Dark Room

[Guest]

You are in a dark room and want to see what is inside it. With you are a match, a candle, and a kerosene lamp. Which do you light first?

Answer: the match

[Guest]

This is incorrect. I know it's an old riddle, but using modern vernacular your answer doesn't make sense. To light (verb) means to ignite (verb). In order to light something you need a source of ignition. You don't light the match, you strike the match in order to gain ignition. Then you light either the candle or the lantern with the match.

[Guest]

This is incorrect. I know it's an old riddle, but using modern vernacular your answer doesn't make sense.

Sure it does. The phrase "light a match" is pretty common in the vernacular where I'm from. One of my favorite movie quotes: And Charlie, light a match!

To light (verb) means to ignite (verb).

Right, you set the match on fire by striking it (ignition). You light (ignite) the match.

[Guest]

I know it's common usage, but I still think it's incorrect - kind of like using "ain't" or any of the other hundreds of misused words in english. The verb "to light" doesn't mean "to bring to flame" it means "to bring a flame to." There must be a pre-existant source of fire for you to "light" something. A chemical reaction isn't "lighting" something, or it would work in the context of setting off C4 or any other chemical reaction. I think, properly, you "strike" a match. I think the confusion comes from a match being the source of "lighting" so many things that people just misapply the term.

[Guest]

I know it's common usage, but I still think it's incorrect - kind of like using "ain't" or...

But your argument was that the OP's answer was incorrect because it didn't follow common usage. It does. That's all that really matters when it comes to the riddle's answer making sense.

You said: To light (verb) means to ignite (verb).

Is striking a match to ignite it not lighting it?

A chemical reaction isn't "lighting" something, or it would work in the context of setting off C4 or any other chemical reaction.

Oh, come on now. No one said all chemical reactions equals lighting something. "Striking a match to the point where sufficient heat created by friction has caused the match head to ignite" is called lighting a match. Sheesh.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary

light:

10. a device for or means of igniting, as a spark, flame, or match: Could you give me a light?

27. to set burning, as a candle, lamp, fire, match, or cigarette; kindle; ignite.

[Guest]

ya'll are cute....listen. when you are in the dark and you strike a match it creates light...therefore you lit a match. if you are already in the light and you strike a match...you struck a match.

[Guest]

TO LIGHT:

–verb (used without object)

* to take fire or become kindled: The damp wood refused to light.

* to ignite a cigar, cigarette, or pipe for purposes of smoking (usually fol. by up): He took out a pipe and lighted up before speaking.

* to become illuminated when switched on: This table lamp won't light.

* to become bright, as with light or color (often fol. by up): The sky lights up at sunset.

* to brighten with animation or joy, as the face or eyes (often fol. by up).

According to the definitions of the verb "to light" as given by dictionary.com, the underlined definition supports the given meaning of "to light" in that when you strike a match, it takes fire. Therefore, when you strike a match, you light it. The italicized definition also supports this term, if you imagine the switching on of the match to be the striking of it. The bold definition once more supports the term in that when you light/strike a match, it emits a warm orange/yellow/blue/red/white/etc. glow, becoming bright both with light and with color.

Therefore, although the technicalities of the verb "to light" are a moot point, as the riddle should be easy enough to solve in the first place and is, honestly, among the oldest in the book, the usage of "to light" in the context, referring to the striking of a match, is perfectly accurate.

But I do understand the argument. Like you said, Writersblock, there are so many misused terms in the English language. However, in this case, this would not be one of them.

[Guest]

Personally i would do:

The Match

The Kerosene Lamp

The Candle

i know that not the 'puzzle'/'riddle' but thats how i would do it!

i would do the candle last because then i can put it in the lamp somehow...?

LOL!!!

anyways!

The answer to the 'Riddle' is THE MATCH!

>_<

Nuff Luff peeps!

Kei

xoxox

...over and out...

[Guest]

which do you light first? heres how:

feel your way to the wall

turn on the light switch

you light the room

[Guest]

you would technically spark the match then proceed to choose from either object. now how much karacine is in the lamp, how big a candle, or just turn on the light...........

[Guest]

This whole "riddle" seems so ridiculous to me. Whether you are lighting, stricking, or igniting a match, it all means the same thing, to set it on fire. "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet". So Martini (i think said it) is right, no matter what word you use to describe it, the match is the first thing to set on fire.

[Guest]

the funny thing is, you cant light the lamp or candle without first striking (lighting) (igniting) (burning) (heating) (ect.) the match......... hense the riddle...

[Guest]

I wouldn't light anything involving fire - I'm scared of the dark and tend to cut farts, so any ignition of anything will result in a light source for the entire southeast US

[Guest]

The match. Then you light the candle. Then the candle can be used to light the lamp. This is if you don't:

a) drop the match

b) have a bad match

or c) light yourself on fire. Then the people who found your corpse holding a match would call you an idiot and have or even looks on their faces. Eternal humiliation.

[Guest]

The match is an obvious choice, and it can't be that easy. But then, what else can it be? Nothing else is capable of "lighting" on its own. The only data we have to work with are:

Match

Candle

Kerosine Lamp

I think "Which do you light first?" might imply "light using an external source." The match is self igniting by way of friction, and we're allowed to "light" it. But that could mean the match is lighting itself, and we're not actually "lighting" it.

[abhisk]

You are in a dark room and want to see what is inside it. With you are a match, a candle, and a kerosene lamp. Which do you light first?

Answer: the match

Please put your answer in a quote.

This is from Wiiosten.

which do you light first? heres how:

feel your way to the wall

turn on the light switch

you light the room :lol:

[itachi-san]

You are in a dark room and want to see what is inside it. With you are a match, a candle, and a kerosene lamp. Which do you light first?

Answer: the match

Well, just to spark this discussion some more. It burns me how no one has mentioned that something needs to be present to strike the match against.

[Guest]

Well, just to spark this discussion some more. It burns me how no one has mentioned that something needs to be present to strike the match against.

SWAN VESTA, lights on most things inc. rough skin. Of course magicians don't need a match.

[Guest]

You can's light anything if you can't light the match.

[Guest]

I light the room (by the light switch in it, of course!). It doesn't specify that the match, candle, and lamp were your only choices, just what you have with you.

[Guest]

You are in a dark room and want to see what is inside it. With you are a match, a candle, and a kerosene lamp. Which do you light first?

Answer: the match

Are these the only items you have? The puzzle doesn't specify. Assuming they are, you're kinda SOL. Modernly, when we use the term "match," we refer to a "safety match," i.e., one that can only be lit on a specially prepared surface. If you only have these three items, you lack the matchbook or some other specially prepared surface and cannot light the match. If you cannot light the match, obviously you can't light the candle or the lamp (which was the point of the riddle).

Sloppy question... no answer.

[rookie1ja]

Are these the only items you have? The puzzle doesn't specify. Assuming they are, you're kinda SOL. Modernly, when we use the term "match," we refer to a "safety match," i.e., one that can only be lit on a specially prepared surface. If you only have these three items, you lack the matchbook or some other specially prepared surface and cannot light the match. If you cannot light the match, obviously you can't light the candle or the lamp (which was the point of the riddle).

Sloppy question... no answer.

sunshipballoons, I have counted 44 posts written by you but no topic - so ZERO puzzles you submitted ... pls could you submit at least 1 brain teaser to "New Puzzles" section so that we have an idea what satisfies your conditions for a good puzzle

I am quite curious

[Guest]

I think we can all agree that a match can be lit.

Now, as to whether somebody lights/strikes/scratches a match, the result will always be that the match is lit (if done properly). Not struck or scratched.

Maybe lighted, but that depends on where you come from, and how you use the word in that particular region.

I see "lighting a match" as a process, whereby the match is struck on something, such as the scratch pad on the side of the box (not present in the room in the OP), the head sparks and ignites into flame, which produces heat and light that we can see.

You can ask someone to, "Strike this match.", but if it fails to ignite, would they strike it again, or need to (referring to your instructions)?

They would if you had asked them to "Light this match."

Alas the use of the English vocabulary doesn't always work out the way it should have.

But I ain't going to believe that this is a vocabulary error; only a grammatical point considered correct or incorrect usage, decided by whether you are a descriptive or prescriptive grammarian.

[Guest]

You are in a dark room and want to see what is inside it. With you are a match, a candle, and a kerosene lamp. Which do you light first?

Answer: the match

I would clap twice.

Get it? The clapper? Come on, surely you're old enough to remember those commercials.

No seriously, I would freak the hell out if I was in a dark room and suspected there was something unknown to me in it.

[Guest]

You light the room. any of the three items will accomplish this. The context of the question refers to light in order to see what is in the dark room thus the meaning of "light" refers to the purest meaning of the word, that being illumination.

This is incorrect. I know it's an old riddle, but using modern vernacular your answer doesn't make sense. To light (verb) means to ignite (verb). In order to light something you need a source of ignition. You don't light the match, you strike the match in order to gain ignition. Then you light either the candle or the lantern with the match.

[Guest]

I would first think kerosene lamp based on longevity, but it doesn't state whether or not, or how much, kerosene is in the lamp. Neither does it state if the candle has a wick. Also, the common manufactured match does not light when you strike on random surfaces. If given the brand of match and time period, I think I would feel more comfortable venturing a guess.

Having said that, I would put on my night-goggles, find the door; turn around light the match by 'striking' (which the moment after would become 'struck'). Then, light the kerosene lamp and the candle at the same time so the next person won't be so confused. And exit.