Richard Wiseman

It’s the Friday Puzzle!

Richard Wiseman — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:00:31 +0000

A nice easy one this week….

A bottle and a cork together cost $1.10. The bottle costs $1.00 more than the cork. How much does the cork cost?

As ever, please do NOT post your answers, but do say if you think you have solved the puzzle and how long it took. Solution on Monday.

I have produced an ebook containing 101 of the previous Friday Puzzles! It is called PUZZLED and is available for the Kindle (UK here and USA here) and on the iBookstore (UK here in the USA here). You can try 101 of the puzzles for free here.

Is this the correct solution?

Richard Wiseman — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:00:39 +0000

Many moons ago I put out this little illusion video…..

The other day I was delighted to see that this group had made a lovely video containing a possible solution…..

Do you think they have nailed it?

Amazing shadow art

Richard Wiseman — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:00:23 +0000

@jbrownridge brought my attention to some wonderful shadow art….

Enjoy lots more shadow art here.

Yet another rude illusion….

Richard Wiseman — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:00:48 +0000

Lots and lots and lots of people have sent me this…..

How long did it take you to spot it and work it out?

Answer to the Friday Puzzle…..

Richard Wiseman — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:30:43 +0000

My claim is that the word “footstool” is a palindrome (a word that reads the same backwards and forwards). In what way am I right?

If you have not tried to solve it, have a go now. For everyone else, the answer is after the break.

The solution is that ‘footstool’ is a palindrome ….. in morse code. Did you solve it?

It’s the Friday Puzzle

Richard Wiseman — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:00:42 +0000

My claim is that the word “footstool” is a palindrome (a word that reads the same backwards and forwards). In what way am I right?

As ever, please do NOT post your answers, but do say if you think you have solved the puzzle and how long it took. Solution on Monday.

Being in the right place at the right time….

Richard Wiseman — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:00:25 +0000

Here are two lovely illusions that only work when you are in exactly the right place. First, there is the impossible vase….

and @jbrownridge brought my attention to this great sculpture…

Which do you prefer?

Women and children first?

Richard Wiseman — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:00:01 +0000

Time for a poll. The sinking of the Costa Concordia has made me wonder whether the old adage of ‘women and children first’ still applies. So, if you are a guy, imagine that you were on the ship. It is sinking and there are a limited number of lifeboats. You are not with your partner or children. Would you follow the ‘women and children first’ rule? Be honest – it is all anonymous! Vote now….

Take Our Poll

If you are female, how do you think men will vote? Indicate your answer in the poll below….

Take Our Poll

Two new illusions

Richard Wiseman — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:00:29 +0000

mpbrown sent me this great flat carpet from a Parisian games store…

and Martin D brought my attention this one….

Which is your favourite?

Answer to the Friday Puzzle….

Richard Wiseman — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:00:05 +0000

On Friday I posted this puzzle…..

Imagine there is a country with a lot of people. These people do not die, the people consists of monogamous families only, and there is no limit to the maximum amount of children each family can have. With every birth there is a 50% chance its a boy and a 50% chance it is a girl. Every family wants to have one son: they get children until they give birth to a son, then they stop having children. This means that every family eventually has one father, one mother, one son and a variable number of daughters. What percent of the children in that country are male?

If you have not tried to solve it, have a go now. For everyone else the answer is after the break.

I have a funny feeling this is going to cause some debate! So…..what did you think?