Brain Teasers
The Ancient Vase
Detective Sing was sitting at his desk when he was approached by a young lady.
"I've come to you for advice, Detective Sing," she said. "I met this guy, Dr. Howard, a few months ago. He's an archaeological expert, specialising in sun rituals in ancient times. A few days ago he approached me and said that he had found a beautiful vase which had pictures on it celebrating the Summer Equinox. He said that it's a rare find, but that if I give him $2000, he'll give me a half share in any proceeds he gets when he sells the vase. I was wondering whether you could find out some more about him for me, to make sure I'm not going to be handing over money to a fraud."
"Well," said Detective Sing. "The vase may well be a genuine artifact, but I'd be careful of this guy 'Howard' - he's a fraud."
What made Detective Sing so sure?
"I've come to you for advice, Detective Sing," she said. "I met this guy, Dr. Howard, a few months ago. He's an archaeological expert, specialising in sun rituals in ancient times. A few days ago he approached me and said that he had found a beautiful vase which had pictures on it celebrating the Summer Equinox. He said that it's a rare find, but that if I give him $2000, he'll give me a half share in any proceeds he gets when he sells the vase. I was wondering whether you could find out some more about him for me, to make sure I'm not going to be handing over money to a fraud."
"Well," said Detective Sing. "The vase may well be a genuine artifact, but I'd be careful of this guy 'Howard' - he's a fraud."
What made Detective Sing so sure?
Answer
There are four "ritual" times when seasons pass/change - the vernal equinox, the summer solstice, the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. The times of change in spring and autumn are always known as equinoxes, and those in summer and winter are always solstices. If Howard is the expert in ancient sun rituals that he claims, he wouldn't have made the mistake of claiming that the vase represented a scene celebrating a summer equinox.Hide Answer Show Answer
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Comments
I forgot about the solstices so I didn't get it! Excellent mystery anyway!
Very good mystery. I enjoyed this one.
it was pretty good it took me a while before i got it....nice job
it was too easy it took me like 30 secs to figure it out
Good One!
Great mystery, I really enjoyed this one.
good one.
I knew it had something to do with the Summer Equinox thing, but I just couldn't place it! Keep the teasers comin...I submitted a teaser earlier today...hope it makes it!
good and easy!!great job
Solistices?
Equinox?
from what i can remember (and someone feel free to correct me here) equinoxes are where the days and nights are of equal length and occur around march and september 21/22. solistices are where the days are either at their longest or shortest (so the summer solistice has the longest daylight to night time ratio and the winter solistice has the shortest daytime to nighttime ratio)
thanks to everyone who liked it
thanks to everyone who liked it
keep them coming i liked this one!
I thought the mystery was???????
you write a lot of teasers. You're good. Keep up the ggoodd wworkk.
NOO, I did not get it. I just knew he was dishonest, and he sold fakes.
you write a lot of teasers. You're good. Keep up the ggoodd wworkk.
NOO, I did not get it. I just knew he was dishonest, and he sold fakes.
Good one! I actually got it, Nice job, Keep 'em coming!
really good, i got it, but it was fun, it has been awhile since i have done any thing with equinoxes and solstices. made me think, really good.
Nice One.
Good one Sweetime!! I had to think about it for a minute, but then I got it!
Got it!
ahh,that detective sing,so so smart,how does he do it O_o
Awesome teaser! I should have known this but it stumped me.
seriously ive read most of ur teasers and your really smart!
WEll GREAT JOB!!!! That was so mysterious, ooo!! LOL!! Great TEASER!! KEEP THEM COMIN!! LOL!!
I guessed it Nice facts at the end there.
totally love it.
While I was reading it, I was like, "...'Celebrating the Summer Equinox.' !! Archeologist guy's a faker!"
It's just a little too easy if you know your facts.
It's just a little too easy if you know your facts.
This is a poor riddle. First of all, even experts can misspeak on occasion, even about something basic. Second of all, the lady may have misheard, misremembered, or misreported. You can't base a judgement so confidently on something like that. This is "Encyclopedia Brown" at its worst.
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