Riddles
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A blind beggar had a brother who died. What relation was the blind beggar to the brother who died? (Brother is not the answer)

ANS>The blind beggar was the sister of her brother who died. This puzzle is one of a type that depends on the listener making implicit assumptions about gender - in this case that a blind beggar is a man. Similar puzzles involve surgeons who refuse to operate on their sons etc. This is probably the best of the class because it is very simply stated and yet which has the power to baffle those who have not heard it before.

A man rode into town on Friday. He stayed for three nights and then left on Friday. How come?

The man's horse was called Friday. OK, so this is really a schoolboy riddle but people keep asking it!

Coal,Carrot and scarf
Five pieces of coal, a carrot and a scarf are lying on the lawn. Nobody put them on the lawn but there is a perfectly logical reason why they should be there. What is it?
They were used by children who made a snowman. The snow has now melted.

A man lives on the tenth floor of a building. Every day he takes the elevator to go down to the ground floor to go to work or to go shopping. When he returns he takes the elevator to the seventh floor and walks up the stairs to reach his apartment on the tenth floor. He hates walking so why does he do it?

The man is too short to reach the number 10 button.

An alternative solution: The elevator only runs to the 7th floor. The riddle did not state that he takes the elevator from the 10th floor in the morning, just that he takes the elevator to the ground floor. He walks to the 7th floor each morning to take the elevator to the ground floor also.

Puzzles

Why is it better to have round manhole covers than square ones?
Answer

This is logical rather than lateral, but it is a good puzzle which can be solved by lateral thinking techniques. It is supposedly used by a very well-known software company as an interview question for prospective employees. Solution A square manhole cover can be turned and dropped down the diagonal of the manhole. A round manhole cannot be dropped down the manhole. So for safety and practicality, all manhole covers should be round.

Another answer is also that they can be rolled around to save lifting them.....

If you put a small coin into an empty wine bottle and replace the cork, how would you get the coin out of the bottle without taking out the cork or breaking the bottle?
[hide] Answer
Push the cork into the bottle, and shake out the coin.

The man who sold it did not want it.
The man who bought it did not need it.
The man who used it did not know it.
What is it?
[hide] Answer
A coffin.

Crossing the bridge
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"U2" has a concert that starts in 17 minutes and they must all cross a bridge to get there. All four men begin on the same side of the bridge.You must help them across to the other side. It is night. There is one flashlight. A maximum of two people can cross at one time. Any party who crosses, either 1 or 2 people, must have the flashlight with them. The flashlight must be walked back and forth, it cannot be thrown etc.

Each band member walks at a different speed. A pair must walk together at the rate of the slower man's pace:

Bono:- 1 minute to cross Edge:- 2 minutes to cross Adam:- 5 minutes to cross Larry:-10 minutes to cross

For example: if Bono and Larry walk across first, 10 minutes have elapsed when they get to the other side of the bridge. If Larry then returns with the flashlight, a total of 20 minutes have passed and you have failed the mission.

Note: There is no trick behind this. It is the simple movement of resources in the appropriate order. There are two known answers to this problem. This is based on a question Microsoft gives to all prospective employees.

Note: Microsoft expects you to answer this question in under 5 minutes! There are no tricks to this like meeting halfway or anything. Good luck.
[hide] Answer

One solution is that;

1. Bono & Edge cross = 2 mins (total = 2)
2. Bono goes back = 1 mins (total = 3)
3. Larry & Adam cross = 10 mins (total = 13)
4. Edge goes back = 2 mins (total = 15)
5. Bono & Edge cross = 2 mins (total = 17)

A 2nd version is swapping Bono and Edge.