A riddle to curve the boredom!

craig

craig

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So it looks like Half Life 2 isn't gonna be out for a long time and we arent allowed to discuss 'teh beta' so heres a riddle.

Mods, ban me if you wish, but I'm just trying to liven up a very boring forum.

Okay, so, this was taken from David 'dopey' Blaine, who at the moment is nearing the end of his inprisonment in a glass box and if you've already heard it please dont answer and let someone else have a go!

The Riddle

Theres a house.
The house contains three floors.
On the top floor is a light bulb.
The Middle floor is empty.
The bottom floor contains three switches, one of which operates the light on the third floor.
All three floors are linked by a flight of stairs.

Question - How many switches does one need to 'test' to find the switch that operates the light on the third floor? Switches can be left on or off as you please. And the lightbulb can only be checked once.

Please give your answer and your reason why. If for some reason no-one gets it I'll post the answer later on.
 
Ummm... Is it the third switch?
I guessed this because the third floor is the top, meaning the third switch should control it. Maybe I'm trying to be "too" logical, but hey, it's what I like to do.

-Ghost.
 
You don't have to test anything, the first guess turned the light on in sheer luck?
 
move this to off topic i come here to read about hl2 not ur little puzzle
 
One switch, because if the answer was 2 the riddle would be too easy.
 
If its a glass house couldnt you just follow the wires from the lightbulb back to the switch it is controled by?
 
ONE

There is nothing else to operate therefore all 3 switches operate the one light.
 
EDIT: I got it. Simple. None control the lightbulb. You never said the bulb was in a socket.

Edit edit: Maybe not, lol
 
Originally posted by ElFuhrer
One switch, because if the answer was 2 the riddle would be too easy.
Click to expand...

Never said it was difficult.. Just want a reason as to why it may be whichever number you think. :afro:
 
Originally posted by Shuzer
He needs to test 2 switches? One, and if it doesn't work, then he can head back down, test the second, if that doesn't work, it has to be the third. Either which way, two switches will get the job done.

I could be looking at this riddle wrong, or maybe the question wasn't asked right?
Click to expand...

Sorry, my bad.. forgot to add you can only check the light ONCE..
 
The house is made of glass, follow the wires from the light to the switch.
 
Originally posted by Shuzer
EDIT: I got it. Simple. None control the lightbulb. You never said the bulb was in a socket.

Edit edit: Maybe not, lol
Click to expand...

I think you owned the riddle. Unless he mistyped it.
 
Originally posted by Adam
The house is made of glass, follow the wires from the light to the switch.
Click to expand...

The house is made of brick.. and if it's obvious, whats the answer everyone?
 
2 because if the first one doesnt work, and the second dopesnt, you know its the third
 
Originally posted by The Terminator
2 because if the first one doesnt work, and the second dopesnt, you know its the third
Click to expand...

You need to be more concise than that.. and you can only check the light, WHICH IS IN A SOCKET, WHICH IS WIRED TO ONE OF THESE SWITCHES in A BRICK HOUSE **ONCE** LOL
 
Originally posted by The Terminator
2 because if the first one doesnt work, and the second dopesnt, you know its the third
Click to expand...

You can only check to see if the bulb is on once. If you switch to switches, and it's on, you won't know WHICH turned it on
 
Originally posted by Shuzer
You can only check to see if the bulb is on once. If you switch to switches, and it's on, you won't know WHICH turned it on
Click to expand...

Or will you :dozey:
 
Oh, is it that you have to 'test' all the switches to see? As in turn them all on at once and check?
 
if u can only check the bulb once, then the answer is one. however i dont know how it works, but i answered ur stupid little riddle.
 
seriously some of you dont seem to understand the riddle, so dont bother. come back when you've finished grade school.
 
Originally posted by Dr-X
if u can only check the bulb once, then the answer is one. however i dont know how it works, but i answered ur stupid little riddle.
Click to expand...

incorrectly and without reason.
 
Dr-X weren't you the one requesting the negative comments to stop? Yet here you are saying 'ur stupid little riddle'.
 
Yet admins who move off topic threads don't go ahead and add negative responces now do they?
 
got it, turn on the first switch and leave it on. then turn on the second and run up. if the light is on its the second one, if its not on and its still warm its number one if its not on and its cold its number three.
 
it's impossible because you can only check once, if you could check twice there would be an answer..


[edit]
Terminator, yours dosent work, what if the light bulb is on and the first swich turned it on but the second didnt turn it off?

[edit 2]
you got the right idea, you just worded it wrong, so i guess your right...
 
Originally posted by The Terminator
got it, turn on the first switch and leave it on. then turn on the second and run up. if the light is on its the second one, if its not on and its still warm its number one if its not on and its cold its number three.
Click to expand...

:cheers: Well Done! :cheers:


ANOTHER....

A man goes to a hospital to visit his sick wife. he gets in the lift and goes up to the ward. He sees his wife is alive and talks to her. He returns to the lift and as it begins to descend, it suddenly stops. The man bursts into tears, as he knows that his wife is dead.

How?

There is no-one else in the lift on his way down.
 
Well, you could go outside and see if the window has a light or not.
 
he put his wife under the lift,a nd it crushed her, and her body jammed the elevator.
 
Originally posted by craigweb2k
:cheers: Well Done! :cheers:


ANOTHER....

A man goes to a hospital to visit his sick wife. he gets in the lift and goes up to the ward. He sees his wife is alive and talks to her. He returns to the lift and as it begins to descend, it suddenly stops. The man bursts into tears, as he knows that his wife is dead.

How?

There is no-one else in the lift on his way down.
Click to expand...

He killed her and pressed the emergency stop button so the cops couldn't get him.

lol.
 
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