How dumb are you? (Riddle)

[Maple Leafs]

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I believe they can win 6 times out of 8 with the following strategy: Pass whenever you see two different colors and bet the opposite color when you see two of the same color.


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This is correct.

Note that the odds of guessing right are still 50/50. In the four trials above they'd have three right answers and three wrongs. However, the strategy allows the right answers to be spread out over multiple turns while the wrong answers are grouped together.

[theblitz]

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You split them into 2 separate piles. One pile has x coins and the other has 50-x.
You then turn over all the coins in the pile that has the most coins.

So, for example, if there are 20 heads then the smaller pile will have 20 coins of which z will be heads. So, the number of heads in the other pile will be 30-z. Thus the number of tails there will be z.
When you flip the coins there will now be z heads in the large pile too.

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Sorry, this does not work. By your own example, if I tell you there are 20 heads and you make two piles of 20 and 30, maybe there will be eight heads in the small pile and 12 in the large pile. Flipping over all of the large pile would leave you with 30-12 = 18 heads, which does not match the 8 heads in the small pile.

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You are right. My mistake.
You need to flip the pile that has the same number of coins as the number of heads you started with.
So, in your example, there would be 8 in the smaller pile thus giving 12 in the larger pile. Flipping the smaller one will give 12 heads there too.

On the other hands, if there are 30 heads then they may split 20 in the bigger pile and ten in the smaller. Flip the one with 30 and you now have 10 in the bigger one too.

[Limesparks]

1: leave off
2: turn on and leave on for like 6 months
3: turn on for an hour, then turn off
4: turn on and leave on

go to room: the one thats cool and off is switch 1, the one thats black and off is switch 2, the one thats warm and off is 3, the one thats on is 4

[doormat]

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OMFG I think I got this one
1) Flip every coin over. Now there are 50-x heads
2) Separate into two piles of coins
a. Pile#1 has x coins
b. Pile#2 has 50-x coins
3) Flip every coin in pile#2 back over.

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I think your solution works -- good one -- but an easier way is just to make a pile of "x" number of coins, and then flip over all of them in that pile. So if I tell you there are 10 heads, move any 10 coins to pile one and flip them over.

doormat

[doormat]

You are correct.

[Limesparks]

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1: leave off
2: turn on and leave on for like 6 months
3: turn on for an hour, then turn off
4: turn on and leave on

go to room: the one thats cool and off is switch 1, the one thats black and off is switch 2, the one thats warm and off is 3, the one thats on is 4

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tell me this is right j/k i know it is

[theblitz]

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[ QUOTE ]
1: leave off
2: turn on and leave on for like 6 months
3: turn on for an hour, then turn off
4: turn on and leave on

go to room: the one thats cool and off is switch 1, the one thats black and off is switch 2, the one thats warm and off is 3, the one thats on is 4

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tell me this is right j/k i know it is

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Cute idea - assuming the bulb really does burn out.
But there is a solution that would take a few minutes.

[doormat]

How about an "outside the box" solution that fits all of your criteria. You go into the room and ask your buddy to flip switch number one and see what comes on. You then do 2, 3, and 4. (your problem did not state that you had to flip the switches yourself).

Or perhaps the lights have dimmer switches, this makes it easy.

Or maybe blow out one bulb by jiggling the switch 100 times.

Or tie strings to the switches so you can take the strings inside.

[theblitz]

You were VERY close earlier.
Just need a little bit of re-phrasing.

[Maple Leafs]

Could have two bulbs that are off, one hot and one cold. Then two bulbs that are on, one warm and one very hot.