[Guest]

Beginning a small series of lateral thinking puzzles, gathered from various sources. A lateral thinking puzzle would generally require you to ask various questions before arriving at a solution.

Here is first in the series:

Jack and Jill were on a journey to a far away land. In the middle of their journey, they faced a problem that could prove fatal. There was nothing they could do to alleviate the problem with available resources. Though they worked tirelessly to prevent the problem from aggravating further. After two days, the problem ceased to bother them. Explain.

[benjer3]

Maybe something clogged the leak as the water poured in....

[Guest]

Jack and Jill common english people names.

After two days, the problem ceased to bother them ( its taking more than 2days for them to travel so this incident might have taken place when there were no cars available).

journey to a far away land (supposing they are not having cars they must posses horse for such long journey)

The one thing which we cannot alleviate with resources is health it has to be done automatically.

so I think the horse might have gone sick and was unable to move at regular pace and chances of it dying.

horse dying in the middle of long journey is definitely fatal.

they worked together hard in sharing the excess load which they removed on horse to ease it

[Guest]

think different

[Guest]

I must say this is the most logical sequence of questions. Answers inline.

I would like a clarification on if the boat was leaking or not so, was the boat leaking during the two days they faced the problem?

Yes

Was it leaking after the 2 days?

No

Were they in a sailboat?

Not a sailboat, an ordinary dingy one might say.

Was there a lack of wind during the 2 days?

No

Was there a lack of wind right after the 2 days?

No

Edit: typo

Edited May 1, 2011 by KlueMaster

[Guest]

Thank you.

Was the leak fixed?

Did the dinghy sink?

Were they helped by other people?

Was the dinghy taken aboard another boat?

Where they on another boat after the two days?

[Guest]

Thank you.

Was the leak fixed?

Answering this one would kill the puzzle. Still, they didn't have anything to fix the leak with.

Did the dinghy sink?

No

Were they helped by other people?

No

Was the dinghy taken aboard another boat?

No

Where they on another boat after the two days?

No

[Guest]

Now, if you focus on why dingy didn't sink, and why it took 2 days; you will solve the puzzle.

[Guest]

Did barnacles cover the leak?

Did some other sea creature cover the leak?

Did salt crystals form and grow within the leak, eventually plugging it?

[Guest]

No to all three questions. Think inside out.

[Guest]

Was the leak in the hull?

Was the boat upside down after the 2 days?

Was the leak somehow filled/plugged/covered?

After 2 days, was the leak above the water line, so no water would leak though?

[Guest]

Was the leak in the hull?

Yes

Was the boat upside down after the 2 days?

No

Was the leak somehow filled/plugged/covered?

Yes. You've to figure out how.

After 2 days, was the leak above the water line, so no water would leak though?

No, leak was filled.

[Guest]

Did electrolytic reaction or electroplating fill the leak?

Does it matter what material the boat was made of?

Did some sort of chemical reaction fill the leak?

[Guest]

Yes, the material matters. The dingy was made of wooden planks.

[Guest]

The water-logged planks expanded to plug the hole after two days of sun.

[Guest]

The water-logged planks expanded to plug the hole after two days of sun.

Bingo!

[Guest]

the problem ceased to bother them because they it was fatal i.e. killed them...dead people don't feel pain

Edited May 3, 2011 by HA!!