[Guest]

Two roommates go out for a night on the town but drive separately to the nightclub. At the end of the evening, only one of them is sober. The night club does not allow overnight parking and there is no street parking, so they have to get both cars back to their apartment which, fortunately, is only a three block drive.

The tipsy one suggests that his roommate drive one car one block, leave it and walk back and get the other car. Then he would drive two blocks and leave it and walk back to the first car. He would then drive the car all the way to the apartment and walk back to the second car and bring it home as well. This seems to be the best plan, until the roommate who is sober realizes that there is a way that would only result in 1/3 the total amount of walking. How is this possible?

[Wilson]

I'm not to sure about the term "blocks", so maybe this will be total BS.

Is it a kinda circular route, and if they go the other way around then they are only one block from home?

[tiger_lily111]

all the way home, then walk the 3 blocks back to the bar.

Edited January 14, 2011 by tiger_lily111

[dark_magician_92]

cant think of a better plan than the one u mention, though there is one which assures same amt of walking, may be got to think out of the box

[dark_magician_92]

all the way home, then walk the 3 blocks back to the bar.

but wont that make them to walk 3 blocks, just as much as given in question, or may be i just misunderstood u

[Guest]

but wont that make them to walk 3 blocks, just as much as given in question, or may be i just misunderstood u

No, I think you are right dark_magician_92, I thought so too. In fact I would say that the solution given in the question is more practical because, although probably taking slightly longer the sober man would have a chance to rest in the car between walking.

The thing I see as critical to solving this is whether this is a logic puzzle or a lateral thinking puzzle, because if it is a lateral thinking puzzle I have several possible answers already and could probably come up with many more, if it is a logic puzzle I am, for the moment, stumped.

Edited January 15, 2011 by Segul

[Guest]

Tow the second car?

[Guest]

there is a way, which reduces the distance to only 1 block (such as taking a right instead of 3 lefts)?

Or was it walking only 1/3 of the total distance traveled (as they are planning already)?