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Desert Enigma (see Last Post For Hint); for anyone who's got time
Topic Started: Jan 9 2005, 04:16 AM (516 Views)
sebo
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BXL, Belgium - Urup
I miss those logic problems puli-one use to have on ___ (won't mention the name :P ) I have a different type of 'problem' that some of you may find amusing. ;)

I just typed this up myself as I only know the French version of the problem (in other words beware of typos :( )

A bedouin is on a long journey through the Sahara Desert, travelling by camel. The region is uninhabited as far as he can tell, and he makes no contact with any form of life or civilization for several consecutive days. Then one day, he until he comes across a man's corpse. The body is completely naked, and although he can tell the man has been alive not long ago there is no apparent trace of any kind of footsteps in the sand around the man. Perplexed, he buries the body and carries on his trek, to find a colourful straw sitting in the sand a few minutes away from his first encounter. Further along his trail, the traveller finally discovers a heap of clothes scattered around in no apparent order.

He believes his three discoveries are somehow related, and decides to walk around the area to investigate.


Your job: Can you think of a possible series of events that led up to the man's death? You may ask questions about the bedouin's observations.

Everyone can post questions in this thread, or should post questions, and I will answer if appropriate. I only ask that no one posts two questions in a row so that everyone has time to read the thread and think about it. Please submit answers through PMs only. I will come in once in a while to answer posts.

If you already know the answer, shhhh Posted Image




edit: fixed up a few words but didn't change anything important
Posted Image Posted Image
"Thinking must never submit itself, neither to a dogma, nor to a party, nor to a passion, nor to an interest, nor to a preconceived idea, nor to whatever it may be, if not to facts themselves, because, for it, to submit would be to cease to be." -Henri Poincaré-
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
"colourful straw"???

Mat?
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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sebo
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BXL, Belgium - Urup
no, a drinking straw.

Posted Image
Posted Image Posted Image
"Thinking must never submit itself, neither to a dogma, nor to a party, nor to a passion, nor to an interest, nor to a preconceived idea, nor to whatever it may be, if not to facts themselves, because, for it, to submit would be to cease to be." -Henri Poincaré-
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sebo
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BXL, Belgium - Urup
Welk, Chris, you're welcome to post multiple consecutive questions until other people join in otherwise you won't find out until next Christmas :P
Posted Image Posted Image
"Thinking must never submit itself, neither to a dogma, nor to a party, nor to a passion, nor to an interest, nor to a preconceived idea, nor to whatever it may be, if not to facts themselves, because, for it, to submit would be to cease to be." -Henri Poincaré-
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pentax
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Kamloops - BC Interior
NO footprints? Not even the corpse's?
Posted Image
(thumbnail)

Posted Image

"Kirk to Enterprise - Very funny, Scotty.... now beam down my clothes!"
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
I don't have a clue....

So we're supposed to piece together a story that makes sense from corpse straw clothes?
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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sebo
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BXL, Belgium - Urup
No footprints, pentax. None around the corpse, none around the other items either.

You can start asking some stuff about what happened, if it's true I'll tell you so ;) I just want to keep the final answer out of the thread

I'll answer yes/no questions
Posted Image Posted Image
"Thinking must never submit itself, neither to a dogma, nor to a party, nor to a passion, nor to an interest, nor to a preconceived idea, nor to whatever it may be, if not to facts themselves, because, for it, to submit would be to cease to be." -Henri Poincaré-
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jackd
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Were the clothes made out of very light nylon type of material suitable to be used either as a sail or a balloon?
That would help me solving the 'straw" issue ;)
Walk in front of me, you lead me,
Walk behind me, I lead you
Walk beside me, you are a friend.
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sebo
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BXL, Belgium - Urup
No, the clothes are all made out of cotton, the bedouin doubts they could have been used that way.

By the way, Jackd has submitted an almost correct answer in a PM.
Posted Image Posted Image
"Thinking must never submit itself, neither to a dogma, nor to a party, nor to a passion, nor to an interest, nor to a preconceived idea, nor to whatever it may be, if not to facts themselves, because, for it, to submit would be to cease to be." -Henri Poincaré-
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sebo
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BXL, Belgium - Urup
A hint before I go to bed:

I provided more details than I should have concerning the relative positions of the body, straw and clothes.
Posted Image Posted Image
"Thinking must never submit itself, neither to a dogma, nor to a party, nor to a passion, nor to an interest, nor to a preconceived idea, nor to whatever it may be, if not to facts themselves, because, for it, to submit would be to cease to be." -Henri Poincaré-
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pentax
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Kamloops - BC Interior
sebo
Jan 9 2005, 02:19 PM
A hint before I go to bed:

I provided more details than I should have concerning the relative positions of the body, straw and clothes.

MORE?

It makes no sense even WITH what you said - unloess a guy was having a rum-and-coke on a jetliner, went to the bathroom but took a wrong turn and fell out of the plane, then seeing as he was going to die anyway, decided he wanted to do it in the nude.

....... Yeah, that makes sense! :cool:

PFFFFT!




And no, that was NOT a suggestion for an answer; I was being sarcastic.....
Posted Image
(thumbnail)

Posted Image

"Kirk to Enterprise - Very funny, Scotty.... now beam down my clothes!"
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jackd
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I've got everything figured out, the clothes, the naked body, the no-foot-steps-in-the-sand but the straw still puzzles me.

Walk in front of me, you lead me,
Walk behind me, I lead you
Walk beside me, you are a friend.
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sebo
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BXL, Belgium - Urup
Pentax, keep brainstorming. It's a good start. Wouldn't you agree, Jack?
Posted Image Posted Image
"Thinking must never submit itself, neither to a dogma, nor to a party, nor to a passion, nor to an interest, nor to a preconceived idea, nor to whatever it may be, if not to facts themselves, because, for it, to submit would be to cease to be." -Henri Poincaré-
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sebo
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BXL, Belgium - Urup
Okay... hint of the day

the straw was last used for a different purpose than carrying a fluid
Posted Image Posted Image
"Thinking must never submit itself, neither to a dogma, nor to a party, nor to a passion, nor to an interest, nor to a preconceived idea, nor to whatever it may be, if not to facts themselves, because, for it, to submit would be to cease to be." -Henri Poincaré-
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jackd
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Was it (the staw) used to blow into something. :dunno:
Walk in front of me, you lead me,
Walk behind me, I lead you
Walk beside me, you are a friend.
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