Here’s an oldie but goodie. I encountered it when I was a student at Defense Language Institute way back in the early 1980s. I did a quick Internet search and didn’t find it, so let’s have at it!
A man murders a wino on Skid Row and then cuts off the wino’s arms. The man mails each arm to a different address. The man then goes to the train station. Another man sees him, becomes enraged, and kills the first man. Why did the last man become enraged and kill the first man?
p.s. I’m in Beijing, so it might take a bit of time before I affirm or deny responses.
Did the first man know the wino.?
Did the second man know the wino?
Did the second man know the first man?
Just to be clear: Adam murders Bob and sends his arms through the post, then goes to a train station. Charlie gedts angry and kills Adam?
No.
No.
Yes. (Assuming the second man is “Charlie” and the first man is “Adam”.)
Yes.
Remember “Adam” sent “Bob’s” arms to different addresses.
Are Adam and Charlie involved in a criminal conspiracy together?
If so, does Charlie get angry because Adam deviated from the plan?
Were Bob’s fingerprints to be used for some purpose?
If so, was there a reason to send the whole arms rather than just the hands?
Did A go to the train station more than a day later after mailing the wino arms?
Was the train station was one of the addresses?
Did A not properly prepare the wino arms for mailing?
Did C work at the post office where A sent the wino arms?
Did C recognize who the wino arms belonged to?
Was some kind of deception intended?
Did “Adam” send one of “Bob’s” arms to “Charlie’s” address?
[ETA: or both of them to two addresses of “Charlie”'s?
Did the two addresses belong to the same person/business/other group?
Were the addresses those of individual/family residences, and/or businesses, and/or governmental institutions, and/or something else?
Does the word “arms” refer to human limbs, starting at the shoulder, with a hand at the end?
Is there another meaning such as weapons?
I’m going to have to say no for this one.
I guess it’s okay to relax/stretch the yes/no rule on this one.
There was no criminal conspiracy, but yes, Adam deviated from a plan.
No.
Yes, there was a reason to send the whole arm, but no, it has nothing to do with fingerprints.
Yes.
No.
I like the question! But, sadly, the answer is no.
No.
No.
Yes.
Yes.
No.
No.
No.
No.
Yes.
No.
No.
No. (See above about family residences.)
Yes.
Not for this exercise.
(I’m surprised nobody’s prefaced their guesses with On the one hand…and on the other…)
Did C know that it was A who sent the arm?
Did the original plan call for A to send something other than human arms to those addresses?
If so:
Did the aforementioned deviation consist of his sending arms instead?
Did A switch the plan up because he decided that using arms would be more effective than the planned-on item for their purpose?
Or because it would be easier?
Or cheaper?
Yes.
No.
No.
Did C kill A because A sent the arm?
Did C kill A because A killed the wino?
Did C kill A because something about the arm told C that A had killed the wrong person?
Is there a correlation between “arms” as human limbs and as weaponry? (eg, A was requested to send arms to C)
Yes.
No.
No.
No. But that would be funny.
At the time C got angry with A, did he know that A had killed the wino?
At the time that C got angry with A, did he know that A had mailed the arms?
Was the motive for the original murder (of the wino) relevant?
Was the choice of target for the original murder relevant (as opposed to a wino being a convenient and easy target)?
Was C expecting to get one of A’s arms?
Did A send C the wrong arm ?
Was C expecting to get an arm with a Rolex attached ?
Did C kill A because A sent the other arm to the wrong address ?
No.
Yes. C knew A had mailed one arm to C.
Yes. (Honestly, I had to think on this for a while. When I asked that question ages ago, the poser said no, but I am convinced it’s yes.)
Yes, relevant and yes, easy, convenient target.
Yes.
I assume you are asking if A sent a left arm when he should have sent a right arm.
No.
No. Anyway, who mails a Rolex?
No.