Anyone for Logic?

[The Peepmaster]

You do have a lighter to light the rope though.

Okay - you use one of these: http://www.alibaba.com/member/mesolam.html/viewimg/photo/10797218/Hess_Lighter_Watch.jpg.html

[Jack]

You have to somehow break the time down into quarters, so... half then half again, so...

I'm typing this as I'm thinking it, so there's a high probability that by the end of this message, none of it will have made sense. But frankly I'm not awake enough this evening to get it clear in my mind.

You can get half an hour from one rope by lighting both ends of the rope. This way, even if the rope isn't uniform and the two fires don't meet in the exact middle, they'll still meet once half of an hour has passed.

Presumably you can then use the second rope... Yes, if you light one end of the second rope at the same time as you light both ends of the first, then after half an hour the first rope has burnt out and you'll still have 30 minutes of burning left on the second rope. But if you then light the other end of the second rope, it will burn in half the time again, 15 minutes. Which I believe is a total of 45 minutes.

Heck, with the muddle my brain is in right now, it'll probably be easier if I just go out, buy some rope and film the solution for youtube, rather than try to explain it coherently.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

Lord Almighty - I'm just relieved I don't have a piece of rope beside me now.

[Roger Kettle]

 

[Bilthehut]

  Excellent, Jack.  Well done and a perfect explanation.

[Diamond Lil]

You do have a lighter to light the rope though.

Okay - you use one of these: http://www.alibaba.com/member/mesolam.html/viewimg/photo/10797218/Hess_Lighter_Watch.jpg.html

  ...my kind of logic, Peeps

[Bilthehut]

An oldie but still good:

What goes up a pipe down, but doesn't go down a pipe up?

[Diamond Lil]

Mary Poppins' umbrella?

[Bilthehut]

Half right, Lil.  I suspect that Mary Poppins' umbrella could go down the pipe up, considering what she can get in her bag.  Mere mortals' umbrellas obviously cannot go down the pipe up.  This is only correct for drainpipes and other small bore pipes.

[The Peepmaster]

Hey Bilgepump - don't you think it would be more convenient to have a watch on your wrist, rather than carrying two ropes and a fag-lighter? Some places wouldn't take too kindly to having you light the ropes on their premises either, due to safety issues.

[The Peepmaster]

An oldie but still good:

What goes up a pipe down, but doesn't go down a pipe up?

A pervy cat-burglar's trousers?

[Bilthehut]

An oldie but still good:

What goes up a pipe down, but doesn't go down a pipe up?

A pervy cat-burglar's trousers?

[Bilthehut]

Hey Bilgepump - don't you think it would be more convenient to have a watch on your wrist, rather than carrying two ropes and a fag-lighter? Some places wouldn't take too kindly to having you light the ropes on their premises either, due to safety issues.

Personally, I prefer the aesthetics of a sundial wrist time-piece.  one shouldn't be seen outside in sunny weather without one.  it's sooo retro.

[Malc]

I prefer the aesthetics of a sundial wrist time-piece

I have a luminous one so I can tell the time at night.