clever Timmy

[BMAD]

Little Timmy weighs less than 60 lbs. He is the smallest sixth grader at his middle school, possibly the smallest sixth grader period. One day, on spring break, he went to the local beach. Shy, Timmy was resolute to sitting by himself, minding his own business on a sand dune. Unfortunately, being small and alone makes you the perfect target for bullies. Spotted, James the jerk and his troop descend on Timmy. Caught unprepared, Timmy had no where to disappear to. The bully set in calling Timmy names and taunting him. Tired of the taunts, Timmy posed a challenge to James. He told James that if he could lift James further away from the ground than what James could lift Timmy then James and his friends would have to leave him alone for a year. Naturally James, the biggest sixth grader at his school, possibly the biggest sixth grader ever agreed to the deal.

Tim won the challenge. What happened?

Edited February 22, 2013 by BMAD

[BMAD]

There are two reasonable and acceptable answers.

[BMAD]

one possible answer is an old Encyclopedia Brown Retelling

[bonanova]

Let's say James goes first and lifts Timmy 3 feet from the ground.

Then Timmy says come to my house I want to show you something.

They go upstairs to Timmy's room and Timmy lifts James 1 inch off the floor.

Because the floor of Timmy's room is 10 feet above the ground, Timmy

lifted James further from the ground and wins the bet.

[BMAD]

Let's say James goes first and lifts Timmy 3 feet from the ground.

Then Timmy says come to my house I want to show you something.

They go upstairs to Timmy's room and Timmy lifts James 1 inch off the floor.

Because the floor of Timmy's room is 10 feet above the ground, Timmy

lifted James further from the ground and wins the bet.

Excellent, now instead of using his house as an example use the context of their location.

**any ideas of the second way of answering the question?

Edited March 1, 2013 by BMAD

[Molly Mae]

Timmy lifts James, then jumps in a hole that he dug.

Incidentally, knowing people like James, Timmy's probably literally digging himself into a hole. James likely wouldn't honour the bargain and Timmy would find himself in a worse situation than before. The bullying becomes more frequent and more violent.

Depression.

Helplessness.

Despair.

This is the life Timmy has to look forward to when high school happens. Timmy develops a sense of humour to try to cope, but everywhere he turns, there's another James there waiting to stuff him in a locker or knock his books down.

"I never should have been clever," Timmy tells himself aloud. After developing irreparable mental health problems, talking to himself is one of many actions that keep others from approaching or befriending him.

[vistaptb]

he could just lift James 1 inch off the ground and run into the ocean. Since he started on a sand dune, he'll win the bet easily.

[BMAD]

he could just lift James 1 inch off the ground and run into the ocean. Since he started on a sand dune, he'll win the bet easily.

This is 1 answer. Now can we find the other?

[Prime]

James must lift first. Thereafter, Timmy must move the contest into the water. If James was not all that strong and could not lift 60 lb over his head, Timmy could win the contest at a shoulder deep place. Otherwise, going into deeper waters and diving would be involved. Questionable.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Prime

[BMAD]

James must lift first. Thereafter, Timmy must move the contest into the water. If James was not all that strong and could not lift 60 lb over his head, Timmy could win the contest at a shoulder deep place. Otherwise, going into deeper waters and diving would be involved. Questionable.

essentially the same logic as vistaptb. Still one more unique solution available.

[phaze]

Timmy lifts James and then spends rest of life avoiding him (It shouldn't be too much of an ask as Timmy has plenty of practice)

[superprismatic]

use machines which give Timmy a mechanical advantage such as a block and tackle, a lever, a ramp, etc. Timmy could use one of these.

[BMAD]

use machines which give Timmy a mechanical advantage such as a block and tackle, a lever, a ramp, etc. Timmy could use one of these.

LOL

No, the second option is rather realistic, logical, and actually stated in the OP

[superprismatic]

use machines which give Timmy a mechanical advantage such as a block and tackle, a lever, a ramp, etc. Timmy could use one of these.

LOL

No, the second option is rather realistic, logical, and actually stated in the OP

A lever is stated in the OP?

[BMAD]

no, the hint at the answer for the second solution.

use machines which give Timmy a mechanical advantage such as a block and tackle, a lever, a ramp, etc. Timmy could use one of these.

LOL

No, the second option is rather realistic, logical, and actually stated in the OP

A lever is stated in the OP?

[plasmid]

If you consider sand to be ground, then Timmy could lift James any distance. Then when it's James' turn to lift Timmy, he grabs a couple of handfulls of sand and holds onto them when James lifts him. Timmy will be in contact with the ground the entire time.

[BMAD]

If you consider sand to be ground, then Timmy could lift James any distance. Then when it's James' turn to lift Timmy, he grabs a couple of handfulls of sand and holds onto them when James lifts him. Timmy will be in contact with the ground the entire time.

I love this answer! I need to write the writers of encyclopedia brown. Looks like there are three answers out there.

[Tmsteck]

Here is one that might work, but is a bit flawed

If Timmy lifted James off the ground 1 inch, Timmy could bury his torso in the sand, and make James lift him up from the ground. If James could not lift Timmy from the sand, Timmy would win. Another way to win would for Timmy to kick James and make him drop him, but that would most likely backfire.

[BMAD]

Consider the 'timing' of everything

[dms172]

he waits for the tide to come in.

[TimeSpaceLightForce]

he waits for the tide to come in.

I get your idea, low ground for low tide if the ground level is 0 at sea level

[Krishna Kutty]

WHAT IF JAMES WAS JUST SIMPLY VERY TALL, BUT WEIGHED LESS THAN 60 lbs?

Oh my god, is that even possible? .

[wolfgang]

James was standing on a Quicksand?

Quicksand forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it creates liquefied soil that loses strength and cannot support weight.
So if he try to lift timmy,they both will sink down, may be under the ground level!!

Edited March 12, 2013 by wolfgang

[BMAD]

very clever answers but not what i am looking for

WHAT IF JAMES WAS JUST SIMPLY VERY TALL, BUT WEIGHED LESS THAN 60 lbs?

Oh my god, is that even possible? .

James was standing on a Quicksand?

Quicksand forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it creates liquefied soil that loses strength and cannot support weight.
So if he try to lift timmy,they both will sink down, may be under the ground level!!

[BMAD]

Timmy is much older and thus more physically mature than James.

The key phrase, "one day" means sometime in the future but since we do not know how far in the future 'one day' is, it is perfectly plausible to assume that 'one day' occurred many years later and thus Timmy is now a young college student sitting by himself on a dune when three butt head 8th graders come over to bother him.

Edited March 12, 2013 by BMAD

[BMAD]

Answers

Timmy is much older and thus more physically mature than James.

The key phrase, "one day" means sometime in the future but since we do not know how far in the future 'one day' is, it is perfectly plausible to assume that 'one day' occurred many years later and thus Timmy is now a young college student sitting by himself on a dune when three butt head 8th graders come over to bother him.

he could just lift James 1 inch off the ground and run into the ocean. Since he started on a sand dune, he'll win the bet easily.