Mind Bender # 5 : Roman Discovery

Around the middle of last century, some archaeologists stumbled across this relic inside the Great Wall that surrounds central Rome.

Try as they might, they were unable to decipher what was written on it – until now.

With modern-day thinking, your challenge is to decide what this relic was used for.

For those with a good knowledge of languages, and the ability to collate and analyse new information quickly … this should take you about 10 seconds.

Otherwise, it could take you up to 10 hours to come up with the solution.

Good luck.

 

 

 

Mind Bender # 4 : Solution

This Mind Bender always draws some good responses – ranging from …

  • Place one bag on the scales at a time, until you discover the lighter one; and
  • Put all bags onto the scales, and remove them one at a time for the result; and
  • Assuming it is a balancing scale: Put five bags on each side, then remove two at a time to find the lighter bag; through to …
  • Simply lift each bag manually to “feel” which bag is lighter, and avoid the need to use the scales at all.
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Mind Bender # 4 : Balancing Act

There’s been some good feedback so far on these Mind Benders – so, let’s see how you go with this one.

You’ll find it has just one solution – which is so elegantly simple.

Anyhow, here’s your next challenge

You have been given 10 bags full of coins – each coin weighing 10 grams.

All the coins look the same, but the coins in one bag actually weigh one gram less than those in the other nine bags.

You have a single set of scales … but are allowed to perform only one weighing. How do you find out which bag contains the lighter coins?

 

 

Mind Bender #3 : Answers

A while ago, several people suggested I needed to “raise the bar” a little. And, judging from responses to date … it seems this Mind Bender may have slowed few of them down.

Here are the Answers …
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Mind Bender # 3 : The Versatile No. 7

A few people suggested the last Mind Bender might have been too easy. So, here’s something to mull on over the weekend.

A large part of your success will come from your ability to combine the familiar aspects of what you deal with, in a completely new and more profitable way.
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Mind Bender #2 : Solution

Thanks for submitting your solutions for the last Mind Bender.

It’s interesting that most people tend to focus upon what is there – rather than what is NOT there – in seeking out a solution. So, it’s good to see that a number of you don’t place such limits on your own thinking.

Some feedback suggested that the words “a” and “the” were missing. And yet, it’s not very difficult to construct a paragraph without them.

However, what is unusual is to have an entire paragraph without ever using the letter “E” – which is the most popular letter in the alphabet.

Anyway, congratulations to those of you who picked it up quickly. And maybe I will have to ‘raise the bar’ going forward.

 

 

Mind Bender # 2 : About December

I promised to help stretch your thinking and encourage you to adopt a different approach to things. So, here’s your next challenge.
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