I was recently being interviewed. Sorry, I lied, it was more than a month ago the interview took place. The senior lead was in fact casually speaking to me via an online meeting service i.e. gotomeeting, while having lunch at a team building retreat in Romania.
Here I was anxious and sweating it, yet this 'gwai chai' was having a meal and occasionally interrupted by other colleagues. Unbelievable right?
I liked the interview particularly because it got me thinking of the riddles even after the conversation ended. Therefore, I shall dispense the riddles here without answers. Maybe some of you had encounter them before and can answer it right away.
Riddle 1
Please ignore the fact that the measurements are not at logical scale but is to help facilitate the riddle. Assuming there is a pond measuring 3 meters x 3 meters and within the pond lies an island 1m x 1m in size. Distance from the shore to the island from all sides is 1 meter length. On the main land there are sticks measuring 0.98m long. A small group of people wanted to cross and get to the island, they can't swim and the pond is super deep. How can we get those people across safely to the island?
Riddle 2
This one is easier. On the table there are four pills. Two red and two blue pills. A visually challenged person was alone, needed to take just one blue and one red pill. Taking two same color pills will be fatal. What strategy can one devise to ensure this person gets one blue and one red pill?
Riddle 3
In a pitch black cave there were a group of people with red and blue hats. They were unable see each other but able to speak to one another. They needed to exit from the cave into an open field and arrange themselves into two groups, sort by the color of their hats. The rule while outside the cave is complete silence, not a word nor sound. Otherwise, they'll be consume by a dark vicious monster. While inside the cave, though they cannot see one another and unaware the color of their own hats, they can talk to formulate a exit strategy. What strategy did they agree upon to enable them to sort themselves naturally into two groups of red and blue hat without speaking a word to each other while outside the cave?
There are a couple of questions but these three, I find it most amusing. Hope you enjoy trying it out. Comments are welcomed.
