Riddles

[piersmajestyk]

Your pocket watch sounds the appropriate number of times to indicate the hour, as well as sounding once at each quarter hour. If you didn't look at your watch what would be the longest period of time you would have to wait in order to be certain of the correct time?



A farmer had a stone that he used to measure grain on his scale. One day his neighbor borrowed the stone, and when he returned, it was broken into four pieces. The neighbor was very apologetic, but the farmer thanked the neighbor for doing him a big favor. The farmer said that now he can measure his grain in one pound increments starting at one pound all the way to forty pounds (1, 2, 3, 17, 29, 37, etc.) using these four stones.

How much do the four stones weigh?

[Dumb Snowman]

Until you see another clock

[TightWad]

[wolvish]

[TightWad]

[wolvish]

i think I may have been mistaken...still thinking

[TightWad]

I'm with ya there, dude. My initial calculation came up with 36 minutes and 22 seconds, but when I gave a moment of thought to the problem, I realized that my math may have been faulty. Probably something to do with integers. Or something.

[wolvish]

I think its just under 1hr 45 minutes.

Here's my thinking. It is possible for the clock to make 1 chime 7 times in a row; if you start just after 12 you would go around the clock twice before getting the double chime at 2 o' clock.

You know if the clock chimes, let's say, 5 times, 1hr and 15m have gone by. The problem is it could be 1:15, 1:30, or 1:45. You would have no clue since you wouldn't know when you started listening.

The same problem exists if it chimes 6 times in a row. You could have either be 1:30 or 1:45.

However, once you here that 7th single chime or the double chime, you would know it was either 1:45 or 2.

Does this make sense Tightwad?

[TightWad]

Ohhhhhhhhh...I see exactly where you're coming from, but I had assumed that the quarterly chimes were different than the hourlies. Like a church clock will just bang out the hour with that number of chimes, but the quarterly things play a little toon. That's what I thought. But now that you bring to light further evidence, I have decided that I will officially forfeit from riddle #1 on the grounds of being extremely drunk and unwilling to think that damned much.

So wolvish, what's it like being kenny's brother? I know kenny probably isn't his real name, but you get my drift. Does he constantly exclaim that he is "one of the top online brothers in the world?" Do you find that he's far more tolerable online than live? Does he have an aggressive personality? More importantly, do I come across as a complete idiot, or just somewhat of an idiot that pretends to be a complete idiot for the sake of getting attention? AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THAT, do you think I should grow in some facial hair or stay clean-shaven?

These stories and more at 4:00 a.m.

-TW

[TightWad]

Okay, I just realized I completely fucked up as a result of not correctly reading the question. It sounds ONCE every quarter hour...and that means...that means...something...happens.

Okay. So say it sounds at twelve o'clock. Right then, you know it's twelve. Then it sounds one chime, but you don't fuckin know whether it's one o'clock or fuckin 12:15 or 12:30 or WHAT THE FUCK IT IS...so...okay. 2 Hours. That's the answer. Maybe. No. "Just under 2 hours" is the answer. Right? Maybe not.

-TW

[Sunbob]

[striker2550]

[piersmajestyk]

[wolvish]

[piersmajestyk]

I guess you are right with my phrasing of the question. I should have stated after hearing the first sound what is the longest that you would have to wait before knowing the corect time. Then it would be 90 minutes. Otherwise it would indeed be from 12:00.01 until 1:45