Puzzles

[Admiral Yi]

Is the reason he was late significant?

[Viking]

Is the reason he was late significant?

Was the man late for work?

No


When a man isn't late for work, but, happens to be absent when he should be at work, what does that imply?

[grumbler]

He broadcasts on the radio at night and carries a gun.  He has a place of work (which could be his house, I suppose - the puzzle doesn't say where he is driving from).  When he isn't broadcasting, no one replaces him.   When no one replaces him, he kills himself, even though he isn't late for work.

Hmmm.  Good puzzle.

[grumbler]

Okay, he maybe left the station when he shouldn't have, running a tape or whatever to cover his absence, and the tape ran out or broke or something.

Still doesn't seem like a suicidal blunder.

[Viking]

Okay, he maybe left the station when he shouldn't have, running a tape or whatever to cover his absence, and the tape ran out or broke or something.

Still doesn't seem like a suicidal blunder.

Yes.

In what circumstance would this be a suicidal blunder?

[grumbler]

Yes.

In what circumstance would this be a suicidal blunder?

He drove home to kill his wife, planning to use the fact that he was on air as his alibi.

[Viking]

Yes.

In what circumstance would this be a suicidal blunder?

He drove home to kill his wife, planning to use the fact that he was on air as his alibi.

We have a winner. When he turned on the radio he realized that he lost his alibi after doing the deed.

Alternative versions of this have him turning on the radio and hearing about some significant dramatic event which mean that his pre-recorded show is obviously pre-recorded.

[grumbler]

Okay, here's one that I enjoyed in the past.

There are three switches downstairs. Each corresponds to one of the three light bulbs in the attic. You can turn the switches on and off and leave them in any position.  How would you identify which switch corresponds to which light bulb, if you are only allowed one trip upstairs?

[Maladict]

Okay, here's one that I enjoyed in the past.

There are three switches downstairs. Each corresponds to one of the three light bulbs in the attic. You can turn the switches on and off and leave them in any position.  How would you identify which switch corresponds to which light bulb, if you are only allowed one trip upstairs?

Switch two on for a while, then switch one off and go upstairs.
One light will be burning, one will still be warm, the other cold.

[grumbler]

Okay, here's one that I enjoyed in the past.

There are three switches downstairs. Each corresponds to one of the three light bulbs in the attic. You can turn the switches on and off and leave them in any position.  How would you identify which switch corresponds to which light bulb, if you are only allowed one trip upstairs?

Switch two on for a while, then switch one off and go upstairs.
One light will be burning, one will still be warm, the other cold.

Yep.  Should have left in the "blind man" part, but that adds trivial complications.

[Admiral Yi]

Nice. :

Addendum to the rules: if you already know the answer (this has nothing to do with you Maladict), and wish to claim the next pitch, give the answer in spoiler.  That will give others who haven't heard it before a chance to work it out for funsies.

[Maladict]

I actually worked that one out all by myself

I've got nothing, open floor.

[Eddie Teach]

Yes.

In what circumstance would this be a suicidal blunder?

He drove home to kill his wife, planning to use the fact that he was on air as his alibi.

We have a winner. When he turned on the radio he realized that he lost his alibi after doing the deed.

Alternative versions of this have him turning on the radio and hearing about some significant dramatic event which mean that his pre-recorded show is obviously pre-recorded.

That's a terrible alibi, unless the cops just don't investigate at all.

[Admiral Yi]

A man works in an office building.  When he goes to work, he enters the lobby and gets on the elevator on the first floor.  Some days he rides the elevator all the way up to the 14th floor where he works.  Other days, he gets off the elevator on the 11th floor and walks up to the 14th floor.  At the end of the day, he always gets on the elevator on the 14th floor and rides it all the way down to the first floor.

Answer, as I might not be available all the time:

[spoiler]He's a midget.  He can't reach the button for the 14th floor.  Now I am going to type in a bunch of filler so that the length of the answer can't be used as a clue.  Four score and seven years ago our forefathers did something or other.  Death to the unions. Lalalalalalalalallalala. [/spoiler]

[frunk]

What's the question?

Assuming that it is "why does he sometimes get off at the 11th floor?" I'd guess that there are some elevators that only go to the 11th floor, so if he ends up on one of those he has to take the stairs the rest of the way up.