Poison: Difference between revisions
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Oscarlevin (talk | contribs) Created page with 'A nice number theory puzzle based on one I heard on Car Talk. ==Puzzle== In the secret lab of a mad scientist, you find thirteen vials of liquid. One of the vials contains a d…' |
Got rid of word 'administered'. I don't think you can administer to an object (such as a petri dish) can you? Only to a person, I'd have thought. |
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==Puzzle== | ==Puzzle== | ||
In the secret lab of a mad scientist, you find thirteen vials of liquid. One of the vials contains a deadly poison that will kill you instantly. If you drink all of the other twelve vials, you will gain a pleasant variety of super-powers. Luckily, there are some petri dishes which will, in one hour, determine if any poison has been | In the secret lab of a mad scientist, you find thirteen vials of liquid. One of the vials contains a deadly poison that will kill you instantly. If you drink all of the other twelve vials, you will gain a pleasant variety of super-powers. Luckily, there are some petri dishes which will, in one hour, determine if any poison has been placed in them. Unluckily, there are only four to use, and you only have one hour before the mad scientist returns. How can you determine which of the thirteen vials you should definitely not drink? | ||
==Help== | ==Help== | ||
Revision as of 17:35, 17 October 2010
A nice number theory puzzle based on one I heard on Car Talk.
Puzzle
In the secret lab of a mad scientist, you find thirteen vials of liquid. One of the vials contains a deadly poison that will kill you instantly. If you drink all of the other twelve vials, you will gain a pleasant variety of super-powers. Luckily, there are some petri dishes which will, in one hour, determine if any poison has been placed in them. Unluckily, there are only four to use, and you only have one hour before the mad scientist returns. How can you determine which of the thirteen vials you should definitely not drink?
Help
Hint
You could actually find the poisoned vial even if you have up to sixteen vials total. For seventeen vials, you would need an extra petri dish.
References
Car Talk Puzzler - sometimes automotive, sometimes more math/logic based.