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#1 2012-03-27 20:02:37
- bob bundy
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The Professors Test
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.
“That’s 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
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#2 2012-03-27 21:02:43
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
hi bob
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#3 2012-03-27 21:53:34
- bob bundy
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Re: The Professors Test
hi Stefy,
Good start.
Bob
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#4 2012-03-28 01:48:53
- wintersolstice
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Re: The Professors Test
bob bundy wrote:
hi Stefy,
Good start.
Bob
Last edited by wintersolstice (2012-03-28 01:49:24)
Why did the chicken cross the Mobius Band?
To get to the other ...um...!!!
#5 2012-03-28 04:03:42
- bob bundy
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Re: The Professors Test
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
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#6 2012-03-28 05:12:29
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
Hi bob
so not all spaces count.
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#7 2012-03-28 05:20:27
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
Hi bob
In addition to the last post:
Last edited by anonimnystefy (2012-03-28 05:27:16)
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#8 2012-03-28 05:24:03
- bob bundy
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Re: The Professors Test
hi Stefy,
!) OK.
All the spaces count. Some count double.
Bob
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#9 2012-03-28 05:27:53
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
Look at post #7 again.
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#10 2012-03-28 06:01:59
- bob bundy
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Re: The Professors Test
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
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#11 2012-03-28 06:29:31
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
hi bobbym
I think i got it:
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#12 2012-03-28 06:43:38
- bob bundy
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Re: The Professors Test
hi Stefy
Put together what you had before with what you are suggesting now and ....
Bob
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#13 2012-03-28 06:48:31
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
hi bob
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#14 2012-03-28 07:11:51
- wintersolstice
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Re: The Professors Test
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
Why did the chicken cross the Mobius Band?
To get to the other ...um...!!!
#15 2012-03-28 07:24:51
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
hi wintersoltice
have you solve any other problems?
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#16 2012-03-28 07:26:40
- bob bundy
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Re: The Professors Test
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.
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#17 2012-03-28 07:29:12
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
hi bob
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#18 2012-03-28 19:03:46
- bob bundy
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Re: The Professors Test
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.
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#19 2012-03-28 19:50:26
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
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 (2012-03-28 19:54:43)
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#20 2012-03-29 02:09:19
- bob bundy
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Re: The Professors Test
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
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#21 2012-03-29 05:32:48
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#22 2012-03-29 08:15:43
- wintersolstice
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Re: The Professors Test
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!
)
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 (2012-03-29 08:16:03)
Why did the chicken cross the Mobius Band?
To get to the other ...um...!!!
#23 2012-03-29 09:02:22
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
Yes I meant fourth person.My mistake. 
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#24 2012-03-29 18:16:20
- bob bundy
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Re: The Professors Test
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
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#25 2012-03-29 19:26:30
- anonimnystefy
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Re: The Professors Test
Yes that's what I meant.
Why did you make part 2 of puzzle #8 so hard?
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón