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Post by tarathian123 on May 9, 2017 2:33:54 GMT
NalkarjIf you read back you never actually said my solution was incorrect, rather I was led to believe that it was, but that there was a point I'd missed. On that assumption I felt what was missing must be the motive of which I found four possibles all of which would be totally unprovable given the text available. But motive wasn't asked for, so I let it go.
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Post by Nalkarj on May 9, 2017 2:34:24 GMT
Oh, Lord, no, don't think that, jervistetch . You've been great at all of these. I happily admit that I'm an utter fool at mathematical reasoning. I just can't visualize it, can't see it, can't think it through. I just sit like a bump on a log and watch all these people figure these things out. I'm slightly better at wordplay and that sort of thing, as well as certain types of deductive reasoning. Many thanks for the far-too-kind compliment, though. And as for Tarathian, Salzmank, and Brimfin investigations... Well, Tarathian doesn't like the hardboiled school, but I'll do my best Bogie impression and cock my fedora over my eyebrow! "It was a two-bit, lousy day in my office in San Francisco. I was as plastered as usual. Brisk winds blew in off the bay, my tie slapping me in the face like a dame would. Then she walked in. She was a voluptuous blonde. I said..." |
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Post by Nalkarj on May 9, 2017 2:37:28 GMT
Nalkarj If you read back you never actually said my solution was incorrect, rather I was led to believe that it was, but that there was a point I'd missed. On that assumption I felt what was missing must be the motive of which I found four possibles all of which would be totally unprovable given the text available. But motive wasn't asked for, so I let it go. Oh, sorry about the confusion, Al! I was setting up two solutions: the first was the birthstone bit, which is closely connected to the month-puzzle in my previous story, and the second is another solution which is quite different. I thought people would see the birthstone false solution, but the real solution is actually more complicated than that... One of those multi-solutioned stories, you know--like Anthony Berkeley's The Poisoned Chocolates Case, to bring it back to detective stories? Sorry again about any confusion! |
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Post by tarathian123 on May 9, 2017 2:52:06 GMT
NalkarjJervis remarked above in this thread, "I want to say Fred Mayne. I was born in July so I know Ruby is Mayne's birthstone. So why am I pretty sure that this is too simple to be the solution?"I also cottoned on to the birthstone business straight off, and thought, "No, that's too easy", and anyway it didn't fit, as Mayne was at first said to be born in June, and not July. Which is why I asked the question. Then when you made much of your mistake, I thought maybe the solution was simple after all, and just surrounded with red herrings, which let's face it, most whodunnits are. 
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Post by Nalkarj on May 9, 2017 2:58:52 GMT
Nalkarj Jervis remarked above in this thread, "I want to say Fred Mayne. I was born in July so I know Ruby is Mayne's birthstone. So why am I pretty sure that this is too simple to be the solution?"I also cottoned on to the birthstone business straight off, and thought, "No, that's too easy", and anyway it didn't fit, as Mayne was at first said to be born in June, and not July. Which is why I asked the question. Then when you made much of your mistake, I thought maybe the solution was simple after all, and just surrounded with red herrings, which let's face it, most whodunnits are. Hmm... Yes, the reader is supposed to understand the birthstone business--if not straightaway, then fairly quickly. That's why McKee is so surprised at the end that he didn't see it--though, in my fictional character's defense, he was too busy with actual police business to think much of an elaborate clue involving birthstones! As I wrote, though, that is not the real solution, as Geoff realizes. In fact, there's a fatal flaw with that solution that means that it cannot be the answer. (In addition, I wrote it as purposely similar to my last puzzle, involving the months of the year, in order to make the reader think I'm going for the same thing.) There are some red herrings in this puzzle, though; in fact, the birthstone business is one of them! |
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Post by tarathian123 on May 9, 2017 3:03:49 GMT
NalkarjOK thanks. I'll take another look at it, but (later) in the morning. It's just gone 4 am here.
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2017 6:34:36 GMT
tarathian123Weight problems I think, 4 weighings are required.
At first, you weight 5 boxes, then you know which of the 5-boxes-batch contains the box with the counterfeit coins. (1st weighing)
Out of this batch, you weigh 3 boxes (2nd weighing). If the box with the counterfeit coins is among these 3 boxes, you need another 2 weighings (weighing 3 and 4) to find out which box is the one you're looking for.
This is the maximum number of weighings required.
I'm still thinking about the other two riddles.
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Post by tarathian123 on May 9, 2017 6:47:43 GMT
@volver --- Weight problems @volver said:
Sorry volver, your solution is incorrect. Not even close.  Keep trying . Think more about 1/16. |
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2017 6:52:23 GMT
NalkarjRuby Red I think, that Mrs. Balchek is the murderer.
Her birth month (March) is named after the Roman god of war, Mars.
The planet Mars is also named after this god of the Roman mythology.
The planet Mars is known as the red planet.
March (birth month) ----- planet Mars ------ red planet ------ red ruby in the victim's hand.
Is this the answer?
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Post by Nalkarj on May 9, 2017 12:38:13 GMT
Nalkarj Ruby Red I think, that Mrs. Balchek is the murderer.
Her birth month (March) is named after the Roman god of war, Mars.
The planet Mars is also named after this god of the Roman mythology.
The planet Mars is known as the red planet.
March (birth month) ----- planet Mars ------ red planet ------ red ruby in the victim's hand.
Is this the answer? Hi Volver-- Very clever, as usual, but unfortunately that's not my solution. (It is, indeed, the sort of solution I would like, though--I adore classical mythology--but the connections are a little tenuous.)
As I just told Tarathian123, I fear that my earlier stories and this emphasis on patterns have made this one slightly more confusing. Think of the implausibilities in the scenario I laid out--they're very much there on purpose, as clues. The pattern has already been articulated--indeed, it's what might have been the first thing to come to mind. While that was a red herring in and of itself, taken in the context of the whole story, it's a clue to the identity of the killer. Sorry I can't say more, but think of everything--even the birthstone business--as a clue to the murderer... |
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Post by brimfin on May 9, 2017 23:52:06 GMT
Ruby Red Fred Mayne is the murderer, as Geoffrey Lord deduced from the dying clue - ruby is the birthstone for July and that's the month of Mayne's birthday. |
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Post by Nalkarj on May 10, 2017 0:09:10 GMT
Ruby Red Fred Mayne is the murderer, as Geoffrey Lord deduced from the dying clue - ruby is the birthstone for July and that's the month of Mayne's birthday. Hi Brimfin--
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Post by brimfin on May 10, 2017 0:23:58 GMT
Weight problem: You can do it in one weighing - take 1 coin from box 1, 2 from box 2, up to 8 from box 8. Then, however many 16ths of a pound it registers, that's the number of the box with the counterfeit coins. (However, if there's no limit on the number of times you can use it, weigh all the boxes one by one and be sure. Scales can be off a little, after all.) Ponder this: A fascinating premise. I remember it being discussed by Sam and Al in a Quantum Leap comic book. By this theory, the arrow could never reach its target since it would always have the last half of some infinitesimal part of its journey to complete. However, the Italian mathematician Icchoa Atssi responded to this query by hypothesizing that at some point as the arrow's path became half of some micro-micro-millimeter, it would declare, "I can't calculate half of an amount that small. Screw it," and it would then complete the whole length of that distance instead and plunge into its target. Band tempo: I thought about some clever ideas, like having the two slowest go together, the faster of the two walks back, then the two fastest go across, with the fastest coming back for the remaining one. But in reality the quickest way is to have the fastest person accompany the three others across one by one. You have to spend 17 minutes getting the slower people across anyway, but you save all the time on the return leg, which Alan can always do in 1 minute. It doesn't even matter if he starts by taking the slowest (Dave) first or the second fastest (Bill) or even the middle speed man (Carl) to start. It would take 19 minutes in all either way. So Alan should probably take Bill and Carl over first, which gives them time to set up the equipment and stall the start of the concert for a couple of minutes while he brings Dave over. (Not that it makes that much difference. What concert ever starts right on time?) Great stuff. By the way, I enjoyed your early trivia items as well. |
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Post by tarathian123 on May 10, 2017 2:33:01 GMT
brimfin -- Glad you enjoyed the trivia pieces. Re the puzzles: Weight problem - CORRECT. Arrow - CORRECT (I think) Yes of course it hits the target therefore it must be true that 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16..... = 1. This is because the sum of an infinite series can be a finite number. Which is probably what Icchoa Atssi meant.  But don't ask me...without the answer I wouldn't have had a clue! Salzmank has just pointed out to me that it's called "Zeno's Paradox". :-) Band tempo - INCORRECT (a little more thinking to do on this one I fear). For what it's worth I actually did work this one out correctly, before peeking at the answer. It's not as complicated as you may think. And a maximum of two only are allowed on the bridge at any one time.
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Post by tarathian123 on May 11, 2017 10:11:39 GMT
Just a bit of trivia guys. I don't know how many of you have seen these short videos:
Spaghetti Harvest:
Flying Penguins:
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Post by brimfin on May 12, 2017 0:44:45 GMT
Band tempo - Based on what you've said, I gather the idea is that Alan and Dave cross first. (10 minutes) Then Carl crosses while Alan is coming back (5 minutes). Afterward Alan and Bill can cross in 2 minutes. That's your 17 minute requirement, but sorry, it doesn't fit with the information you gave at the beginning. The idea was you needed the torch to see because it was night. We can't just assume that there will be enough light for Carl to see if Alan is bringing the torch from the other side of the bridge. |
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Post by brimfin on May 12, 2017 0:59:06 GMT
Ruby Red There was no sign of a break-in and only 3 people had keys. So, here's my theory. Tallder committed the murder, stabbing Balchek and then dragging the body over, breaking the glass and planting the ruby in Balchek's hand to throw suspicion on Mayne. You stated that Tallder had made a big deal of saying that Mayne was angry about not getting a promotion to give Mayne a stronger motive. Plus only Tallder knew enough about gems and birthstones to be able pick the right gem on the spot, if the murder wasn't planned in advance, but just happened during an argument. Plus Lord asked if there was a calendar; perhaps Balchek would have marked everyone's birthdays on it. Tallder's motive is greed. He inherits the money from the will. If that's not the answer, I'll just wait for the movie to come out. |
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Post by Nalkarj on May 12, 2017 1:08:24 GMT
Ruby Red There was no sign of a break-in and only 3 people had keys. So, here's my theory. Tallder committed the murder, stabbing Balchek and then dragging the body over, breaking the glass and planting the ruby in Balchek's hand to throw suspicion on Mayne. You stated that Tallder had made a big deal of saying that Mayne was angry about not getting a promotion to give Mayne a stronger motive. Plus only Tallder knew enough about gems and birthstones to be able pick the right gem on the spot, if the murder wasn't planned in advance, but just happened during an argument. Plus Lord asked if there was a calendar; perhaps Balchek would have marked everyone's birthdays on it. Tallder's motive is greed. He inherits the money from the will. If that's not the answer, I'll just wait for the movie to come out. Brimfin, as usual, your detective skills are right on the money. Excellent work there--you've got all of my clues, including that pesky calendar! If I ever thought of a third level to the story--Heaven protect us from that possibility--believe me, I would be making a movie about it. |
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Post by tarathian123 on May 12, 2017 2:03:27 GMT
brimfin --- Band tempo "We can't just assume that there will be enough light for Carl to see if Alan is bringing the torch from the other side of the bridge." True. But then your order of crossing is wrong. Sorry, try again.
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Post by brimfin on May 12, 2017 11:51:50 GMT
Band Tempo: Well, I'll be. There was a better solution to it, and there was no trick involved, as you said. Send Alan and Bill over first (2 min) Then send Alan back (1 min) He hands the torch off to Carl and Dave, who walk over together. (10 min) They give the torch to Bill who takes it back (2 min) and then Alan and Bill come back together.(2 min) Total 17 minutes. They make it on time, and no trickery involved.
Thanks for saying that you solved the problem before checking the answer. That is what kept me from the temptation to give up or try to look up the answer online. If I had done either, I'd have been crushed that I hadn't seen this totally logical solution. |
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Keep trying 