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Mon 1 Dec, 2003 07:36 pm
After discovering it was the third switch which controlled the light (wasn't it just so obvious), you see a forest person carrying a sign which reads, "The Time has Come!"
"What time?" you ask.
"The time to tell you about the String Problem," he answers and then starts to shout, "45! 45! 45!"
You reply, "Caliber?"
"No... Minutes! You need 45 minutes! and all we have are these two strings!"
You have 2 long strings which burn at random rates at different positions on their length. Though they are not identical, they do burn exactly 1 hour each. A string might burn 99% of it's length in 1 minute, then take 59 minutes to burn the rest of the way.
You have no way of telling time; clock, watch, sunset, etc. but need to measure 45 minutes.
Using these string and a lighter, how can you measure 45 minutes?
Set both ends of one on fire and one of the other. When the one with both ends on fire burns up light the other end of the remaining rope.
When it has finished burning 45 minutes will have elapsed.
As to the switch, are you talking about a riddle where the switches are in a nother room?
its the one with three switches on the outside and one light in the inside, but everyone knows that one =P
good answer!
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