In this assignment we were tasked with solving these riddles, in a group if need be. After finishing these, I realized that the process of solving such riddles activates our creativity, although the solutions could be strictly logical.
- Here’s the first one: A man is replacing a wheel on his car, when he accidentally drops the four nuts used to hold the wheel on the car. They fall into a deep drain, irretrievably lost. A passing girl offers him a solution that enables him to drive home. What is it?
At first the solution did not immediately present itself to me. I first thought that it was a trick question and it’s really more of a flintstones car, so the solution she offers is that he simply has to use his legs. However, if I were to implement a more logical approach, it would be to utilize something he already has in his possession. Namely, the other nuts on the other three wheels. If he were to take one from each wheel, and put it on the last one, he could at least drive home safely.
- Two Russians walk down a street in Moscow. One Russian is the father of the other Russian’s son. How are they related?
This one was fairly obvious as they are husband and wife. This would make one of them the father of the other’s son.
- What occurs once in June, once in July and twice in August?
Evidently, the letter U.
- Six drinking glasses stand in a row, with the first three full of water and the next three empty. By handling and moving only one glass at a time, how can you arrange the six glasses so that no full glass stands next to another full glass, and no empty glass stands next to another empty glass? What is the minimum number of moves to solve this puzzle?
«Now this one was more tricky» I thought, so I drew the glasses. but when I did it became fairly obvious. If youtake the second full glass, and empty it into the second empty glass and put the now empty glass back. That would total 1 move, as you only move that one glass.
This task might seem fairly banal, but it got me thinking about what creativity really is. I initially thought creativity is related to actually physically creating things like art or devices and so forth. Put it is really connencted to problem solving in and of itself, is my conclusion at least.
Love
Aslaug
