Brain Teasers
Two Spies In a Hotel
Situation
Situation puzzles (sometimes called lateral thinking puzzles) are ones where you need to ask lots of yes or no questions to figure out what happened in the situation. These are good puzzles for groups where one person knows the puzzle and answers the questions.Situation
The police had discovered two spies, which were both living in the same hotel. Instead of arresting them straight away, the police decided to intercept their messages, and see what they were planning. The police had two detectives follow the men around. Much to the detectives amazement, the two spies never met or talked to each other. They realized that the only place the men could communicate through was the hotel's bathroom. The police then searched the bathroom from top to bottom, they searched in and around everything in the bathroom. They had to finally give up, concluding that the spies did not communicate through the bathroom. They were about to leave, when one policeman came up with the answer.
Where, out in the open, could the spies leave their messages, and still not have anyone see them?
Where, out in the open, could the spies leave their messages, and still not have anyone see them?
Hint
What could they have done in the bathroom that might have given them writing material?Answer
The two spies were communicating through the mirror. When they took a shower, the steam would fog up the mirror, letting them write on it. When the room would cool, the message would be invisible.Hide Hint Show Hint Hide Answer Show Answer
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Comments
Three difficulties with the answer: -----
1) Try it. I think that you will find that, even after the dew evaporates, a faint trace of the writing can still be detected, and probably much more easily by police methods. ----- OK, so the second spy carefully wipes off the mirror. This bring us to ... -----
2) The method requires the second spy to enter the bathroom immediately after the first spy leaves it and before the mirror clears. The detectives would soon notice that, and one of them would arrange to enter before the second spy.
3) If the detectives can so thoroughly seach the bathroom, surely they can also install a hidden camera in it.
1) Try it. I think that you will find that, even after the dew evaporates, a faint trace of the writing can still be detected, and probably much more easily by police methods. ----- OK, so the second spy carefully wipes off the mirror. This bring us to ... -----
2) The method requires the second spy to enter the bathroom immediately after the first spy leaves it and before the mirror clears. The detectives would soon notice that, and one of them would arrange to enter before the second spy.
3) If the detectives can so thoroughly seach the bathroom, surely they can also install a hidden camera in it.
I don' care what you say.I thought it was very tricky.Good One!
actually its illegal to put cameras in bathrooms, dressing rooms, etc.
but i do agree with the second coment...it was tricky
but i do agree with the second coment...it was tricky
i agree with canu for the first two things. the third one is wierd. that would be illegal.
Mmm. Except you made it sound like the two spies were in different rooms.
Paycheck anyone?
Acctually, after the steam dissapates, it is possible to read the message again if the other spy takes a shower. The resulting steam will outline the message. Try it. Might give you an excuse to take a shower.
great, but i already heard this one. but its cool though!
Though it's improbable and hard to reroll TP, the spies could've written on the end of the toilet paper. Of course, the police probably would've unrolled the TP, but it's just my opinion...
Jan 23, 2005
Thought your teaser was good. I got this one right! Yea!
That was a good one! i was going to say that they were sleeping together and whispering in their sleep! i was SO wrong!
cool
I don't know the country in which the spies are operating, but what country wouldn't allow the camera for a case of national security? The so-called "Patriot Act" here in the US certainly allows such surveillance measures, and the earlier legislation would have allowed the hotel to give such permission to the authorities.
On the matter of the communication method, I rated this "easy" because of the various ways the spies could communicate. The mirror idea is only one of many possibilities. There are a lot of "dead drop" techniques that would let the two come and go at widely separated times, and other ways of coding information in public or semi-public places. If the two spies visit the bathroom with nobody entering in between, even more possibilities open up, as even the position of the toilet seats and condition of the toilet paper can become communication devices.
On the matter of the communication method, I rated this "easy" because of the various ways the spies could communicate. The mirror idea is only one of many possibilities. There are a lot of "dead drop" techniques that would let the two come and go at widely separated times, and other ways of coding information in public or semi-public places. If the two spies visit the bathroom with nobody entering in between, even more possibilities open up, as even the position of the toilet seats and condition of the toilet paper can become communication devices.
Nobody cares that you know that crap....
Good teaser! don't listen to "norcrekie" or whatever.....
Good teaser! don't listen to "norcrekie" or whatever.....
Cute teaser. I enjoyed it. And, if you write something on a steam filled mirror, it will still be there when the room fills once again with steam unless wiped very well. My son likes to draw smilie faces and they remain until I hit it with the windex! good teaser.
norcekri: Just a simple I liked or didn't is all that is really needed in the teaser comments. You don't need to rewrite or give suggestions and references to the teaser writers in each and every teaser you leave a comment in. These are for fun and enjoyment - not for someone to use as a tool to display one's attempt at impressing others. Please just try to refrain from these comments you are leaving everywhere and enjoy the teasers in the manner they are meant for - fun to write and fun to read! thanks.
norcekri: Just a simple I liked or didn't is all that is really needed in the teaser comments. You don't need to rewrite or give suggestions and references to the teaser writers in each and every teaser you leave a comment in. These are for fun and enjoyment - not for someone to use as a tool to display one's attempt at impressing others. Please just try to refrain from these comments you are leaving everywhere and enjoy the teasers in the manner they are meant for - fun to write and fun to read! thanks.
loved it
I think you stole this from a story in an Encyclopedia Brown book.
i agree with nightowl.
come on, make up your own riddles instead of stealing from other *ahem* books.
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