Beau Peep Notice Board

Beau Peep Notice Board => Outpourings => Topic started by: Mince on May 03, 2007, 09:38:10 PM

Title: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 03, 2007, 09:38:10 PM
A man walks one mile south, then one mile east, then one mile north, and ends up where he started. Where did he start?
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tarquin Thunderthighs lll on May 03, 2007, 10:00:24 PM
North Pole.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 03, 2007, 10:10:33 PM
Good. Where else might he have started?
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tarquin Thunderthighs lll on May 03, 2007, 10:22:53 PM
South Pole.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 03, 2007, 10:24:20 PM
No, that won't work.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tarquin Thunderthighs lll on May 03, 2007, 10:45:33 PM
Chipping Sodbury?
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Diane CBPFC on May 03, 2007, 10:47:13 PM
The Bermuda triangle?
 
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 03, 2007, 10:49:11 PM
These, strangely, are less likely.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Roger Kettle on May 03, 2007, 10:59:53 PM
A man walks one mile south, then one mile east, then one mile north, and ends up where he started. Where did he start?
I've no idea. I'm just very proud I've mastered this quoting thing.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: The Peepmaster on May 04, 2007, 12:24:50 AM
Good. Where else might he have started?
Quite right, Tarks. You got the answer. Where else? Well, maybe the North Pole on Mars, Saturn, Venus, Jupiter etc etc...
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 04, 2007, 08:23:05 AM
There are in fact an infinite number of places on Earth where this happens.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tarquin Thunderthighs lll on May 04, 2007, 08:27:55 AM
But not Chipping Sodbury?
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 04, 2007, 08:29:59 AM
No, sadly, that's one of the infinite number of places where this does not happen.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tarquin Thunderthighs lll on May 04, 2007, 10:01:33 AM
Okay, that was my best guess.

Are you going to tell us before Roger comes on and starts quoting everyone again?
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: The Peepmaster on May 04, 2007, 10:06:56 AM
Once he'd finished walking (after the one mile North bit), did he catch a bus back to the starting-point? He'd finished his walking (he was carried off the bus), and there are only certain places this could occur. Places that have bus stops in fact.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tarquin Thunderthighs lll on May 04, 2007, 10:58:51 AM
I may be wrong, but I'd be willing to bet that Chipping Sodbury has bus stops.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tarquin Thunderthighs lll on May 04, 2007, 11:02:25 AM
http://www.cotswoldsaonb.com/bus_timetables/south_bus_result.asp?ServiceID=3 (http://www.cotswoldsaonb.com/bus_timetables/south_bus_result.asp?ServiceID=3)

Indeed it has!
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: The Peepmaster on May 04, 2007, 11:19:22 AM
That Service 41/31 looks quite interesting.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tarquin Thunderthighs lll on May 04, 2007, 11:26:02 AM
I thought so.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: The Peepmaster on May 04, 2007, 11:31:09 AM
The last bus-ride I went on was from Glasgow Airport to Paisley Railway Station. Although the journey took in a splendid view of St Mirren Football Club, I have a feeling that the Service 41/31 at Chipping Sodbury is far more scenic. I may be wrong.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 04, 2007, 01:15:09 PM
Try starting at the equator.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: The Peepmaster on May 04, 2007, 02:06:36 PM
Try starting at the equator.

I just checked. The Service 31/41 doesn't take in the equator.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tarquin Thunderthighs lll on May 04, 2007, 02:29:08 PM
Okay, so he ends up back on the Equator, but he's a mile further away from the point where he started, so I reject that answer on the grounds that it's forced. It's a bit like starting just to the left of Chipping Sodbury then finishing up a mile away to the east of Chipping Sodbury, then claiming you started "near Chipping Sodbury".
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 04, 2007, 02:36:17 PM
I never said it was the right answer. I just said you could try starting there.  ;D

Now try further down south.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 04, 2007, 02:46:30 PM
And try Brisbane while you're down there. It won't work but it'll be a laugh.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tarquin Thunderthighs lll on May 04, 2007, 03:04:24 PM
Okay - very good, Mr Mince. Are we talking about any point on the line of latitude that is one mile north of the South Pole?

Although I'm not sure how you can walk east from the pole? All miles would be north surely? I should be working...
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 04, 2007, 03:10:40 PM
Okay - very good, Mr Mince.

Revenge for Chipping Sodbury.


Quote
Are we talking about any point on the line of latitude that is one mile north of the South Pole? Although I'm not sure how you can walk east from the pole? All miles would be north surely? I should be working...

Yes, there are an infinite number of points on that latitude that work.

There are still an infinite number of other points that work.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Roger Kettle on May 04, 2007, 06:13:02 PM
Try starting at the equator.

I just checked. The Service 31/41 doesn't take in the equator.
I laughed at that, Nige! ( How did I ever manage without quoting?)
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tom on May 04, 2007, 08:14:39 PM
How often would the north and south poles, the equator, the bermuda triangle, Brisbane and Chipping Sodbury be mentioned in the same conversation?

And sorry to go off on a tangent Mince, does anyone know the name of the place where you can free-wheel up hill on a bicycle, but have to pedal hard to go down?

Is the answer to this puzzle anywhere near this place?
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Malc on May 05, 2007, 01:32:42 AM
Is it Electric Brae, Tom? I've been up and down that hill so many times, sometimes with my feet on the pedals, sometimes off.








My god, I've lived.

Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Roger Kettle on May 05, 2007, 10:09:07 AM
Isn't that near The Borders somewhere? I'm sure I've been there.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Tom on May 05, 2007, 11:21:16 AM
I don't know the name of the place... I seem to remember Judith Chalmers demonstrating the odd gravity effect years ago.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Mince on May 05, 2007, 09:47:17 PM
The other places are just slightly further north than "one mile north of south".

The distance around the world is about 26,000 miles at the equator, reducing as you move to the north or south poles, and zero at the poles. There must be a point near the south pole where the distance around the world is one mile exactly. Start one mile north of here. There must also be a place where the distance around the world is half a mile. Start one mile north of here. And so on.
Title: Re: Puzzle II
Post by: Malc on May 05, 2007, 11:11:04 PM
Electric Brae is near Ayr. It's a place I used to frequent when I was courting various burrds.
There's no magic or spooky stuff happening, just an optical illusion caused by the landscape, the hill appears to be going upwards when in fact it's going down.
I've lost count of the number of choobs I've seen testing the effect by letting off their handbrake and freewheeling.

I never have, of course.