Author |
Topic: The Elevator (Read 1156 times) |
|
Bon BON
Newbie
Gender: 
Posts: 10
|
 |
The Elevator
« on: Jan 19th, 2005, 3:18pm » |
 Quote  Modify
|
There is a man. he lives in the top of a 5 story building. Each day when he goes to work he takes the elevator to the 2nd floor then goes to work. But every day when he comes home from work, he takes the elevator to the 2nd floor, even though it goes all the way to the 5th floor. then he takes the stairs from the 2nd floor to his apartment on the fifth floor. Why?
|
|
 IP Logged |
|
|
|
Noke Lieu
Uberpuzzler
pen... paper... let's go! (and bit of plastic)
Gender:
Posts: 1884
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #1 on: Jan 19th, 2005, 5:54pm » |
Quote Modify
|
maybe he is trying to avoid the paparazzi/keystone cops/lawyers that amass outside the lift door every day.
Or maybe he goes to his mistress every night, leaving his wife at home. They live in a executive apartment, so the lift goes all the way to their living room. And Phylis has had enough of this sort of behaviour and has rigged a pressure sensitive switch linked to some evil contraption, like an anvil perched perilously over the door. Due to the size of the switch and its proximity to the lift door, it'd be really difficult avoid it when starting from the confines of the elevator. Fortunately, this guy is an ex-Olympic long jumper, and enjoys the challenge in the morning of calling the lift, getting the required run up and leaping over the switch, gliding through the just opening doors and landing in the safety of the lift.
Incidently, he gets off on the second floor because he doesn't want to get a beer gut and takes the stairs to help keep him fit. And he tries to use the excuse of walking up the stairs as being the excuse for his out of breathness.
Or his mistress, unknown to the wife, lives on the second floor. Curiously enough, the wife is ALSO having an affair withthe same woman, and she is actually trying to kill her husand so she can run off with the lady on the second floor.
|
|
IP Logged |
a shade of wit and the art of farce.
|
|
|
Icarus
wu::riddles Moderator
Uberpuzzler
Boldly going where even angels fear to tread.
Gender:
Posts: 4863
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #2 on: Jan 19th, 2005, 7:59pm » |
Quote Modify
|
(1) The "General problem-solving / whatever" forum is not intended for puzzles, but rather for other things people want to post. This is why I have moved your puzzle to "Easy".
(2) This is about the 4th or 5th time variants of this puzzle have been posted. I am sure Noke Lieu is familiar with the others and knows the solution, but is experimenting with other possibilities. There are probably many newcomers who may not have come across one of the older threads yet, though. They may enjoy trying to figure it out themselves. Hint: Usually the puzzle also mentions that on rainy days, he rides the elevator all the way to the 5th floor.
(3) He seems rather confused. Why does he get off at the 2nd floor on his way down? The expected solution does not explain this. I thought perhaps you are from a country (such as France) that counts the 2nd floor as the ground floor (1st is basement). But then it says he takes the elevator TO the 2nd floor on his way home. Was this an error in the puzzle, or does this puzzle actually have a different solution than the usual?
|
|
IP Logged |
"Pi goes on and on and on ...
And e is just as cursed.
I wonder: Which is larger
When their digits are reversed? " - Anonymous
|
|
|
rmsgrey
Uberpuzzler
    
Gender:
Posts: 2873
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #3 on: Jan 20th, 2005, 8:31am » |
Quote Modify
|
In response to Icarus' third point:
Maybe ::the elevator has been vandalised sufficiently that no other buttons work::?
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Bon BON
Newbie
Gender:
Posts: 10
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #4 on: Jan 20th, 2005, 4:24pm » |
Quote Modify
|
I was not aware that there were other variants of this puzzle, and from my point ov view, its not easy  , Oh and the guy who wrote a bunch of answers, none of them are correct. not even close. 
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Icarus
wu::riddles Moderator
Uberpuzzler
Boldly going where even angels fear to tread.
Gender:
Posts: 4863
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #5 on: Jan 20th, 2005, 5:07pm » |
Quote Modify
|
As I said, Noke and I (and rmsgrey) are all aware of the real answer, having come across this before. So Noke and rmsgrey are exploring alternatives, rather than trying to come up with your answer. We do this a lot in this forum, so you might as well get used to it.
We could of just blurted out the answer we know, but what is the point? This way, those who haven't seen the problem before can figure it out on their own.
As for how hard the problem is, I placed it in the Easy forum, because solving it is mostly a matter of trial and error. You fish around at random until the right idea hits you. Once it does, it is immediately clear that it is the answer. "Medium" and "Hard" puzzles should offer more of a deductive challenge. Particularly appropriate for them are problems where an educated person has all the "pieces" right at the start, instead of having to search for them, but must put much thought in how to make them fit together to form a solution.
|
|
IP Logged |
"Pi goes on and on and on ...
And e is just as cursed.
I wonder: Which is larger
When their digits are reversed? " - Anonymous
|
|
|
MisatoAeris
Newbie
I'm just a little girl, I can't hurt you...
Gender: 
Posts: 20
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #6 on: Jan 20th, 2005, 6:48pm » |
Quote Modify
|
Bob, the mafia boss, lives on the top floor of a 5 story building. Every morning, he rides the elevator to the 2nd floor, which is where the headquarters are. After he gets there and does roll call, he leaves the rest of the gang knitting mittens and heads to the kitchen. He eats a ton, and because of his new immense weight, breaks through the floor to the level below. He lies there unconcious until the end of the work day, then comes to and rides the elevator back to the 2nd floor to get his briefcase which he left there. He then has to walk all the up the stairs, because the elevator needs a break. In doing so, Bob sweats off all the weight he gained. The cleaning crew fixes the floor.
This happens every day.
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Icarus
wu::riddles Moderator
Uberpuzzler
Boldly going where even angels fear to tread.
Gender:
Posts: 4863
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #7 on: Jan 20th, 2005, 7:16pm » |
Quote Modify
|
The original yo-yo diet. I certainly wish a single trip up 3 flights of stairs was enough to work off that much weight!
By the way, MisatoAeris, some of the most vicious people I've ever met were little girls. I've learned never to turn my back to them!
|
|
IP Logged |
"Pi goes on and on and on ...
And e is just as cursed.
I wonder: Which is larger
When their digits are reversed? " - Anonymous
|
|
|
SWF
Uberpuzzler
Posts: 879
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #8 on: Jan 20th, 2005, 8:05pm » |
Quote Modify
|
Don't problems like this belong in "What Happened?" instead of Easy, Med, or Hard? Here are a couple of the other variations: 1, 2
I do believe this is different from the others in that he goes to the 2nd floor by elevator before and after work. A good answer needs a justification for this.
His job is to keep the carpets clean in the hallways of the apartment building. He has a cart of carpet cleaning supplies in the janitor closet on the 2nd floor- first floor like many buildings has nice hard floors instead of carpet. So he goes to 2nd floor to begin work, and works his way up to the top floor. When finished work he brings the cart back to the storage closet on 2nd floor. He takes the stairs back for the standard reason (hidden): He is a dwarf and cannot reach any elevator button larger than two. Although while working, he can stand on his supply cart to reach any button. I guess he could be a window washer, who climbs to the top of the building over the course of a day.
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Bon BON
Newbie
Gender:
Posts: 10
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #9 on: Jan 21st, 2005, 7:55pm » |
Quote Modify
|
I shal now post the answer if it is wanted to be heard
Code:the man is a midget. he can only reach the 1st and 2nd numbers
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Icarus
wu::riddles Moderator
Uberpuzzler
Boldly going where even angels fear to tread.
Gender:
Posts: 4863
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #10 on: Jan 21st, 2005, 8:27pm » |
Quote Modify
|
If you highlight the hidden portion of SWF's post, you will see that he already gave it. Along with an explanation for why he would get off on the 2nd floor on the way down (he should be able to reach the 1st floor button fine).
|
|
IP Logged |
"Pi goes on and on and on ...
And e is just as cursed.
I wonder: Which is larger
When their digits are reversed? " - Anonymous
|
|
|
SWF
Uberpuzzler
Posts: 879
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #11 on: Jan 23rd, 2005, 5:06pm » |
Quote Modify
|
Bon Bon, if that is your answer why did he go down to the 2nd floor instead of 1st in the morning?
The dwarf explanation does not seem very satisfactory to me. There are equal access laws that would probably ensure that a dwarf would be provided a means to reach the elevator button that he needs.
A more resonable explanation: the man carpools to work with a girlfriend living on the 2nd floor who does not like taking steps (she wears high heels), and drops in before and after work. At the end of the day, he likes to jog up the steps for some exercise. He doesn't take the steps from 5th to 2nd floor in the morning because he doesn't want to break a sweat in the clothes he will be working in all day, or maybe he is sipping his morning cup of coffee and it is too tough to walk down the steps without spilling.
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Topher
Newbie
Posts: 6
|
|
Re: The Elevator
« Reply #12 on: Jun 19th, 2005, 7:11am » |
Quote Modify
|
He is to short to reach the 5th floor button.
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
|
RIDDLES SITE
WRITE MATH!
Home 
Help 
Search 
Members 
Login 
Register
Reply
Notify of replies
Send Topic
Print