[Guest]

I walk South by my compass for a distance of 2 KM. I then walk West (again by my compass) for a distance of 2 KMs. I walk North (as you can guess using the same compass) , a distance of 2 Kms. I hoped to Walk East for a distance of 2 Kms to complete my prescribed 5 mile walk and be home. But I find that I already reached home having walked 6 Kms.

Where do I live?

I am well aware of the threat and I do not live on a boat

[Thalia]

The North Pole.

[robo]

You live some 2.3 km north of South pole.

Go 2 km south, which is 0.3 km north of the pole

Go 2 km west, which will actually means circle around the pole and back to same point

Go 2 km north, which is again 2.3 km north of the pole.

[Guest]

Both Thalia's & robo's logic is correct. I agree with both. It's like the square root, one often forgets the negative result

[robo]

The North Pole.

Its all water at the north pole. And the question says that there is no boat available.

[Molly Mae]

an infinite number of solutions. You could live anywhere >2km north of the south pole where, after approaching the south pole, there is a circle you walk around the south pole whose circumference (in km) can be multiplied by any integer to make 2--in such a way that you end your westerly walk at the exact point you started, thus will your return voyage north lead you directly to where you began.

Edited September 20, 2011 by Molly Mae

[Guest]

good question. it took me while to understand what the question actually meant.

[Guest]

I don't think the North Pole would be correct - going "by the compass" as the riddle specifies would not work very well from there. Rather beginning at magnetic north, following the directions, would get you to the same point. However, compasses do not work at magnetic North, therefore this won't work. In fact, a compass will not work at either magnetic pole, and even if it did both magnetic poles are currently over open water, therefore completing this task on a stable landmass is actually impossible. The only possible solution I can come up with is that perhaps you are stranded on a very large iceberg or something that moves in just the right way to make it possible, which provided the water was cold enough could probably happen in a lot of places.

Edited September 20, 2011 by jpar1983

[Thalia]

Its all water at the north pole. And the question says that there is no boat available.

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3316289.htm

I think this is saying there is still ice there. Not much but it's there. Probably not the ideal place to live. Doesn't solve the compass issue though. . .

He's a scientist living on the ice for short periods of time. I don't see a time restriction in the OP on the definition of living.

Still the compass problem though.

[Guest]

the moon

i think i might have it

[BobbyGo]

You are on a rotating treadmill!

[Guest]

Lost your bearings?

jpar 1983 correctly raises the issue of magnetic N pole. However, the clue does not say "magnetic compass" but just "compass". This could be a GPS-based compass or another form of compass which gives True bearings rather than Magnetic bearings. Further, the clue refers to the cardinal directions with capitals (South, West, East) impying True bearings. So, the first answer, given by Thalia, is correct. You start at the True North Pole, and use a highly accurate compass giving True bearings.

[Guest]

The north pole!