What is Wrong With This Story?

Last Problem:

An airplane leaves the North Pole and flies due south for 50 kilometers. Then it turns and flies east for another 100 kilometers.

At the end of the plane’s flight, how far is the plane from the North Pole?

Answer:

The plane is 50 kilometers from the North Pole. During its eastbound leg. the plane remained a constant distance from the pole as it continue to fly east.

Today’s Problem:

As they prepare for battle, four warriors draw their swords from their scabbards. One sword is completely straight. Another is a semicircle. A third sword has the form of a wavy curve. And the fourth has the three dimensional form of a helicoid spiral.

Something is not right about this story. What is it?

North Pole Air Travel

Last Problem:

Indiana Jones is running down a square tunnel, desperately trying to avoid being crushed by a giant round stone that is rolling toward him. The width of the tunnel is just about the same as the diameter of the sphere: both are 20 meters.

The end of the tunnel is too far for Indiana Jones to reach in time. Is he doomed? If not, what can he do to escape being crushed by the rolling stone?

Answer:

Because of the great size of the sphere, there is quite a bit of safe space where the wall of the tunnel meets the floor. If Indiana Jones squeezes himself into that space, he can let the stone roll past him and escape.

Today’s Problem:

An airplane leaves the North Pole and flies due south for 50 kilometers. Then it turns and flies east for another 100 kilometers.

At the end of the plane’s flight, how far is the plane from the North Pole?

Is Indiana Jones Doomed?

Last Problem:

Why is it better to have round manhole covers than square manhole covers?

Answer:

A square manhole cover can be turned and dropped down the diagonal of the manhole. A round manhole cannot be dropped down the manhole. So, for safety reasons and practical reasons, it is best that all manhole covers are round rather than square.

Today’s Problem:

Indiana Jones is running down a square tunnel, desperately trying to avoid being crushed by a giant round stone that is rolling toward him. The width of the tunnel is just about the same as the diameter of the sphere: both are 20 meters.

The end of the tunnel is too far for Indiana Jones to reach in time. Is he doomed? If not, what can he do to escape being crushed by the rolling stone?

The Shape of Manhole Covers

Yesterday’s Problem:

A man walks into a bar and asks the bar tender for a glass of water. The bar tender pulls out a gun and points it at the man, The man says:

“Thank you.”

He then walks out of the bar.

Why?

Answer:

The man had hiccups The bar tender recognized this from his speech and drew the gun in order to give him a shock. The treatment took and cured the man’s hiccups. This is why the man no longer needed the water.

Today’s Problem:

Why is it better to have round manhole covers than square manhole covers?

Man in the Bar with Curious Behavior

Last Problem:

A man went to a party and drank some of the punch. He then left early. Everyone else at the party who drank the punch subsequently died of poisoning. The man did not poison the punch himself. Why did the man not die himself?

Answer:

The poison in the punch came from the ice cubes. When the man drank the punch, the ice was fully frozen. It gradually melted, poisoning the punch and killing everyone who drank it.

Today’s Problem:

A man walks into a bar and asks the bar tender for a glass of water. The bar tender pulls out a gun and points it at the man, The man says:

“Thank you.”

He then walks out of the bar.

Why?

Punch Poisoning

Last Problem:

A man is wearing black: Black shoes, socks, trousers, jumper, gloves and hat. He is walking down a black street with all the street lamps off. A black car is coming towards him with its lights off but somehow he manages to stop in time. How did the driver see the man?

Answer:

It was day time.

Today’s Problem:

A man went to a party and drank some of the punch. He then left early. Everyone else at the party who drank the punch subsequently died of poisoning. The man did not poison the punch himself. Why did the man not die himself?

Everything is Black

Yesterday’s Problem:

A man and his son are in a car accident. The father dies on the scene, but the child is rushed to the hospital. When he arrives, the surgeon says,

“I can’t operate on this boy. He is my son!”

How can this be?

Answer:

The surgeon was his mother.

Today’s Problem:

A man is wearing black: Black shoes, socks, trousers, jumper, gloves and hat. He is walking down a black street with all the street lamps off. A black car is coming towards him with its lights off but somehow he manages to stop in time. How did the driver see the man?

The Car Accident

Last Problem:

Fred lives on the top floor of a 60 story apartment building in Chicago. Everyday he takes the elevator down to the ground floor, then takes a taxi to his job at the train station. Upon returning from work, he can only travel half way up in the elevator. Fred then travels the rest of the way up the stair unless it is raining.

Why?

Answer:

The man is very short and can only reach halfway up the elevator buttons. If it is raining however he will have his umbrella with him so he can press the higher buttons and ride the elevator to his floor which is at the top of the building.

Today’s Problem:

A man and his son are in a car accident. The father dies on the scene, but the child is rushed to the hospital. When he arrives, the surgeon says,

“I can’t operate on this boy. He is my son!”

How can this be?

An Elevator Puzzle

Yesterday’s Problem:

If a helicopter was flying about 132mph and crashed on the border of Scotland and England. Two pilots survived who have no family and no will. Where would you bury them: England or Scotland?

Answer:

Nowhere. You do not bury survivors.

Today’s Problem:

Fred lives on the top floor of a 60 story apartment building in Chicago. Everyday he takes the elevator down to the ground floor, then takes a taxi to his job at the train station. Upon returning from work, he can only travel half way up in the elevator. Fred then travels the rest of the way up the stair unless it is raining.

Why?