Help! I Need a logic puzzle in two hours!

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Two moldy oldies, since it's too late (extra points for those who recognize the original D&D appearance of these puzzles):

Complete this sequence to pass through a secret door:

O,T,T,F,F,S,S,E,_

Answer:

Spoiler

N. One, Two, Three, ...

Or,

Five Protocol Droids with blasters stand in a row, each with a number painted on his chest: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. When approached, all speak in unison: "One of us is not like the others. Choose the one, and it will serve you. Choose wrongly, and you will die." (If the players choose the wrong droid, all attack).

Asnwer:

Spoiler

9. The other numbers are primes.

 

[John Cooper]

Five Protocol Droids with blasters stand in a row, each with a number painted on his chest: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. When approached, all speak in unison: "One of us is not like the others. Choose the one, and it will serve you. Choose wrongly, and you will die." (If the players choose the wrong droid, all attack).

Alternate (and equally correct, in my mind) answers:

Spoiler

11, because it's the only 2-digit number.

11, because it's the only number which, when written out, starts with a vowel.

5, because it's the only number which, when written out, doesn't have two or more of the same letter (EE in 3 and 7, NN in 9, EEE in 11.)

3, because it's the only number, which, when written out, doesn't fit the alternating consonant/vowel pattern.

5, because it's the only number that has a single-letter Roman numeral equivalent.

 

[Mark]

Five Protocol Droids with blasters stand in a row, each with a number painted on his chest: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. When approached, all speak in unison: "One of us is not like the others. Choose the one, and it will serve you. Choose wrongly, and you will die." (If the players choose the wrong droid, all attack).

Asnwer:

Spoiler

9. The other numbers are primes.

Alternate (and equally correct, in my mind) answers:

Spoiler

11, because it's the only 2-digit number.

11, because it's the only number which, when written out, starts with a vowel.

5, because it's the only number which, when written out, doesn't have two or more of the same letter (EE in 3 and 7, NN in 9, EEE in 11.)

3, because it's the only number, which, when written out, doesn't fit the alternating consonant/vowel pattern.

And therefore:

Spoiler

7 because it is the only one for which a truly legitimate answer cannot be proffered?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Poor 7. Not even a possible answer!

EDIT:

Mark's got the much better answer to that one ...

 

[Mark]

Poor 7. Not even a possible answer!

EDIT:

Mark's got the much better answer to that one ...

It's funny cause it's true... - Homer Simpson

 

[Storyteller01]

So, Remathallis, how did the game go?

 

[Remathilis]

I used RangerWicket's puzzle...

I did manage to get out of the room before the players caught me B.A. Style...

Thanks all.

 

[RangerWickett]

Victory!

 

[Verequus]

I learned this puzzle when someone on Enworld posted it (forgive me, I've forgotten who).

"Five pirates, of varying rank, come across a treasure chest with a thousand pearls in it...

...the code states that the protocol of the division of treasure is this:

The lowest ranked pirate proposes a plan for dividing the treasure. The other pirates vote on the plan -- if it passes (by at least a 50% vote) the plan goes into effect. If the plan does not pass, whoever suggested the plan is killed, and the next lowest ranked pirate proposes his plan.

Now, assuming all the pirates are very greedy and very smart...

...how many pirates were killed, and of the remaining pirates, how many pearls did each get?"

THis puzzle can easily be converted to a SW setting: marauders and credits...

And what is the answer to this riddle?

 

[ender_wiggin]

No pirates were killed.

The least ranked pirate suggested this, which was accepted by 50% vote (1 and 3 accepted, 2 and 4 vetoed):

5th pirate (the one proposing the plan) gets 997 pearls.

3rd pirate gets 1 pearl.

1st pirate gets 2.

NOTE: you can replace 1st pirate with 2nd pirate and the solution still works

Explanation: Use recursive thinking.

If there's only 1 pirate left, he obviously gets all the money. 1000.

If there's two pirates left, the 1st pirate vetoes whatever the second pirate suggests. So we have 0/1000.

If there's three pirates left, the second pirate *must* accept, or else he dies. Thus, the third pirate will suggest that all the pearls goes to himself. So we have 1000/0/0

If there's four pirates, the third pirate will veto no matter what, knowing he will get all of it if the plan doesn't pass. Thus, he *can't* be bought. The other two, however, *can* be bought with 1 pearl each. Thus, we have 998/0/1/1.

If there's five pirates, the fourth pirate will veto unless you give him more than 998, because that's how many he gets if the fifth's plan doesn't pass. But of course, the fifth pirate knows he can get away with more than that. One and two know they will each get 1 pearl if the plan doesn't pass, so if you give either of them more than 1 pearl, they will accept. Take your pick of 1 and two and bribe w/ two pearls. The third pirate knows he gets *nothing* if the fifth pirate's plan doesn't pass, so he only takes 1 pearl to bribe. Thus, with five pirates the solution is 997/0/1/0/2 OR 997/0/1/2/0.