Lateral thinking puzzles

justlookingforthemoment · 2006-01-05 21:00:12

For Christmas I received quite a large book of 'Classic Lateral Thinking Puzzles' (from my Uncle and Aunty ). It contains many different conundrums, all which seem to not have enough information to be able to solve them. I've read through a few and almost all of them seem to have multiple answers - then on checking the back of the book, the answer seems either really far-fetched or extremely simple. I'll post some here and see if you can solve them.

I found this first one to be one of the 'better' ones - that is, not *quite* as silly an answer.

Shoe Shop Shuffle
'In a small town there are four shoe shops of about the same size, each carrying more of less the same line in shoes. Yet, one shop loses three times as many shoes to theft as each of the other shops. Why?'

Each puzzle also has clues... so if you get stuck, I'll post them.

Jai Ganesh · 2006-01-05 21:31:12

Shop # 3 : Because it is a multiple of 3
(I know thats a stupid answer, but I couldn't think of any better).

Zach · 2006-01-05 21:41:54

All depends on the position of the shops in conjunction with all the other shops.

krassi_holmz · 2006-01-05 23:03:45

It is in the center so it's the most closest to all the thiefs?

krassi_holmz · 2006-01-05 23:05:00

just, can you post more of ths stuff?

mathsyperson · 2006-01-06 06:18:34

Zach wrote:

All depends on the position of the shops in conjunction with all the other shops.

I would agree. If one shop loses 3 times as many as all the other shops, then it is losing half of the total shoes lost.
So, I would guess that that shop was on its own, but the other three were next to each other.

Shop
Shop [Rest of town] Theft-prone shop
Shop

justlookingforthemoment · 2006-01-06 12:31:13

Okay. There are three clues.

Clue 1: The shop that suffers the heaviest thefts is not in a worse part of town or in an environment that is more popular with criminals.

darthradius · 2006-01-06 13:10:18

???Employee theft problem???

justlookingforthemoment · 2006-01-06 21:56:06

Ahhh... no. Yell out if when/if you want clues, but they're probably not very helpful.

krassi_holmz · 2006-01-06 23:47:43

Well the suffering shop may be the easiest for tiefting?

krassi_holmz · 2006-01-06 23:49:00

Or, wait a minute. It may be because it's closed more time than others?

mathsyperson · 2006-01-07 02:09:25

If I had that book, I'd be quite annoyed if I looked at the back and saw this as the answer, but here's another possibility:

None of the shops get any shoes stolen from them. 3x0 = 0

siva.eas · 2006-01-07 03:39:44

Maybe three different bunch of thieves steal the three different shop shops but they all meet at the fourth shoe shop so that they could go home together. So in the fourth shop all three of them steals, resulting in a theft level that is three times as more.

krassi_holmz · 2006-01-07 06:08:39

I think mathsy is right... again!

justlookingforthemoment · 2006-01-07 12:51:17

Well, mathsy, that does sound like something that would come from this book...

But you'll have to keep trying.

Ricky · 2006-01-07 13:48:16

Mr. Theft just likes to buy a lot of shoes from that one store.

Please give the other two clues.

MathsIsFun · 2006-01-07 17:58:37

Something to do with left/right ?

justlookingforthemoment · 2006-01-07 21:23:37

To Rod: ...

Clue 2: The four shops have similar staffing, lighting and security arrangements.

Clue 3: The shop that suffers the heaviest thefts does something different with its shoes.

MathsIsFun · 2006-01-07 23:21:25

It is the shoes they leave out for you to try on ... they are opposite to the other shops!

krassi_holmz · 2006-01-07 23:25:01

The suffering shop's shoes are armoured?

siva.eas · 2006-01-08 03:34:57

The shop with the most theft leaves out left shoes, while all other shops leaves out right shoes.

krassi_holmz · 2006-01-08 08:33:48

And why the thieves will need left shoes?

O, I understand now. The thieves need left and right shoe, they will thief a right shoe form one of the other shops and they must steal the left shoe form the last.

siva.eas · 2006-01-08 08:34:53

Yup

krassi_holmz · 2006-01-08 09:03:18

Then they may preshell them to the shops!!!

Jai Ganesh · 2006-01-08 17:35:38

Yes, siva.eas has given the most appropriate solution. Excellent!

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2006-01-05 21:00:12

Lateral thinking puzzles

#2 2006-01-05 21:31:12

Re: Lateral thinking puzzles

#3 2006-01-05 21:41:54

Re: Lateral thinking puzzles

#4 2006-01-05 23:03:45

Re: Lateral thinking puzzles

#5 2006-01-05 23:05:00

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#6 2006-01-06 06:18:34

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#7 2006-01-06 12:31:13

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#8 2006-01-06 13:10:18

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