As I was going to Saint Ives,
I crossed the path of seven wives.
Every wife had seven sacks,
Every sack had seven cats,
Every cat had seven kittens,
Kittens, cats, sacks, wives,
How many were going to Saint Ives?
Spoiler for And the winner is...
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Guest Message by DevFuse
Best Answer unreality , 12 September 2007 - 02:36 AM
It is 1
you are PASSING those ppl.. you are the ONLY person going from X to St Ives, they are going from St Ives to X
this is an old one... saw it in the Moscow Puzzles, i think, a while ago (i love that book)
Go to the full post 
48 replies to this topic
#31
Sky
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Posted 27 May 2008 - 11:51 PM
#32
JohnSantaFe
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Posted 29 May 2008 - 11:30 PM
As with many puzzles like this there is not enough information.
The important point is the wording about crossing of paths as Sky points out in his comment:
You can't cross paths if you're going in the same direction as the others, you may only overtake them or they overtake you.
However I disagree with Sky. I could easily use the phrase "I crossed paths with Joe at the airport and we both flew to St. Ives."
Just because you "crossed paths" doesn't mean you aren't both going to the same place.
The term "crossed paths" is slang and not rigid enough to provide adequate information.
The important point is the wording about crossing of paths as Sky points out in his comment:
You can't cross paths if you're going in the same direction as the others, you may only overtake them or they overtake you.
However I disagree with Sky. I could easily use the phrase "I crossed paths with Joe at the airport and we both flew to St. Ives."
Just because you "crossed paths" doesn't mean you aren't both going to the same place.
The term "crossed paths" is slang and not rigid enough to provide adequate information.
#33
Lost in space
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Posted 29 May 2008 - 11:49 PM
Does that mean you tarried a while - crossed is crossed and met is met (our paths met - the original is met not crossed which is even more ambiguous), or our paths are one the same?As with many puzzles like this there is not enough information.
The important point is the wording about crossing of paths as Sky points out in his comment:
You can't cross paths if you're going in the same direction as the others, you may only overtake them or they overtake you.
However I disagree with Sky. I could easily use the phrase "I crossed paths with Joe at the airport and we both flew to St. Ives."
Just because you "crossed paths" doesn't mean you aren't both going to the same place.
The term "crossed paths" is slang and not rigid enough to provide adequate information.
Any way could have crossed/met, just using a different route to arrive at the same place or ending up going the same way
Like many old riddles that are well known, it's ambiguity is key and we all know the generally accepted answer! which is April 1st
#34
Sky
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Posted 29 May 2008 - 11:58 PM
As with many puzzles like this there is not enough information.
The important point is the wording about crossing of paths as Sky points out in his comment:
You can't cross paths if you're going in the same direction as the others, you may only overtake them or they overtake you.
However I disagree with Sky. I could easily use the phrase "I crossed paths with Joe at the airport and we both flew to St. Ives."
Just because you "crossed paths" doesn't mean you aren't both going to the same place.
The term "crossed paths" is slang and not rigid enough to provide adequate information.
That does make sense, but as LIS said as well, it's an old riddle, yes? The terminology used must then be given some slack either way. I was just trying to attempt to make it clearer for those who challenged the generally accepted answer.
(Edit: Wow that is wordy 
)
Edited by Sky, 29 May 2008 - 11:59 PM.
#35
emsone77566
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Posted 30 June 2008 - 02:16 PM
As I was going to Saint Ives,
I crossed the path of seven wives.
Every wife had seven sacks,
Every sack had seven cats,
Every cat had seven kittens,
Kittens, cats, sacks, wives,
How many were going to Saint Ives?
2501
#36
myers0810
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Posted 19 September 2008 - 07:28 PM
actually the answer to the question that was asked:
"Kittens, cats, sacks, wives,
How many were going to Saint Ives? "
Is 0. You crossed their path. In order to cross a path you you have to CROSS a path meaning:
The ladies were going maybe east to west and you were going north to south.
The questions was not:
Including yourself Kittens, cats, sacks, wives,
How many were going to Saint Ives?
So the answer is 0 because none of the Kittens, cats, sacks, wives were going to St. Ives.
"Kittens, cats, sacks, wives,
How many were going to Saint Ives? "
Is 0. You crossed their path. In order to cross a path you you have to CROSS a path meaning:
The ladies were going maybe east to west and you were going north to south.
The questions was not:
Including yourself Kittens, cats, sacks, wives,
How many were going to Saint Ives?
So the answer is 0 because none of the Kittens, cats, sacks, wives were going to St. Ives.
#39
tbar
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Posted 24 September 2010 - 01:17 AM
Spoiler for St Ives
Spoiler for St Ives
#40
Asitaka
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Posted 29 October 2010 - 04:34 AM
I like the answer '0' simply because of the final phrase 'Kittens, sacks and wives, how many were going to saint ives'
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