The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[Cec]

Is it just me that couldn't initially see through this ambiguity? Anyone can now post the solution - others don't have to read the solution if you prefer to solve it or ponder over it yourself.

Here's the poser: You have exactly $101 in your pocket. You have just two notes and no change. One of the notes is not a $1 bill. What are they?

To avoid confusion, the currency for a dollar in this poser is a dollar note and not a dollar coin.

Cec

[udosuk]

Easy:

I have 2 $10 notes and a $81 cheque in my pocket.

[Cec]

Easy:

I have 2 $10 notes and a $81 cheque in my pocket.

No, not the answer I'm looking for. My apologies udosuk on behalf of the unknown author in not making the wording of the question clear in that only two notes are in the pocket or any other pockets with no other form of currency such as coins or cheques. At least your attempt makes me feel better because I couldn't initially get the correct answer either. It's interesting because it's not a trick poser.

Cec

[gsf]

so the other note is $1 and the one not $1 is $100

[udosuk]

Yes, gsf's answer is the "model answer"...

I wouldn't consider mine a wrong answer because the question hasn't specified that I have only 2 notes, but no cheques or coins (a cheque isn't considered as "change")... If it has done so I would have to look along gsf's line...

Another way to fix the question is to say "you have exactly $101 of cash in your pocket"...

[Cec]

so the other note is $1 and the one not $1 is $100

gsf's answer is correct. By further explanation, one of the notes is not a $1 bill. That is correct - it is a $100 bill making the solution a simple one of a $1 bill and a $100 bill.

Cec

[Cec]

"......I wouldn't consider mine a wrong answer because the question hasn't specified that I have only 2 notes, but no cheques or coins (a cheque isn't considered as "change")... If it has done so I would have to look along gsf's line...

Another way to fix the question is to say "you have exactly $101 of cash in your pocket"...

Apologies for my late response in not checking for further posts before I posted previously. I was hoping my previous apology for readers who might mis-interpret the wording of the riddle would have sufficed.

I guess it's a matter of opinion but I assumed when reading that part of the question ".....You have just *two notes and no change...." and because you state ".. a cheque isn't considered as "change" then this would exclude having neither a cheque nor change in my pocket.
* Note: bolded just for this post.

As for me, I'm still left not knowing whether I'm the only one who couldn't sus this out after first reading the riddle

Cec

[udosuk]

I guess it's a matter of opinion but I assumed when reading that part of the question ".....You have just *two notes and no change...." and because you state ".. a cheque isn't considered as "change" then this would exclude having neither a cheque nor change in my pocket.

1. To say "You just have *two notes and no change..." just means that you only have 2 notes instead of 3 or 4 or more notes, and you have no coins whatsoever... You could have cheques, wallets, driving licenses, keys, mp3 players or whatever in your pocket (and other pockets)...

2. Because a cheque isn't considered as "change", this would NOT exclude having neither a cheque nor change in your pocket. On the contrary it allows that a cheque to be in your pocket, because it is NOT change. If I had said "a cheque is the same as change" (which is FALSE) then combined with the wording of your riddle it would have been legit to "exclude having neither a cheque nor change in your pocket"...

A good riddle/brain teaser should be strict enough to prevent any logical arguments on pedantry... Like I said if the question had specified "you have exactly $101 of cash in your pocket" then the desired answer would become the uniquely acceptable one, which would make the question valid (in the sense of a sudoku puzzle instead of a pseudoku puzzle)...

[MCC]

...Here's the poser: You have exactly $101 in your pocket. You have just two notes and no change. One of the notes is not a $1 bill. What are they?

To avoid confusion, the currency for a dollar in this poser is a dollar note and not a dollar coin.

Let's jump on the bandwagon here.

I believe the offical answer is the only correct one - "One of the notes is not a $1 bill but the other note is".

There is an implication in the riddle that we're discussing cash.

"One of the notes is not a $1 bill", there is an implication that "notes" means banknotes.

A cheque is not a note.

And, "What are they" implies that the value of the two notes can be worked out from the information given.

If you allow a cheque to be part of the answer then you cannot say what the value of one of the notes is. One of the notes in the riddle is of value $1 but what is the value of the otherone

A cheque is not transferable, so cannot be used to pay a third party, so cannot be considered as cash.

I believe a cheque is valid for 15 months in Australia and thereafter it's worth nothing.

A cheque cannot be guaranteed to payout the amount on it, e.g. the payer goes bankrupt or has not enough in their bank account to cover the amount.


MCC

[Cec]

Now 12. 45am and sorry I looked at the Forum again before going to bed. Will reply tomorrow assuming blood pressure has dropped to safe level

Cec

[Cec]

I was intrigued when I came across this conundrum where the author used this riddle to show how some people can be misled - as I was - by incorrectly assuming that if either of the notes is not a $1 bill then two notes cannot possibly add up to $101. Of course the riddle did not say what I assumed - it said "one of the notes is not a $1 bill. What are they?"

As to udosuk and myself having a different view as to a correct answer, MCC makes a valid point in saying "What are they" implies that the value of the two notes can be worked out from the information given.

To put all this into perspective, it seems to me udosuk that we simply have a different opinion as to the meaning of the expression in the riddle which states "You have just two notes and no change". To me, this implies "You would have two notes and nothing more". By introducing a cheque then I believe this alters the challenge of the riddle as it is worded and which would then have to read "You have just two notes, a cheque and no change".

I respect your right to have a different view to me on this matter and trust a cold glass together will sooth our differences.

Cec

[udosuk]

I wish the question had stated "you have just two notes and nothing more" instead of "you have just two notes and no change", which would have eliminated any ambiguity...

But yes, Cec, I agree it's just a minor thing within the vast grand scheme of life and there is absolutely no need to drill into it anymore...

Good idea about the cold glass together... Come friday night let's have a cold glass "together" in our respective homes while watching AFL preliminary finals... (Hope you're still interested now that no Vic team is left... At least you still have Melborne Storm who is favourite to win the NRL...)

[Cec]

"...But yes, Cec, I agree it's just a minor thing within the vast grand scheme of life and there is absolutely no need to drill into it anymore...

Good idea about the cold glass together... Come friday night let's have a cold glass "together" in our respective homes while watching AFL preliminary finals... (Hope you're still interested now that no Vic team is left... At least you still have Melborne Storm who is favourite to win the NRL...)

Comments much appreciated udosuk. Let's make it 9pm this Friday night to raise our glasses.... could be a long night so "I'll kick off" with a diet-coke so I can still recognize the TV by midnight

With no Victorian team playing I'll probably barrack for the Sydney Swans to beat Freemantle because of the Swans ties to the former South Melbourne Football Club. Sorry, but I still can't get much interest going for the NRL.

Cec

[udosuk]

Thanks for barracking our beloved Swannies... I'm sure it would be a cracker between them and the Dockers... I hope you watched the incredible 1-point Swans-Eagles game 2 weeks ago...

[gsf]

Thanks for barracking our beloved Swannies... I'm sure it would be a cracker between them and the Dockers... I hope you watched the incredible 1-point Swans-Eagles game 2 weeks ago...

twist this sentence around and it reads like an unsolvable sudoku solution