Richard's Stumpers

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Set #18

  1. After the revolution of Platonia, the dethroned King, his Prime Minister, and his minister of finance were arrested and tried by the revolutionary court. Before sentence was passed, the judge spoke to each of the men. To the King he said, "If and only if both your ministers receive the same sentence will you be executed. To the Prime Minister he said, "If and only if the King and the minister of finance receive the same sentence will you be imprisoned. To the third man the judge said, "If and only if the other two receive different sentences will you be set free."

    The judge then pronounced his sentence: "Tomorrow morning one of you will be set free, another will be imprisoned for life, and the third will be executed." He then ordered the guards to lead the prisoners away.

    What were the respective sentences?

  2. How long would a person have to live to see seven years of Sundays?

  3. Mr. Scott met an old friend whom he had not seen in many years. As they talked, Scott learned that his friend had married several years ago. "We have two children," the friend said. "This is our daughter, whos named after her mother." Scott smiled and said, "Im happy to meet you, Jane." How did he know the girls name?

  4. Mark lived in Centerville. He has a girl friend in Northville and another in Southville. He regards the two girls with equal affection. Accordingly, he decides to leave to change the decision of which one he will visit each Sunday afternoon. Mark knows that buses run to both Northville and Southville at regular 20-minute intervals. Since the buses dont arrive at the same time, Mark simply goes to the bus stop and takes the next bus to come along. Despite his attempt to be fair, it seems that Mark visits his Southville girl friend on nine out of every ten Sundays. Why does this happen?

  5. Can you arrange three of one letter and three of another letter to make a six-lettered word? YES!! What is the word?

  6. Assume that the equator is round and that its circumference is exactly 25,000 miles. A steel band is then fit snugly around the equator. If 12 inches are added to the 25,000 mile long band, how far off the Earths surface will the band be at all points around the equator?

  7. 5, 9, 14, 23, 37, ____? What would the next number be in this sequence?

  8. Having walked 3/5 of the way through a long, narrow tunnel, you hear a train coming towards you. The train is traveling at 60 mph. Fate smiles upon you. By running as fast as you can, you will be able to reach either end of the tunnel at the same moment the train does. How fast can you run?

    Answers are available with Stumper Set #19.

Answers to Stumper Set #17

  1. Laryngitis lived to be 59 years old. (There is no year dated 0.)

  2. The figures overlap. Sleeping and eating are included in vacation and week-ends.

  3. It is impossible to do, for he had already used up his hour!
    Note: You can not average an average to get an average!

  4. Thompson belongs to the Tigers.

  5. 2 seniors have served on the council during each of their 4 years of high school.

  6. The friend lost $1.

  7. Since 6 and 3/.05 is 66 chickens, the cost is $33.00.

  8. 24 apples are worth 16 oranges.

  9. At the rate of 45 mph, a car could travel 15 miles in 20 minutes.