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        riddles >> easy >> 3 easy ones
        
(Message started by: udippel on Feb 1st, 2003, 1:49am)
Title: 3 easy ones
Post by udippel on Feb 1st, 2003, 1:49am
... but to be done fast! Slow is cheating.
They might be interesting in here not for the level of difficulty but for their demonstration on how a human brain is organised. So, please, 1-2-3, here we go; three seconds to answer:

1.) You drive in a race car and overtake the second fastest. Which position will you be in?  One-Two-Three ...

Once you took your time you'll find out that the answer might have been wrong. It usually is. Be prepared for the

2.) You drive in a race car and overtake the last car. Which position do you reach? One-Two-Three ...

The majority of answers usually is wrong. Eventually not here, in a forum of professional riddlers. Wrong or right, here comes number

3.) Susan's father has five daughters:
Nani
Neni
Noni
Nuni

What's the name of the fifth?
One-Two-Three ...

Tell me, what's so strange with our mind(s) that the average fails these three ??
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by udippel on Feb 14th, 2003, 7:01am
No answers yet; to my surprise.
Everyone in here too clever ? Or simply fell for the obvious answers ?

I should have added the solutions, my mistake. I'm really interested in the structure(s) of human thinking here; so I add the solutions:

1.) Second (! yes, my dear !)

2.) That's impossible !

3.) Susan; what else !
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by wowbagger on Feb 14th, 2003, 8:48am

on 02/14/03 at 07:01:47, udippel wrote:
No answers yet; to my surprise.
Everyone in here too clever ? Or simply fell for the obvious answers ?

Well, I recognized your first and second riddles and got the last one right straight away. I just didn't feel like posting...


Quote:
2.) That's impossible !

This, of course, can be argued against. Look at this thread (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=riddles_easy;action=display;num=1041560413;start=3).
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by TimMann on Feb 15th, 2003, 1:28am

on 02/14/03 at 07:01:47, udippel wrote:
3.) Susan; what else !
Well, it could be Nini, if Susan is the person whom Johnny Cash sings about in his famous song.

(For non-fans of Johnny Cash, the song I'm referring to is "A Boy Named Sue" :) )
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Marshall on May 28th, 2003, 11:32am
1) If you were to overtake the second fastest car, you would be in first because the car in first place would have been second-fastest (assuming the first car originally had the greatest velocity.  It is very reasonable that the last place car will have the highest velocity while trying to catch up).

2) You cannot overtake the last car, because in order to do so you need to be behind it, in which case you would be the last car.

3) I'm assuming the name of the fifth is "Nini," considering all four other vowels have been used.  If the only options are one, two, three, etc. then I would assume it would be "Five," or possible "Nine" because that's the closest sound to "Nini."
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by wowbagger on May 30th, 2003, 2:19am

on 05/28/03 at 11:32:12, Marshall wrote:
1) If you were to overtake the second fastest car, you would be in first because the car in first place would have been second-fastest (assuming the first car originally had the greatest velocity.  It is very reasonable that the last place car will have the highest velocity while trying to catch up).

Reconsidering this one, I don't think the property of being the second-fastest car necessarily says anything about its position in the race. This would only be the case if "fastest" meant the highest average speed so far (as opposed to the momentary speed).
Your assumption about the last car having the highest speed is doubtful, I'd say. Which car has the highest momentary speed depends on the course.


Quote:
2) You cannot overtake the last car, because in order to do so you need to be behind it, in which case you would be the last car.

Feel free to read me previous post and to follow the link.


Quote:
3) I'm assuming the name of the fifth is "Nini," considering all four other vowels have been used.  If the only options are one, two, three, etc. then I would assume it would be "Five," or possible "Nine" because that's the closest sound to "Nini."

See the answer udippel gave. It's correct assuming Susan is a woman, and that Susan's father has exactly five daughters. If we drop the last assumption, any name will be allowed.
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Mugwump101 on Oct 22nd, 2003, 6:26pm
1) I got second, Because if you overtake the secondfastest, your in second place.
2) I got wrong because I was thinking you can overtake the last car and you'd become second-last?
3) for this, I was thinking of Nini because each of them had a, e, o, and u. The english vowels, however I never noticed Susan lol. Is Nini still wrong?
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by wowbagger on Oct 23rd, 2003, 6:34am

on 10/22/03 at 18:26:07, Mugwump101 wrote:
3) for this, I was thinking of Nini because each of them had a, e, o, and u. The english vowels, however I never noticed Susan lol. Is Nini still wrong?

I'm sure your answer is what udippel expects as the average fast, but wrong answer. As I said in my previous post, it's only wrong if Susan's father has exactly five daughters, not more.
This is only a technical (and mathematical point), of course, but such nitpicking and alternative interpertations are rampant in this forum, so you'd better get used to it. ;)
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Speaker on Oct 23rd, 2003, 5:16pm
Wowbagger, I didn't follow your link, but it seems to me that passing the last car would be no problem.

Assuming the race is on a track that goes in a loop, then the car in first place can pass the last car, and remain in first place. Most auto races are done on round tracks or loops of some kind. QED

I think TimMann has got the best answer with the Johnny Cash song.
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by wowbagger on Oct 24th, 2003, 6:52am

on 10/23/03 at 17:16:16, Speaker wrote:
Wowbagger, I didn't follow your link, but it seems to me that passing the last car would be no problem.

If not following my link, you could at least have read my post carefully. ;)


Quote:
Assuming the race is on a track that goes in a loop, then the car in first place can pass the last car, and remain in first place. Most auto races are done on round tracks or loops of some kind. QED

See towr's and TimMann's posts in the other thread (link deliberately omitted). ::)
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Speaker on Oct 26th, 2003, 5:06pm
Link followed, post read (carefully). Actually I followed the link last Friday after I posted. I realized that the idea had already been put forward in the other thread, but didn't figure I needed to edit or anything.  :)
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Icarus on Oct 27th, 2003, 6:11pm
After reading the new posts to this thread, it finally occurs to me: "hey - this is a set of riddles - why is it in the 'general discussion' forum?", so I've moved it. (Now I just have to fix the links...)
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Darcal on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:03pm
Hi, please help with the following,

52c in a p (WJ's)

what might this be? ::)
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Speaker on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:12pm
Start with the number.

What do you know about the number 52?
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Darcal on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:15pm
It is the amount of weeks in a year?
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Speaker on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:17pm
Yes...

What else?

You are on the right track
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Darcal on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:21pm
are u going to make me sweat?
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Speaker on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:25pm
Just a little.

It is a sentence, like your first guess. But, not weeks.
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Darcal on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:28pm
I thought maybe cycles?
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Speaker on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:33pm
Maybe bicycles  :o
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Darcal on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:36pm
interesting, how do you then relate that to the p? 52 bicycles in a p?
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Speaker on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:42pm
Bicycles (TM)

;)
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Darcal on Oct 30th, 2003, 11:49pm
thank you for the help, but i still need an explanation. it would really help.
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by BNC on Oct 31st, 2003, 12:05am
Bicycles is a game, using certain accessories.
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Speaker on Oct 31st, 2003, 12:07am
BNC, now you are confusing me.

I thought the bicycles were the accessories for the game.

Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Speaker on Oct 31st, 2003, 12:34am

on 10/30/03 at 23:03:11, Darcal wrote:
Hi, please help with the following,

52c in a p (WJ's)


I think that this original riddle is mis-worded.

How about
52c in a p (W/OJ's)

or

54c in a p (WJ's)

There are also a bunch of other riddles like this someplace. You might find some similar ones if you search for your riddle.
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Darcal on Oct 31st, 2003, 1:53am
Maybe this would help, a previous riddle read, 66 b in the b.

What is the answer?
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Darcal on Oct 31st, 2003, 2:47am
66 b in the b = 66 books in the bible
52c in a p (WJ's) = 52 cards in a pack (With Jokers)

So the next one is: 39b of the ot
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by THUDandBLUNDER on Oct 31st, 2003, 3:43am

Quote:
So the next one is: 39b of the ot

:[hide]39 Books of the Old Testament[/hide]
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by Icarus on Oct 31st, 2003, 9:50am

on 10/31/03 at 02:47:57, Darcal wrote:
52c in a p (WJ's) = 52 cards in a pack (With Jokers)


This is what Speaker was refering to as being misstated, since there are 54 cards in a deck with jokers. Presumably, though what was meant is "52 cards in a pack (Without Jokers).

However, if they are going to throw in the "s" for Jokers (with a non-existant apostrophe, no less), they should have also included the o for without. >:(
Title: Re: 3 easy ones
Post by rmsgrey on Nov 1st, 2003, 7:55pm

on 02/01/03 at 01:49:16, udippel wrote:
1.) You drive in a race car and overtake the second fastest. Which position will you be in?


If you overtake the second fastest, you must be driving the fastest - which puts you in first (assuming the fastest car always wins).


Quote:
2.) You drive in a race car and overtake the last car. Which position do you reach?


I started the race with the other ten cars ahead of me. I overtook the first car, then the second. The third, fourth and fifth followed swiftly. I overtook the sixth on a sharp corner before overtaking the seventh on the next straight. The ninth strayed wide to cut off the eighth, letting me ovetake them both. Finally, I overtook the last car just before the finish line to take first place!

Alternatively, if I overtake the last car mentioned (the second fastest), I win again!

Thirdly, if the "last" describes the position of the car overtaken after the overtaking, I end up in second last place.

Surely any of the interpretations which makes the situation described possible is more correct than insisting that the question is not valid...


Quote:
3.) Susan's father has five daughters:
Nani
Neni
Noni
Nuni

What's the name of the fifth?

OK, this one got me at first glance, and I didn't think of the various quibbles either, but I spotted my mistake inside the three second time limit...


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