Riddle Me This

Zooggy

Zooggy

Junior Administrator
Staff member
Ahey, :)

PsiSoldier28 said:
I am on a docked ferry; a rope-ladder hangs over the side of the ferry with each rung spaced half a metre apart. [...] 9 rungs are above water level (The rest is under-water).

After 5 hours, how many rungs of the rope-ladder will still be above the water?
Click to expand...

Wol said:
7 [...] I came and dropped the ladder in by a metre in the meantime ;-)
Click to expand...

I realize that you understood the problem and were just adding a little joke for quipping's sake. Still, this answer was bugging me for the better part of a day, and I couldn't really put my finger on it. Then, it hit me!

Wouldn't that just increase the number of rungs under water and leave the number of rungs above water the same? Unless you tell me that the ladder had just run out of further rungs when you dropped it in by a metre, which, really, is just an incredible coincidence, is it not? ;)

Cheers,
J.
 
Wol

Wol

In Cryo Sleep
Well if you start with 9 above water and drop two underwater, you're going to end up with 7 above water.

Conservation of energy principle kinda.

The number of rungs on the ladder is fixed so...

Number of rungs above + Number of rungs below = Number of rungs above after + Number of rungs below after.

You can't increase one number and keep the other number the same, cos then you're making rungs out of nothing. So 2 more rungs were added to the underwater pile, which means there has to be two less above water.

I think thats what you're getting at, but if not let me know and I'll try a different tack! :p
 
Zooggy

Zooggy

Junior Administrator
Staff member
Ahey, :)

Ah, I see, it's a matter of visualization.

I suppose it all depends on whether you count all those rungs piled up in a bundle atop deck, which form the part of the ladder that is not in use, so to speak, as part of the "original 9" or not. If yes, then you're right. If not, then I'm right.

Cheers,
J.
 
Wol

Wol

In Cryo Sleep
And the ones in a pile bundled on deck are still above the waterline are they not? :p
 
Zooggy

Zooggy

Junior Administrator
Staff member
Ahoy, :)

Oh, his answer was so right I didn't even bother to try and come up with anything, once I read it.

If the Bone strikes that answer down, I'll be very surprised indeed!...

Cheers,
J.
 
Wol

Wol

In Cryo Sleep
Since noone else is posting:

How can I walk X metres forward, turn right 90 degrees, walk X metres forward again, turn right 90 degrees, walk X metres forward, and end up where I started? I'm walking on the floor all the time, which is not moving, so no magic floating platforms.

(thought I'd go for an easy one just to kick people back into riddling. its fun!)
 
waterproofbob

waterproofbob

Junior Administrator
You are at the top of a giant doughnut with the same gravitational and pole orientation as Earth. Mmm then you start to bury into the Dough and find it is filled with custard.

Or the North pole but whatever.
 
E

elDiablo

Guest
Expanding on what bob said, you are on a sphere with a circumference of X metres. After you walk X metres, you are back at the beginning, and can turn as much as you damn well like! :D
 
Wol

Wol

In Cryo Sleep
waterproofbob said:
You are at the top of a giant doughnut with the same gravitational and pole orientation as Earth. Mmm then you start to bury into the Dough and find it is filled with custard.

Or the North pole but whatever.
Click to expand...

Ugh. custard. Prefer caramel!

and elD is more correct as its anywhere on a sphere rather than a particular point on it. I could be at the bottom .... *smirk*
 
thatbloke

thatbloke

Junior Administrator
ok.

Nanor stared through the dirty soot-smeared window on the 22nd floor of the office tower. Overcome with depression he slid the window open and jumped through it. It was a sheer drop outside the building to the ground. Miraculously after he landed he was completely unhurt. Since there was nothing to cushion his fall or slow his descent, how could he have survived the fall?
 
waterproofbob

waterproofbob

Junior Administrator
The window was sooty due to the fact it was either part of a demolished building or a floor that hadn't been put on yet. Thus although it was the 22nd floor it is currently out ground level therefore he was unharmed.
 
Wol

Wol

In Cryo Sleep
Nanor be a little window washer.

Didnt say he jumped *out* of the building through the open window.
 
PsiSoldier

PsiSoldier

Well-Known Member
Either what Wol said, or there was a balcony the other side of the window, OR this building is on the moon!
 
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