Jul 18, 2005
RAY: The fair maiden Rowena wishes to wed. Her father, the Evil King Berman, has devised a way to drive off suitors. He has a little quiz for them, and here it is. It's very simple. There are three boxes on the table. One is made of gold, one is made of silver and the third is made of...
TOM: Tofu?
RAY: No, lead. Inside one of these boxes is a picture of the fair Rowena. It is the job of the White Knight to figure out which one has her picture. Now, to assist him in this endeavor there is an inscription on each of the boxes. The gold box says, "Rowena's picture is in this box." The silver box says, "The picture ain't in this box." The lead box says, "The picture ain't in the gold box."
TOM: So the question is: Where's the picture?
RAY: Good question, because if he opens the box with the picture, he gets the girl.
TOM: But he also gives him a hint, right?
RAY: You got it. The hint is this: One of the statements, and only one, is true.
RAY: The question is, where's the picture?
TOM: Tofu?
RAY: No, lead. Inside one of these boxes is a picture of the fair Rowena. It is the job of the White Knight to figure out which one has her picture. Now, to assist him in this endeavor there is an inscription on each of the boxes. The gold box says, "Rowena's picture is in this box." The silver box says, "The picture ain't in this box." The lead box says, "The picture ain't in the gold box."
TOM: So the question is: Where's the picture?
RAY: Good question, because if he opens the box with the picture, he gets the girl.
TOM: But he also gives him a hint, right?
RAY: You got it. The hint is this: One of the statements, and only one, is true.
RAY: The question is, where's the picture?
Answer:
Here's how Ray solved the puzzler.
First, fill the 9 ounce glass with water.
Next, pour the water in the 9 ounce glass into the 4 ounce glass, until it is full. This leaves 5 ounces in the 9 ounce glass.
Now empty the 4 ounce glass.
Now, fill the 4 ounce glass, using the remaining water from the 9 ounce glass. Once the 4 ounce glass is filled, you'll be left with just 1 ounce of water in the 9 ounce glass.
Empty the 4 ounce glass of water again.
Transfer the 1 ounce of water from the 9 ounce glass into the 4 ounce glass.
Fill the 9 ounce glass with water.
Pour water from the 9 ounce glass into the 4 ounce glass, until the 4 ounce glass is full. Guess what? Since the four ounce glass already has 1 ounce of water in it, it will only take an additional 3 ounces of water.
Guess how much that leaves in the 9 ounce glass? You got it--6 ounces.
Congratulations, you're finished!
First, fill the 9 ounce glass with water.
Next, pour the water in the 9 ounce glass into the 4 ounce glass, until it is full. This leaves 5 ounces in the 9 ounce glass.
Now empty the 4 ounce glass.
Now, fill the 4 ounce glass, using the remaining water from the 9 ounce glass. Once the 4 ounce glass is filled, you'll be left with just 1 ounce of water in the 9 ounce glass.
Empty the 4 ounce glass of water again.
Transfer the 1 ounce of water from the 9 ounce glass into the 4 ounce glass.
Fill the 9 ounce glass with water.
Pour water from the 9 ounce glass into the 4 ounce glass, until the 4 ounce glass is full. Guess what? Since the four ounce glass already has 1 ounce of water in it, it will only take an additional 3 ounces of water.
Guess how much that leaves in the 9 ounce glass? You got it--6 ounces.
Congratulations, you're finished!
