Guest thaiworthy Posted March 8, 2013 Posted March 8, 2013 Put your puzzles here, if you got any. Here's my first, pretty easy: Hint: Charles Dickens Puzzle: :-) of X's . . . :-( of X's What is the famous quote, and what is the book? Quote
Guest Jovianmoon Posted March 8, 2013 Posted March 8, 2013 "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." First line from A Tale of Two Cities Quote
Guest Jovianmoon Posted March 8, 2013 Posted March 8, 2013 An American POW who speaks perfect German with no accent, escapes from a camp in Germany and manages to acquire clothing resembling that of a local. He walks into a bar and orders a drink. The barman immediately recognises him as a non-German impostor and calls the Gestapo. Why did the barman suspect him as a non-German impostor? [This is so silly you'll kick yourself if you don't get the answer] Quote
kokopelli Posted March 8, 2013 Posted March 8, 2013 I keep kicking myself and still can't get the answer. Quote
Guest thaiworthy Posted March 8, 2013 Posted March 8, 2013 There is a scene in Inglourious Basterds in which an American imposter orders two beers with his forefinger and middle finger. He is not a POW, and I doubt this is the answer JM is looking for. However, his identity is discovered because Germans use the the thumb and finger to indicate the quantity of two, as in ordering two beers. I don't think this is a silly answer, but at least I'm not kicking myself. Quote
kokopelli Posted March 9, 2013 Posted March 9, 2013 Maybe the POW used his index finger to order one drink while a German local might use a different finger? Where's Christian when you need him? Quote
Bob Posted March 9, 2013 Posted March 9, 2013 Commence to kicking as I can't figure it out. Based on the premise, the barman couldn't have recognized an issue with either the clothing or the voice. Hmmm....so it has to be something with the man himself (is he a black man?) or how/what he ordered. You got me. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted March 9, 2013 Posted March 9, 2013 I think Bob may have it - he's African American. Either than or he orders a Mint Julep! There is a scene in Inglourious Basterds . . . I recently saw that on TV and thought Christoph Waltz who plays the Nazi was just amazing. I reckoned he should have walked away with the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, not realising that he did! Quote
kokopelli Posted March 9, 2013 Posted March 9, 2013 Just saw that movie last night; as bad as it can get! Although Waltz was great but too much hammy it up at times. Quote
Rogie Posted March 9, 2013 Posted March 9, 2013 I don't know the answer to the riddle either! Maybe something to do with the clothes the American is wearing? The key word could be 'resembling' so could something have given the game away? Quote
kokopelli Posted March 9, 2013 Posted March 9, 2013 Maybe he was wearing a yellow star on his clothes? Quote
Rogie Posted March 10, 2013 Posted March 10, 2013 The barman immediately recognises him . . . so, maybe the barman had seen him before in the PoW camp? Quote
Guest thaiworthy Posted March 10, 2013 Posted March 10, 2013 I think Bob may have it - he's African American. BOB is African-American?! He's sure passing well. I should have guessed by his athletic body and fine physique. Also, I heard he dances well and is very good at basketball. Who would have guessed? Quote
Bob Posted March 10, 2013 Posted March 10, 2013 BOB is African-American?! Perhaps. I do know that when I return from a trip back to the states with a tan, the beloved points at my arms and starts screaming "chao naa!" (rice farmer!) Guess I need to start using skin-whitening creams. Quote
ChristianPFC Posted March 11, 2013 Posted March 11, 2013 Sorry, no idea. I am not even sure which fingers to use to indicate "2". Wait, what haircut did POW's have? Quote
Guest scottishguy Posted March 11, 2013 Posted March 11, 2013 Based only on my travels to Berlin, could it have been that: 1. It was a naked bar? - or - 2. The POW wasn't blotto drunk at 10am, so they knew he wasn't a german local? Quote
Guest Jovianmoon Posted March 12, 2013 Posted March 12, 2013 ...is he a black man? Yes. Good on you Bob. I told you it was silly - rather than obscure. Some were looking for little clues in the wording. I probably could have worded it better to avoid making it seem possibly obscure. That one I heard around a camp fire during a school hiking trip when I was a teenager. So don't blame me, blame my geography teacher! Quote
Rogie Posted March 12, 2013 Posted March 12, 2013 Well that's official, we can all stop scratching our heads. Really and truly, it could have been many of the things already mentioned, they would have been just as valid. I'm not sure it even counts as a 'puzzle' - surely a puzzle can be worked out logically and has only one possible answer. Good fun anyway, despite my nit-picking! Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted March 12, 2013 Posted March 12, 2013 You are forgetting about lateral thinking, Rogie!! Here's an example. You are driving down the road in your two-seater car on a bad stormy night, when you pass by a bus stop and you see three people waiting for the bus: 1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die. 2. An old friend who once saved your life. 3. The perfect partner you have been dreaming about. Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car? Think before you continue reading. This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once allegedly used as part of a job application for 200 applicants. The obvious answers are - 1. You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first. Or - 2. You could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. But - 3. You may never, ever be able to find your perfect mate again. But what did the successful candidate say he would do? Quote
kokopelli Posted March 12, 2013 Posted March 12, 2013 I would stay with the perfect mate at the bus stop(until the next bus) and let my old friend drive the old lady to the hospital. But in reality would just pretend I didn't see them and drive by. Quote
Guest scottishguy Posted March 12, 2013 Posted March 12, 2013 As you drive by, you could aim for a large puddle and soak the 3 of them. Quote
Rogie Posted March 12, 2013 Posted March 12, 2013 Puzzles are a more interesting and diverse group than I thought, so yes the one FH has set is one of many types of puzzles and it isn't necessary to have just one 'solution', although obviously in some kinds such as jigsaws or crosswords there is only one correct solution. Koko's on the right track, so looking at it from various angles I would prioritise and put the old lady first, perfect mate second and old pal last. It depends on how convoluted you are allowed to be in your answer, so if you just have to say which one you would stop for without explanation it would be rather unsatisfying. If you are allowed to explain the reasoning for your choice that's better. So I'd say stop for the perfect mate and ask her to get in your car, chances are she'd say 'get lost' and you could then enquire after the old lady who might turn out to be quite ok when you take a closer look, finally you can greet your old pal and give him the lift. . Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted March 13, 2013 Posted March 13, 2013 it isn't necessary to have just one 'solution' That's part of their fun - and frustration, because thinking out of the box throws up several scenarios, not always perfectly logical. I'd say stop for the perfect mate and ask her to get in your car Your perfect mate is a WOMAN????? Quote
Rogie Posted March 13, 2013 Posted March 13, 2013 Your perfect mate is a WOMAN????? I'm afraid so! I like the company of men, but not sure I'd ever want one 'for keeps'. A bisexual's lot is not a happy one when it comes to choosing! Five years ago I might have said the opposite; in five years time I may feel that way again. It's fine being bi-sexual if you just want to play around, but if you decide you want to settle down with one particular partner . . . decisions . . . decisions. Quote
