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Questions tagged [puzzle]

For questions about the mathematical principles behind puzzle, games, riddles, or their possible solutions. Questions that are not strictly mathematical in nature should be asked on Puzzling Stack Exchange.

Many puzzles, games, and riddles are based on mathematical concepts. This tag is for questions that ask about the mathematics behind a puzzle, game, or riddle, or about the solutions to mathematical puzzles.

If you already know the answer to the puzzle you are posting, you might consider posting your question on Puzzling Stack Exchange, instead. If you do end up posting your question on Mathematics Stack Exchange (MSE), please read the following meta posts on these kinds of questions before asking your question:

If you do end up posting on MSE, please make it clear in your question that you are "puzzling" the community and that you will be answer the question yourself if no one in the community posts your desired solution.

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What's the name for this math (numbers) trick?

I saw a quite vague math riddle like this - given two numbers a = 78404343 and b = 57, derive the third number c. I think the solution to that might be this: 78404343 + 57 = 78404400 reverse 00440487 440487 + 13 = 440500 reverse 005044 5044 + 56 =…
Andris Zalitis
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Puzzle about a monk walking to his neighbourmonastery

A monk wants to make a journey to the neighbourmonastery where he wants to meditate. So he begins his trip one day at 8 am at his homemonastery per pedes to the neighbourmonastery. He walks with irregular speed, makes here and there a pause of…
SAJW
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Modified sum and product puzzle

I'm aware of the general sum and product puzzle. I got one in a math class, and am wondering if it even has solutions? The teacher gives student A the sum $$s = x + y$$, $B$ the product $$p = xy$$. A says "I know you don't know the sum". B says "I…
Nedas Bolevičius
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Variant of the rope burning logic puzzle

Given a rope which will burn at a varying rate and can be lit multiple times anywhere along its length. Re-lighting is not possible. The question is: is it possible to measure a quarter of an hour given only a single rope? (the reason for this…
Cjen1
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How to verify Knights and Knaves puzzles?

So, I'm working on something involving Knights and Knaves puzzles, and I want them to be randomly generated. I want to make sure that all generated puzzles have only one solution. I don't want multiple solutions to be possible, and I certainly don't…
Robert Johnson
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effective assignment of drivers and fuel carrier

There are 101 men, some of them are drivers and some of them are fuel carrier. each car can carries enough fuel for a single race. How do we maximize the number of race? attempt: let $x$ be the number of drivers, $y$ be number of fuel carriers.…
stopwatchingmesleep
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Two sparrows fly to the point halfway between their nests. In a head/tailwind, one arrives a minute later than the other.

Julia and Heiko are two enthusiastic caching sparrows. Therefore, when a new cache is published nearby, they both leave their nests immediately. The cache hiding place is located exactly on the midpoint of the line joining their two nests. Heiko…
Gerry9999
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Edge cube is colored

If I have a 3x3x3 cube and color it. Then I break it apart into 1x1x1 cubes. If I pick up a cube and see that it has color, what is the probability that it's edge cube. My attempt: Out of 27 1x1x1 cubes, 26 have color. Then there are 8 edge cubes on…
anon
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Calculation permutations unable to solve

Everytime we are trying to solve this expression answer is $48$ or $50$ Can anyone help or guide how to get $49$? Tried as ($1\cdot 5$) then came $5$... Then added $2$ total came as $7$. Multiple by $3$ and multiply by $2$.. Then added $3$ and $5$…
Ruchika
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Mathematical strategy puzzle

There is a train with 'N' cabins, a monkey is present in one of the cabins initially (which is unknown). Your goal is to catch the monkey, given you can open a cabin every minute and monkey would jump to either the immediate left or right cabin in…
dronz3r
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Logic puzzle to continue the sequence of symbols?

I encountered a tough logic puzzle, what does the next sequence look like?
droid192
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Determine the missing number in a grid of numbers

I met this question yesterday while solving an I.Q test. It took me around 1 hour to come up with a solution that I'm not certain is the correct one. Alright, without further ado, here's the puzzle: What is the number that you should put instead of…
Saif Taher
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Where is the logical error in this Math question? when it say where is the remaining 1?

Three person buying something by 30, each pay 10, after a while, the owner making a discount of -5, but he realize that 5/2 is not good, so, he will return 1 for each, and gives the remaining (2) to his child, now: each person paid 9: 3*9 =…
Akam
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Question about a problem in Smullyan's Gödelian Puzzle Book

I'm reading the chapter "Fixed Point Puzzles" and there is a problem titled "An Open Problem" after problem #18. The chapter introduces a machine which operates on strings of upper case letters, which are then processed according to some internal…
user2932481
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Estimating worth of coins by weight.

I was given this riddle that has been bothering my mind for past few hours. Given the following information: the weight of coin types: 1p - 1.62g 2p - 2.11g 5p - 2.57g 10p - 2.49g 20p - 3.21g 50p - 3.91g 100p - 5g 200p - 5.11g 500p -…
JTinkers
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