wu :: forums « wu :: forums - mail, locks and keys puzzle » Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register. Nov 25th, 2024, 2:36am

RIDDLES SITE WRITE MATH! Home Help Search Members Login Register

wu :: forums    riddles    what happened (Moderators: Grimbal, william wu, towr, ThudnBlunder, Eigenray, Icarus, SMQ)    mail, locks and keys puzzle « Previous topic | Next topic » Pages: 1  Reply Notify of replies Send Topic Print    Author  Topic: mail, locks and keys puzzle  (Read 500 times) alexb Newbie     Posts: 6 mail, locks and keys puzzle   « on: Oct 30th, 2007, 7:14am » Quote Modify May any one know a (Russian) puzzle that deals with one person having to send valuables to another with a third (vile) person being on lookout to steal the goods. The first person is in possession of boxes, locks and keys while the second has a valid mail address.   I found one relevant discussion at   http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?t=517   The question has been posted at   http://mathforum.org/kb/thread.jspa?threadID=1646767&tstart=105   I got an inquiry by email from a friend.   Thank you Alex Bogomolny http://www.cut-the-knot.org IP Logged towr wu::riddles Moderator Uberpuzzler Some people are average, some are just mean.     Gender: Posts: 13730 Re: mail, locks and keys puzzle   « Reply #1 on: Oct 30th, 2007, 8:06am » Quote Modify I'm not quite sure what you're asking here..     Are you trying to find the particular wording to a puzzle you can't quite remember? If so, the information you give is very little to go on. There are hundreds of puzzles involving sending valuables using boxes, padlocks and keys. And they typically all involve Alice, Bob and Eve. IP Logged Wikipedia, Google, Mathworld, Integer sequence DB alexb Newbie     Posts: 6 Re: mail, locks and keys puzzle   « Reply #2 on: Oct 30th, 2007, 8:17am » Quote Modify Yes, I am asking for possible wording of a puzzle.     I, too, have very little information. And whatever little I have is contained in the two links in my post. Have you followed them?   No doubt, a puzzle admits numerous variations. At one of the links mentioned above it is said that the puzzle has some Russian roots. So it is probably about Ivan, Maria and Moshe, if you excuse a bad joke.   For my present purpose, one sensible variant with a solution would suffice.   Thank you, IP Logged Aurora Junior Member     Gender: Posts: 81 Re: mail, locks and keys puzzle   « Reply #3 on: Oct 30th, 2007, 9:28am » Quote Modify Do you mean the one where one person has to send something in the post in a locked box to avoid someone else opening it on the way, but unless you send the key, the other person does not have the means to open it? IP Logged "In these days, a man who says a thing cannot be done is quite apt to be interrupted by some idiot doing it."- Elbert Green Hubbard alexb Newbie     Posts: 6 Re: mail, locks and keys puzzle   « Reply #4 on: Oct 30th, 2007, 9:40am » Quote Modify Yes, in all likelihood this is what the question is about. IP Logged Aurora Junior Member     Gender: Posts: 81 Re: mail, locks and keys puzzle   « Reply #5 on: Oct 30th, 2007, 9:55am » Quote Modify I googled it quickly and came up with this. It's probably not the most imaginative story, but it does give the puzzle and an acceptable solution. « Last Edit: Oct 30th, 2007, 9:56am by Aurora » IP Logged "In these days, a man who says a thing cannot be done is quite apt to be interrupted by some idiot doing it."- Elbert Green Hubbard alexb Newbie     Posts: 6 Re: mail, locks and keys puzzle   « Reply #6 on: Oct 30th, 2007, 10:07am » Quote Modify Thank you.     This well may serve the purpose of the orginal inquirer. It is simple enough to offer to his students. But there is no vilain who has the power to intercept the mail.   The puzzle has Russian overtones just for that reason. The postal service thet is notoriously unreliable. IP Logged Pages: 1  Reply Notify of replies Send Topic Print Forum Jump: ----------------------------- riddles -----------------------------  - easy   - medium   - hard   - what am i => what happened   - microsoft   - cs   - putnam exam (pure math)   - suggestions, help, and FAQ   - general problem-solving / chatting / whatever ----------------------------- general -----------------------------  - guestbook   - truth   - complex analysis   - wanted   - psychology   - chinese « Previous topic | Next topic »

Powered by YaBB 1 Gold - SP 1.4!
Forum software copyright © 2000-2004 Yet another Bulletin Board