The Professors Test

Bob · 2012-03-26 21:02:37

The Professor's test.

(1)

There are 4 reindeer in front of Blitzen.
Dancer is on the left of Prancer.
Rudolph is two ahead of Blitzen.
Donner is two behind Dasher.

Work out the positions of the reindeer as they pull the sleigh.

(2) A says None of us is lying. B says Only two of us are lying. C says Only one of us is lying.

Identify the liars.

(3) We met at the old School re-union. He said he had been married a while and had three children, including twins.

How old ?, I asked, but, knowing how I love puzzles, all he would say was
that their ages multiplied to give his age, which I knew to be 36.

Thats not enough information, I responded, so he also told me what their ages added up to.

Nope, still cannot work it out, I said; so he told me that the oldest had just started guitar lessons.

Arhh, now I can do it. Well, can you ?

(4) An explorer walks one mile south, then one mile east, and finally one mile north.
Curiously, he ends up, back where he started. So where did he start?

(5) Think again about (4).

There are actually an infinite number of places, on the surface of the Earth, where this could happen.
So it should be easy to describe another.

(6) Put an ice cube in a glass and top up with water. (the students had to work this out without carrying out an experiment,
As the ice melts, does the level rise, fall or stay the same?
Explain.

(7) What comes next? And then?

110, 20, 12, 11, 10,

(8) three codes

(The first gives a hint to the second, which gives a hint to the third. Use squared paper)

(a) 13 1 11 5 ## 1 ## 18 5 3 20 1 14 7
12 5 ## TWELVE ## 2 25 SEVEN . 5 14 20
5 18 ## 20 8 5 ## 3 15 4 5 ## 1 3 18
15 19 19 ## 2 21 20 ## 20 8 5 ## 13 5 19
19 1 7 5 ## 4 15 23 14 23 1 18 4 19 .

(b) DRLYTNZNQ AOREE EE USLNAC 7TSRTAHLEWTI.H OHRA S AI EASEEDT.AN P N SEH GBUODIS. E

(c) 00000000000011110100100100101010001001011000010010101000111101001000000000000

Happy puzzling,

Bob

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-26 22:02:43

hi bob

Bob · 2012-03-26 22:53:34

hi Stefy,

Good start.

Bob

wintersolstice · 2012-03-27 02:48:53

bob bundy wrote:

hi Stefy,
Good start.
Bob

Last edited by wintersolstice (2012-03-27 02:49:24)

Bob · 2012-03-27 05:03:42

hi wintersolstice

That's exactly what I had and I also was surprised by anonimnystefy's answer. Under the circumstances of the test, being surprised is entirely appropriate.

Bob

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-27 06:12:29

Hi bob

so not all spaces count.

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-27 06:20:27

Hi bob

In addition to the last post:

Last edited by anonimnystefy (2012-03-27 06:27:16)

Bob · 2012-03-27 06:24:03

hi Stefy,

!) OK.

All the spaces count. Some count double.

Bob

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-27 06:27:53

Look at post #7 again.

Bob · 2012-03-27 07:01:59

hi Stefy.

5) That may be true, but I'm looking for a solution on the Earth as it is! You don't have to shrink it.

Bob

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-27 07:29:31

hi bobbym

I think i got it:

Bob · 2012-03-27 07:43:38

hi Stefy

Put together what you had before with what you are suggesting now and ....

Bob

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-27 07:48:31

hi bob

wintersolstice · 2012-03-27 08:11:51

bob bundy wrote:

hi wintersolstice
That's exactly what I had and I also was surprised by anonimnystefy's answer. Under the circumstances of the test, being surprised is entirely appropriate.
Bob

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-27 08:24:51

hi wintersoltice

have you solve any other problems?

Bob · 2012-03-27 08:26:40

hi Stefy and wintersolstice,

Stefy: You have solved 5). Very well done. I think it is one of the harder ones in the test. In my opinion, number 7) is also a tough one.

wintersolstice. Good suggestion. I will modify the test should I need to set it again in another Universe.

Bob.

ps. signing off for tonight. 'See you' tomorrow.

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-27 08:29:12

hi bob

Bob · 2012-03-27 20:03:46

hi Stefy,

Yes, they are, well done!!

Bob

Just the codes to sort out then. It was years ago I made this three-part puzzle and I'd forgotten the final answer. So I have done it again. Stage two was a bit tricky because of the spaces but I got there after some fiddling with the spaces. There are 84 characters exactly in the finished grid.

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-27 20:50:26

Hi bob

I must admit that I used

for thatt one.

I also must note that if we add the third person saying that they are all lying then the puzzle turns into a paradox.

Last edited by anonimnystefy (2012-03-27 20:54:43)

Bob · 2012-03-28 03:09:19

hi Stefy,

I first met that sequence in a advert for computer programmers. "If you can solve this, then you may have what it takes to become ......"

Someone had even written in the answer, and still I couldn't see it. It was years later that I found out why that answer was correct.

I think I need to re-do the liars puzzle completely. Sorry about that.

Bob

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-28 06:32:48

wintersolstice · 2012-03-28 09:15:43

anonimnystefy wrote:

hi wintersoltice
have you solve any other problems?

yes I solved a few of them but instead of posting my answers I checked them against yours (I haven't solved all the ones that you solved yet!:D)

anonimnystefy wrote:

I also must note that if we add the third person saying that they are all lying then the puzzle turns into a paradox.

how come? plus I said 4th person:D

Last edited by wintersolstice (2012-03-28 09:16:03)

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-28 10:02:22

Yes I meant fourth person.My mistake.

Bob · 2012-03-28 19:16:20

hi wintersolstice and anonimnystefy

Did you mean:

A says None of us is lying. B says Only two of us are lying. C says Only one of us is lying. D says all of us are lying.

The truth table below shows there is no solution to this.

The middle code must have 84 characters if it is to work. A quick count suggests there are less. But some spaces are double. Your problem is to work out which.

Bob

anonimnystefy · 2012-03-28 20:26:30

Yes that's what I meant.

Why did you make part 2 of puzzle #8 so hard?

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2012-03-26 21:02:37

The Professors Test

#2 2012-03-26 22:02:43

Re: The Professors Test

#3 2012-03-26 22:53:34

Re: The Professors Test

#4 2012-03-27 02:48:53

Re: The Professors Test

#5 2012-03-27 05:03:42

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#6 2012-03-27 06:12:29

Re: The Professors Test

#7 2012-03-27 06:20:27

Re: The Professors Test

#8 2012-03-27 06:24:03

Re: The Professors Test

#9 2012-03-27 06:27:53

Re: The Professors Test

#10 2012-03-27 07:01:59

Re: The Professors Test

#11 2012-03-27 07:29:31

Re: The Professors Test

#12 2012-03-27 07:43:38

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#13 2012-03-27 07:48:31

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#14 2012-03-27 08:11:51

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#15 2012-03-27 08:24:51

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#16 2012-03-27 08:26:40

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#17 2012-03-27 08:29:12

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#18 2012-03-27 20:03:46

Re: The Professors Test

#19 2012-03-27 20:50:26

Re: The Professors Test

#20 2012-03-28 03:09:19

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#21 2012-03-28 06:32:48

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