with the files until one occurs. If you never rise against your oppressor, then you've already lost. -Zephyr Tempest, your personal entertainer Posts: 1779 \| Registered: Monday, December 9 2002 08:00
Jumpin Salmon ? Man, ? Amazing Member # 5755	written Friday, July 1 2005 20:58 Profile #83 Originally by Zephyr Tempest quote: On July 4th, I shall be traveling for three days to my new home in Oregon. Welcome to Oregon, Watch out for the rutted roads and the nasty traffic. Don't pollute the rivers or waste water. this message sponsored by the oregon tourism bureau - still no sales tax here Posts: 4114 \| Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00
Or else o'erleap. Law Bringer Member # 335	written Friday, July 1 2005 23:48 Profile Homepage #84 quote: Originally written by Spring: *one is also half correct. That is not the answer, but you are on the right track in saying that 17 is not the right amount. And they are cows* :P . Sorry. One farm animal is like another, unless it is a dorset ram. Okay, so the neighbor actually brings in 18 horses, which are divided up according to the father's wishes. The neighbor takes all the cows, then demands one horse for ransom per cow. So I was right! It is all about horses! —Alorael, who wants to use "surface tension" or "internal pressure" as the answer to the new riddle. While suitably gruesome and graphic, neither response is helpful. Posts: 14579 \| Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00**
Walter Infiltrator Member # 878	written Saturday, July 2 2005 05:26 Profile #85 No, the neighbor brings in one cow and adds it to them. Afterwards since the amounts willed don't add up to 1, there is one cow left over so he takes it back. -------------------- Warning: Posts may contain misspellinks and typo.s Posts: 409 \| Registered: Sunday, March 31 2002 08:00
Student of Trinity Electric Sheep One Member # 3431	written Saturday, July 2 2005 07:13 Profile #86 Alorael has proposed a fungible cow solution. Second oldest trick in the book. I would not have bet much on the proposition that I would ever have the opportunity to use the expression 'fungible cow.' Life is full of surprises. [ Saturday, July 02, 2005 07:14: Message edited by: Student of Trinity ] -------------------- It is not enough to discover how things seem to seem. We must discover how things really seem. Posts: 3335 \| Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00
Spring Shaper Member # 5450	written Saturday, July 2 2005 14:40 Profile Homepage #87 quote: Originally written by Zephyr Tempest: The second one is a die. 1-6 are its sides. The sum of the exposed faces always add up to somewhere between 15-20(so it's never 21 when it's resting). 5 faces are always showing when it is at rest. When it is flying through the air, its sides will add up to 21. Here is another riddle: If you have too much of me, you will never be born. But if you have none of me, apart your life will be torn. Correct. For your riddle, is the answer air? And Walter is correct for my last riddle. -------------------- I'll put a Spring in your step. Polaris Posts: 2396 \| Registered: Saturday, January 29 2005 08:00
Zephyr Tempest Guardian Member # 2339	written Saturday, July 2 2005 15:03 Profile #88 quote: Originally written by Spring: quote: Originally written by Zephyr Tempest: Here is another riddle: If you have too much of me, you will never be born. But if you have none of me, apart your life will be torn. Correct. For your riddle, is the answer air? Air fits the second line, but not the first. It is incorrect. My computer will have to be turned off very soon. I will probably be gone until Wednesday or Thursday. :( Goodbye for now. [ Monday, July 18, 2005 19:01: Message edited by: Zephyr Tempest ] -------------------- Blue screen error NONEXISTANT WINDOWS ERROR Windows detects no current errors, so Windows has decided to screw around with the files until one occurs. If you never rise against your oppressor, then you've already lost. -Zephyr Tempest, your personal entertainer Posts: 1779 \| Registered: Monday, December 9 2002 08:00