BRAIN TEASERS THREAD

[DcifrThs]

please post some brain teasers. the tougher and rarer the better.

lets get goin [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Barron

[ScottySo]

here are 2 decent ones to get started.

RIDDLE NUMBER - DIFFICULTY RATING 3/10

a king has 10 tax-collectors, who each month bring him 10 coins each, and each coin weighs 10 ounces. every month the king uses his magic scale, which can only make one reading per month, to make sure all 1,000 ounces of coins are there. one month, a spy comes to him and tells him one of his collectors is shaving an ounce of each coin. he wants to find out who it is this month, so using one weighing only, how does the king determine which collector is the cheat?


RIDDLE #2 - DIFFICULTY RATING 8.5/10

You have 12 coins, 11 weigh the exact same amount but one (you don't know which) is of a different weight (you also don't know whether its heaver or lighter. you have a scale, using 3 weighings figure out which coin is the odd one and whether it is heavier or lighter.

[ScottHoward]

you guys know theres a puzzle and other games forum?
might get better action in there

[Utah]

I have done the second one before and it is one of my favorite puzzles. Since I have done it before, there is no reason to post the answer.

However, I believe I have the first 1. Sadly, it took almost 30 minutes to figure out because I am an idiot.

Answer in white:
<font color="white">
Left side of scale:
Collector 1: 1 coin
Collector 2: 2 coin
Collector 3: 3 coin
Collector 4: 4 coin
Collector 5: 5 coin
Collector 6: 6 coin
Collector 7: 7 coin
Collector 8: 8 coin
Collector 9: 9 coin
Collector 10: 10 coin

Right side of scale: Use 10 ounce and 1 once units. I can tell who the cheat is by how many 1 ounce units I use.

</font>

[Borodog]

What is the simplest possible family tree?

1. ACGTCTTCCGCGAGCCGCATATAGCGCTAGCTAGACGCT
2. ACGTCGACCGCCAGCCGCATATAGCGCTCGCTAGACGCT
3. ACGTCTACCGCTAGCCGCATTTAGCGCTACCTAGACGCT
4. ACGTCTAGCGCTAGCCGCATATGGCGCTCGCTAGTAGCT
5. ACGACGACCGCTAGCCGCATATAGCGATCGCTAGACGCT
6. ACGTCTAGCGCTAGCCGCTTATTGCGCTCGCTAGAAGCT
7. ACGTCTACCGCGAGCCGCATATAGCGCTAGCTGGACGCT
8. ACGTCTAGCGCTAGCCGCTTATTGCGCTCGCTAGATGCT
9. ACGTCTACCGCTAGCCGCATATAGCGCTACCTAGACGCA

[FortunaMaximus]

4.?

Looks like she's from Tennessee anyway.

[Borodog]

I believe the correct answer is :

{(2,5),[(1,7),(3,9)]},[(6,8),4]

[FortunaMaximus]

Weird. Anyway.

[Magic_Man]

It takes 10 men 8 days to dig 13 holes. How long would it take one man to dig half a hole?

[FortunaMaximus]

With what, half a shovel? [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]