Braingle: 'The King's Ruby...' Brain Teaser

The King's Ruby...

Logic puzzles require you to think. You will have to be logical in your reasoning.

Puzzle ID:	#5494
Fun:	(2.92)
Difficulty:	(1.46)
Category:	Logic
Submitted By:	MonkeyPigDog
Corrected By:	MarcM1098

The aging king is at Death's door. But, alas, he has no heir to follow in his noble steps. He decides a test will ensure that only the wisest subject in his kingdom will take the throne after his eventual passing. The test is simple: he places a 100 carat ruby in a golden chalice in the center of a 20 foot by 20 foot tapestry. The next ruler and successor to the throne must grasp the ruby from the chalice with his bare hand without suspending from the ceiling or stepping on the tapestry. Three days pass as nobleman after nobleman fails miserably to retrieve the ruby from its golden perch. On the fourth day, as the kingdom nobility looked on in shock and bewilderment, a sole young peasant boy grasped the ruby from the shimmering chalice without so much as his shadow gracing the tapestry. Their new king was chosen. How did he do it?

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Comments

Yogi Jul 25, 2002	You said "without as mush as his shadow gracing the tapestry" which is very misleading. When the boy went to grab the ruby his arm must have passed over the tapestry. This would cast a shadow. I assume we are using "normal" lighting.
SkEwL_gUrl Jul 26, 2002	Hell, i didn't even know wat a tapestry was!
MonkeyPigDog Jul 26, 2002	OK...ok...maybe the shadow was a bit over the top but a tapestry? [In the voice of Dr. Evil] Come on people...work with me here...throw me a friggin bone.
george1978 Jul 29, 2002	he could have alos made a long enough extension pole with a grasper on the end to get the ruby and his own shadow would not have been on the tapestry..
MonkeyPigDog Jul 29, 2002	Couldn't do the pole thing...had to grasp the ruby from the chalice with his hand.
(user deleted) Jul 29, 2002	no steppin on the tapestry, eh? I took that to mean no touching it... well then if he could roll the bleedin thing up he could just as jolly well walk on his hands to the middle, pick the ruby up, put it in his mouth or something. Or he could get a long pole with a hook and carefully hook the chalice and draw it over to him.
jriley1779 Aug 07, 2002	All anyone had to do was bring their own piece of material, place it on top of the tapestry and then walk on it!
MonkeyPigDog Aug 07, 2002	You really put a lot of thought into this. I'm crackin' up! Too funny. Maybe I'll put a little more thought into the next one. Too bad we can't edit these things.
peterbradfor Aug 12, 2002	He could also have asked somebody else to walk on the tapestry, pick up the vase and bring it to him. He then puts in his hand and draws out the ruby. Not a well thought out puzzle.
cs526columbia Aug 12, 2002	i got it, i thought it was a great teaser and it's clear enough
sillywilly Aug 12, 2002	There are many ways: 1) tug the tapestry from under the chalice (real fast, so chalice doesnt move) 2) walk on stilts 3) stretch a pole across and dangle down 4) burn the tapestry 5) fill the room with water and swim 6) topple the chalice over with a stick and roll it to you 7) toss something at the chalice until it is close to an edge get a piggy-back from someone else 9) lift tapestry to roll chalice to edge. 10) crawl to chalice 11) walk on your hands to the chalice (I can probably think of a dozen more) All of these are novel and interesting answers that will satisfy the requirements of the king as indicated. I happen to think filling the room with water and swimming over or burning the tapestry are the more novel approaches, while folding/rolling it are rather boring solutions. What a let-down to see the roll solution!
JoJoCranky Aug 12, 2002	U sed he couldn't STEP on the tapestry and HIS shadow could wotever on the tapestry. well couldn't he wheel himself in a little cart over the tapestry and grab the ruby wiv his bare hand. Then there would be no infringement of the rules. Sorry to ruin your teaser. from JoJoCranky
SkinnySpace Aug 12, 2002	You all just had to spoil it and put LOGIC into it .....tut tut tut
cliff Aug 12, 2002	didn't you say nothing more than his shadow graced the tapestry so duh how could he roll it up without "gracing" it
MonkeyPigDog Aug 12, 2002	Too much logic...brain hurting...
queenlila Dec 25, 2002	I guessed that he walked on his hands.
sarcastic_brat53 Mar 07, 2003	this teaser is one of my very favourites. it really is smart
biztycl Jul 30, 2004	Can't believe how unwitty is the solution. Like silkyworm suggested, might as well set the solution as pouring petrol on the tapestry and set it ablaze. After the tapestry is burn to ashes, blow away all the bits and do what the hell you want with the chalice and the ruby!!!
Skybet Nov 09, 2004	I think you are all being a little harsh. It may have had multiple solutions but it was funny and engaging. Inventing your own solution just adds 2 the fun
Kinergy Mar 05, 2005	That one was pretty easy.
Mr_solution Jan 10, 2006	Here's nather satisfactory solution ===> Dat young dude could hav ride da horse 2wards da ruby n grasp it...WITHOUT STEPPING...it will b da horse whose steppin on da tapestry not da boy n da condition is 4 da boy..!! Hows dat?? "Elementary my dear braingle dudes...!!"