Turkey Shoot

Swat the Mosquito

Puzzles

Shrewd Old Chris Perry owned a computer shop. Such was his efficiency that everyone bought their equipment from him. The work was hard. He needed an assistant. He advertised in the 'Arab News'.

Tom, Dick and Harry answered the advertisement. Having interviewed them, old Chris decided that he could not decide between them. They were all equally suitable. He formed a plan. He called the three lads into a room. The room had three facing chairs and no reflecting surfaces.  Chris showed the three hopefuls 5 tiddley-winds. Three were red and two were black. Using sellotape, from the back, he affixed a tiddley-wink to the forehead of each. Each could see the others but not his own. (However, to make things fair, old Chris had used all three reds. The blacks he put in his pocket). He knew none of the applicants would help another in any way.

'The first one who works out the colour of his own tiddley-wink gets the job', he wheezed.

After about twenty minutes Dick left the room with the correct answer. How had he done it?

An Eastern King had 10 Emirs.

At an annual ceremony each Emir would present the King with 10 gold coins as tribute.

Each gold coin weighed 10 grams.

One day the chief of Royal Security called on the King. 'Your Highness' he said, 'I bear sad news. One of the Emirs has discovered a way to make your gold coins using only 9 grams. The shape and size are perfect, we discovered it only by change. Only the weight is wrong'.

The King was angered. 'Who is the rascal'.

The chief spread his hands. 'Highness - we know not'. 'Leave it to me' said the King. 'I will weight, on my trusty spring-balanced scales, the tribute from each Emir as it is presented; the rascal will go to jail'.

The vizier intervened. 'Sire', he said 'This is not good, to find one bad man you will dishonor nine good ones by showing you do not trust them. They will be saddened'.

The King agreed. 'Never mind', he said, 'Instead I will use my spring-balanced scales but once. It will be enough'. He did, it was. The rascal went to jail.

How did the King do it?

Two cyclists are 40 KM apart. They head towards each other. Each cyclist travels at 20 KM/Hr.

On the nose of one is a bee. At this moment it takes off and flies at 60 KM/Hr, towards the other.

Reaching him the bee touches his nose and heads off back to the other cyclist. After touching his nose the bee returns to the other again.

As the cyclists draw together the bee continues to fly from one to the other. How far will it have flown when the two cyclists meet?

Three friends have a cup of coffee in a restaurant. The waiter charges them SR10 each.

The manager intervenes. 'How much did you charge those guests?'

'30 riyals' said the waiter.

'Too much', said the manger 'Here take them 5 riyals back'.

The waiter wondered how he could split 5 riyals between 3 guests. He decided to give each guest 1 riyal each and pocket the other two.

The guests had originally paid 30 riyals, as each now had paid only 9 riyals..... then the total is 27.

Add the two riyals the waiter pocketed and the total is 29.

What happened to the other riyal?

Three friends have a cup of coffee in a restaurant. At the end, when the bill was presented, the manager made a suggestion.

'We have a box', he said. 'You can either pay for the coffee directly or choose to open the box. If you open the box you must put into it the same amount that you find in it. Then you take 10 riyals out of it. Which way would you like to pay?'

Being of a sporting nature the friends decided on the box. The first opened the box, added money to it, and withdrew 10 riyals.

The second did likewise. So did the third. As he took out his 10 riyals he turned to the manager and said 'you'll have to start again now, the box is empty'.

How much was in the box when the first man opened it?