# Gota Riddle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 1999, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416 "1999-07-16T06:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 1999, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/101 "1999-07-30T22:33:00Z")
Reply to Kat: 1. A wee, wee man in a red, red coat A staff in his hand and a stone in his throat If you answer this riddle, I’ll give you a groat. Answer: A match? Wooden stick, red head, and an abrasive tip. Best fit I could think of today. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 1999, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/102 "1999-07-30T22:44:00Z")
Mojo said - “Think “famous” albatrosses for the answer” Hey Mojo, what answer have you heard to this riddle? Mine doesn’t have anything to do with a famous albatross. Just curious. And I guess the answer isn’t really the important part, either. It’s the story that goes behind it. The person that told it to us was very good at storytelling and we dragged it out for four hours (we were on a long roadtrip)! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 1999, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/103 "1999-07-30T23:07:00Z")
The answer I heard was that this was the very end to _The Rime of the Ancient Mariner._ ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 1999, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/104 "1999-07-31T01:44:00Z")
> [@](#): > > A man is hiking in the mountains and sees a cabin. Without even opening the cabin door, he knows everybody inside is dead. How does he know? That’s the easiest one. We actually managed to come up with the answer without hints (in addition to the questions). Here’s another one: A man was driving down the street. He pulled the car to the side of the road and killed himself. Why? Phobia: nope. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 1999, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/105 "1999-07-31T02:51:00Z")
Okay, Falcon, that was easy. Try this: Write down eleven thousand, eleven hundred, and eleven. This number is not divisible by 7, agreed? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 1999, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/106 "1999-08-01T08:26:00Z")
cabin puzzle… The cabin was an airline cabin from a crashed plane. albatross puzzle The guy had been on a deserted island with a group of people. The ‘cook’ of the group had always fed them albatross soup. When he tasted it in the restaurant, he realized that he hadn’t been eating albatross soup, hed been eating the other people on the island. I don’t know the driving one. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 1999, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/107 "1999-08-02T16:27:00Z")
It seems the answer I heard to the Albatross one was made up. The way I heard it was “a man walks into the restaurant and orders the soup of the day. He takes one bite and kills himself. Why?” You had find out that it was Albatross through Q&A and also find out that he was the guy from R.o.t.A.M. Not that anyone seemed to care but the answer to the Romeo and Juliet one was “the cat”. R & J were goldfish. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/108 "1999-08-03T05:03:00Z")
What did Geronimo say when he jumped out of an airplane? “Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/109 "1999-08-03T03:13:00Z")
Another yes/no question puzzle. A rich and famous man’s wife dies in a skiing accident. The police get a call from a women saying that it was murder. How did she know? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/110 "1999-08-03T03:34:00Z")
> [@](#): > > A rich and famous man’s wife dies in a skiing accident. The police get a call from a women saying that it was murder. How did she know? I don’t think you have this right. If it was a skiing accident, then by definition it wasn’t murder. Murder is intentional, and accidents aren’t! Either the woman on the phone was mistaken, or you stated the riddle incorrectly. Perhaps you mean that it was an _apparent_ accident. If that’s the case, here are a few solutions off the top of my head: 1. “Phone woman” was the murderer. 2. “Phone woman” was a witness to the victim’s death. 3. Someone tampered with the victim’s skis, and “phone woman” saw this happening. 4. After the murder occurred, “phone woman” looked at the ski tracks in the snow, which didn’t match the story told by the only witness, so she assumed that murder was committed. If none of these are right, please explain why. (The yes/no bit is far too cumbersome on a board like this, especially with the thread so long already.) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/111 "1999-08-03T03:38:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Write down eleven thousand, eleven hundred, and eleven. 11,000 + 1,100 + 11 = 12,111 The “trick” wrong answers are 11,111 or sometimes 111,111. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/112 "1999-08-03T04:55:00Z")
1. The suicidal driver riddle: The man was a radio DJ who had put on a long-playing record and left work to kill his wife and her lover. On his way back, he heard the record skipping. 2. The ski murder riddle: The man had bought a round-trip ticket for himself and a one-way ticket for his wife to the ski resort. 3. The man in the red coat: It’s a cherry. His staff is the stem, the stone is the pit. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 1999, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/113 "1999-08-04T05:28:00Z")
Enright3 posted: > [@](#): > > This is one of a series of puzzles where a situation is given and you are supposed to solve the puzzle by only asking yes or now questions. These puzzles are better known as ‘lateral thinking puzzles.’ (And ‘lateral thinking’ that isn’t puzzling seems to be a method of creative thinking and problem solving that can be used in business or other applications.) Here’s a search result on [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) for lateral thinking puzzles. I have a few of the ones by Sloane and they’re quite good. He gives hints if you’re stuck, but I like it when I get to ask yes or no questions to figure them out. Just about all the ones posted here I’ve seen in print. [www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/generic-quicksearch-query/002-2964699-2307060](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/generic-quicksearch-query/002-2964699-2307060) Peace. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/114 "1999-08-03T18:53:00Z")
Tom is asleep in the bedroom. Cleo is lying dead on the living room floor, surrounded by water and broken glass. What’s the whole story? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/115 "1999-08-03T19:36:00Z")
Tom’s a cat. Cleo is a fish. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/116 "1999-08-03T20:00:00Z")
In the 12 coins problem, the following three weighings always provide enough information to determine the counterfeit. (That is if I’ve worked it out right.) 1,2,3,4 vs. 9,10,11,12 1,9,10,11 vs. 5,6,7,12 2,6,9,12 vs. 4,5,8,11 I found that solution on a puzzle site once, but you have to work through a mathematical equation to get the specific solution. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/117 "1999-08-03T20:06:00Z")
Sly said: > [@](#): > > You have a three-gallon drum and a five-gallon drum. Problem is, you need four gallons. You have an endless supply of water. How do you get four gallons? My answer: turn each drum diagonal, on the pivot. So long as each drum is a true cylinder, you can fill each exactly half way by filling to where the water level just touches both point A and point B below. \ **Point A | | | | |**| Point B Pivot \ It’s hard to draw with ASCII art. Anyway, half of 5 + half of 3 = 4. Your Quadell ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/118 "1999-08-03T20:50:00Z")
The “brain puzzler” thread reminded me of one… Given 31 dominos that exactly cover two squares of a checker board. (Checker board is 8 X 8 squares.) If you cut two opposite (diagonal) corners off the board, could you place the 31 dominos on the board so that all squares are covered? ``` _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ``` _|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| |_|_|_|_|_|_|\_| ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/119 "1999-08-03T20:52:00Z")
Awww, crap, my formatting didn’t work out. It looks as though the spaces were removed from the begining of the first two lines of my checkerboard. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 1999, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416/120 "1999-08-03T20:56:00Z")
That albatross riddle makes a hell of a lot more sense now that I know what kind of puzzle it is. The way it was presented before was through an email message. Basically, you were just supposed to figure out the answer right then and there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gota-riddle/2416.md?page=7)