Brain Teasers
The Passwords
A man worked for a high-security institution, and one day he went in to work only to find that he could not log in to his computer terminal. His password wouldn't work. Then he remembered that the passwords are reset every month for security purposes. So he went to his boss and they had this conversation:
Man-"Hey boss, my password is out of date."
Boss-"Yes, that's right. The password is different, but if you listen carefully you should be able to figure out the new one: It has the same amount of letters as your old password, but only four of the letters are the same."
Man: "Thanks boss."
With that, he went and correctly logged into his station.
What was the new password?
BONUS: What was his old password?
Man-"Hey boss, my password is out of date."
Boss-"Yes, that's right. The password is different, but if you listen carefully you should be able to figure out the new one: It has the same amount of letters as your old password, but only four of the letters are the same."
Man: "Thanks boss."
With that, he went and correctly logged into his station.
What was the new password?
BONUS: What was his old password?
Hint
It is nine letters long. Also, a "password" can be more than one word...Answer
The old one was : Out of dateThe new one is: Different
He said: My password is "Out of date." And the boss told him the new one when he said: "The password is different."
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Comments
That made me think for a while! Good job!
This Is Probably The Cleverest I Have Ever Read
This is an absolutely FANTASTIC teaser. I think it's my favourite.
This ones pretty good...
That's an awsome teaser! I loved it!
Super Job !
No wonder you were a presidential candiate.
I will be sharing this one with family and co-workers.
Sweet! had I been paying attention to detail maybe I would've gotten that, but that was a bit too clever for me. That was a great teaser, if you have any more like that keep on posting
I got the password being Different str8 away. Reminds me of a riddle called the GRY riddle, hoever took my time 2 figure out the old password.
This one was super ! One of my favorites ! Very slick !
Dec 03, 2004
Dude! That was like major awsomeage! when i saw the answer i was like duuh!
I'm often very literal but I'm surprised i didn't get this one. good one
Nice! I was looking for the trick in the text but couldn't find it!!!
good teaser! im not gonna lie~it had me stumped! thats kinda wat i looked like! well keep up the great work!
The answer could have been November and December, if you did not look at the 'hint'. It fit all the criteria. 4 letters the same, and the same number of letters.
Loved it! Very cool teaser.
What fun!! Keep 'em coming!
It's very easy!!!!!!! But don' worry because I had ssssoooo mmmmuuuucccchhhh ffffuuuunnnn!!!!!!!!!!!
Am i the only one who didnt like it?
I think it belongs in the trick catagory
sorry about my spelling error
Boss-"Yes, that's right. The password is different, but if you listen carefully you should be able to figure out the new one: It has the same amount of letters as your old password, but only four of the letters are the same."
The 'but if you listen carefully' was the only part I didn't like. But, hey, if you said "The password is different" would be realllly easy! So, great job.
The 'but if you listen carefully' was the only part I didn't like. But, hey, if you said "The password is different" would be realllly easy! So, great job.
Awesome teaser. I knew there was going to be a trick in the writing. I found the first one, out of date, but i didn't get the last one.
ure really good at this.
ure really good at this.
THIS IS THE BEST ONE SO FAR THAT I'VE HEARD!
Thought this one was cute. Good Job
Yay! I got this one. Very cool teaser.
Dec 03, 2005
Brilliant teaser! Shoul've got it but didn't - duh!
Everything after "the password is different" is misleading garbage. It should say "if you've been listening carefully you already know the answer".
Got it anyway though.
Nice one.
Got it anyway though.
Nice one.
awesome puzzle!
Great teaser , Loved it
That was very cute. I figured it would be "different" and I was right, no pun intended. Well Bob Dole keep them coming.I enjoyed this one.
SUPER JOB I REALLY LIKED THIS ONE....GOING TO MY FAV'S
niceeeeeeee I am sure no one will get it on the first guess!
I loved it...very clever...I didn't read it carefully
May I offer another small tweak? When the man comes into his boss's ofc, he should say something like: "I tried to log onto my computer, but my password was out of date." The man is aware that his password is out of date... and therefore no longer "out of date"... so he would know better than to use the present tense: "My password IS out of date." Using some version of the above, he can use the past tense (i.e., "My password WAS out of date") without it seeming odd or drawing too much attention to the line.
Also, I agree about putting "listen carefully" before "your password is different," because it does suggest the answer will be included in what follows, not in what the boss has already said.
Finally, the only reason I found this teaser easy was that the boss's speech, which he tells us contains the solution, is so brief that there aren't many possible red herrings to think about. (Another possibility would be to somehow omit the overt hint that the solution is in his words.)
IRRELEVANT, PEDANTIC DIGRESSION
I looked up "i.e." to make sure I was using it correctly above, and I learned or was reminded of the following trivial but occasionally useful information:
The abbreviation "i.e." means "that is" (from the Latin "id est") and should not be confused with "e.g." -- which means "for example" (from the Latin "exempli gratia").
Two other occasionally confused Latin abbreviations used in English are "etc.", which means "and so on" (short for "et cetera" -- literally "and the rest") and "et al" (no period used with this one), which means "and others" (short for "et alii"). The two abbreviations have similar but not quite identical meanings; the main thing to beware of is the common mispronunciation "ekk cetera" (and accompanying misspelling "ect.").
EQUALLY IRRELEVANT (UNPAID) PLUG:
For intense brain teasing and other perverse pleasures, I'd heartily recommend the newly re-released DVD boxed set of the bizarre, beautiful, utterly unique MTV animated sci-fi (sort of) series, "Aeon Flux" (not to be confused with the new live-action movie, with which it has almost nothing in common and on which the show's creator, Peter Chung, had no input. In a way, the episodes of the series ARE puzzles... with no easy or obvious solutions.
Also, I agree about putting "listen carefully" before "your password is different," because it does suggest the answer will be included in what follows, not in what the boss has already said.
Finally, the only reason I found this teaser easy was that the boss's speech, which he tells us contains the solution, is so brief that there aren't many possible red herrings to think about. (Another possibility would be to somehow omit the overt hint that the solution is in his words.)
IRRELEVANT, PEDANTIC DIGRESSION
I looked up "i.e." to make sure I was using it correctly above, and I learned or was reminded of the following trivial but occasionally useful information:
The abbreviation "i.e." means "that is" (from the Latin "id est") and should not be confused with "e.g." -- which means "for example" (from the Latin "exempli gratia").
Two other occasionally confused Latin abbreviations used in English are "etc.", which means "and so on" (short for "et cetera" -- literally "and the rest") and "et al" (no period used with this one), which means "and others" (short for "et alii"). The two abbreviations have similar but not quite identical meanings; the main thing to beware of is the common mispronunciation "ekk cetera" (and accompanying misspelling "ect.").
EQUALLY IRRELEVANT (UNPAID) PLUG:
For intense brain teasing and other perverse pleasures, I'd heartily recommend the newly re-released DVD boxed set of the bizarre, beautiful, utterly unique MTV animated sci-fi (sort of) series, "Aeon Flux" (not to be confused with the new live-action movie, with which it has almost nothing in common and on which the show's creator, Peter Chung, had no input. In a way, the episodes of the series ARE puzzles... with no easy or obvious solutions.
i liked it, but i thought it waz hard. o well.
Luv It!!!!!
wonderful!!!!!
gnosys: get a life
gnosys: get a life
That was an excellent teaser!
No, Skybet, U rn't the only one who didn't like this teaser. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood, but I didn't think it gave enough info.
very very good. very very very VERY very good. VERY VERY....you get the idea.
Now THAT'S an excellent brain teaser. Bob Dole, I knew I liked you for a reason. How's that viagra working out?
It stumped me!!!!
The funny thing is, I used to have a password like that. If my kids tried to guess it, I told them the answer using it clearly in the sentence. They never got it. I thought I was so clever! I guess not!!! :
The funny thing is, I used to have a password like that. If my kids tried to guess it, I told them the answer using it clearly in the sentence. They never got it. I thought I was so clever! I guess not!!! :
ps.... I do think it belongs in the "Trick" category. Very good though!!!
Not bad, I never would have gotten it!
Good teaser
Cute teaser
I think gnosys has way too much time on his/her hands!
I think gnosys has way too much time on his/her hands!
Oh good greif People look way too much into this. It was a great teaser. Perfectly worded. I got it fairly easy. It took a couple of reads and some logic use, but to say that you need to change it and analyze the teaser is crazy.
Great Job!!!
Great Job!!!
This was a really great teaser, we figured out the old password but wasn't paying enough attention to get the new one. Great job!!
cute!!!
Excellent teaser Bobdole, wonderful job!!
Precious, not everyone has a problem with being disagreeable, you apparently don't. I, however, disagree with you, it was a brilliant teaser, it made perfect sense, please don't be a spoilsport just because you didn't get it.
I only 'got' half of it, and I enjoyed it very very much. I happen to like things that make me think.
Precious, not everyone has a problem with being disagreeable, you apparently don't. I, however, disagree with you, it was a brilliant teaser, it made perfect sense, please don't be a spoilsport just because you didn't get it.
I only 'got' half of it, and I enjoyed it very very much. I happen to like things that make me think.
there wasn't enough information for someone to figure that out. it was clever, but not a good teaser
I lOVED it!!!! Totally funny...it just proves that sometimes we make things harder than they really are!
that was easy but cute!!
ps lindz ur mean!!!
pps preisous u have issues
today im pissed off at the world so nobody take offense
today im pissed off at the world so nobody take offense
one of the hardest, yet best i've seen. not gonna lie, it stumped me !
This is the kind of brainteaser that everyoe shouold enjoy. That's why they are called such bobdole must be hi-minded since he his from the Rocky Mountain High state. Thanks much for the lesson on showing us we don't always know how to shovel out the extra words when a politician speaks.
ps sorry for some of the typos. This is my first time at commenting. Have a good teaser to submit, but still don't have the number of points accumulated. Will keep watching though!!
I wish I could have gotten that. It was really clever!
Loved it Ya got me Very clever and well thought out Keep them coming!!!!!
i love this one
great teaser. I loved it. I got it right off the back.
i'll vote for you next time you run
I luved this teaser, so difficult, yet so simple
i did not get it this time. But i enjoyed the braingle.
I got it!!! It was a good one, but I agree with a few of the others above, I think one or two little tweaks would make it a PERFECT teaser. If you know this type, it's pretty easy. There's a teaser called GRY on here that is excellent and that was my first meeting with this kind of teaser. And gnosys (sorry if I got ur name wrong) I found what you said totally correct and the other stuff very very interesting. Thanks for the teaser!
wow that was really good!! Keep em coming...!!! That made me think for a while
Dec 03, 2005
Gnosis, I have to hand it to you. You have a streak of genius!! you are what i aspire to be!! You are really smart, but you really need to stop leaving those long comments and correcting everyone. I learned the hard way that people do not like criticism-no matter how constructive it is. Do not take it the wrong way. If you are offended, then I know what type of person you are-the ones mentioned before. If you aren't, well you're like me.
Dec 03, 2005
PS: YOUR CORRECTIONS WERE PERFECT! SUPERB! MAGNIFICO!!
Dec 03, 2005
Oh, I forgot to add that this was a very good teaser. One of those where you want to slap yourself when you see the answer.
i had to reread to get it
sorry ppls im all better now!!
i honsetly thought this one was very clever and a great teaser see im not always horrible just erlier
i honsetly thought this one was very clever and a great teaser see im not always horrible just erlier
Wow. That was so cool. I feel stupid for not getting it.
I thought this was a pretty easy teaser. But it was a lot of fun anyway.
VERY GOOD!
Yea It was neat . made me think.
Once i read the answer i wanted to turn my foot around and kick my own tail.
I really liked your teaser! It was great! I had a real hard time figuring it out, but in the end I got it. Again, great job!
veryyyyyyy cute
I liked that one and hope you submit more like it! Thanks!
What is up with these repeats? I may unsubscribe from the daily teaser e-mail if this keeps up.
Cool teaser by the way...
Cool teaser by the way...
lol cool.
Verry kool after I red the answer I kind of laughed to myself loved the word play
triickyyy
Wow, don't i feel like a dork... I DID slap myself when I found out the answer... I thought it was like, word or pass and the old one... never mind... Gr8 teaser...
Excellent I really enjoyed it and it made me think. Can't wait to read more
I thought that was brilliant, I read and re-read several times, but still couldn't figure it out WELL DONE!!
Hey, I actually got it! And it's only 10:23 in the morning! Great job!
fun teaser.
*groan*.............I can`t belive it was that simple!
Pretty obvious, but nevertheless fun. Hope to see more from you.
Awesome, very clever, Loved it, hope to see more!!!!
SO BRILLIANT I FELL OF MY SEAT (I did actually)
i thought it was quite hard but oh well
very easy.
nice one....did u make it on ur own ???
GOOD TEASER, AS I PREVIOUSLY STATED, ALMOST A YEAR AGO TO THE DAY, BUT WHAT'S WITH ALL THE RERUNS?
I REMEMBERED THE ANSWER BEFORE I FINISHED READING IT.
HELP, HELP, ALL THE RERUNS ARE GETTING BORING.
I REMEMBERED THE ANSWER BEFORE I FINISHED READING IT.
HELP, HELP, ALL THE RERUNS ARE GETTING BORING.
I liked this one a lot . The "listen" part also threw me,but I realize the employer was talking to him. I also think it belongs in the Trick category.
are you all kidding me? this is terribly written! you can't say "the password is different, but if you listen closely you might be able to guess the new one"! or whatever the heck it said..hello..if he just told him what the password was..why would he tell him to pay attention to try and figure it out......let's think about this one here people.
a stinker thinker bravo
Great job, Bob! I really enjoy "stumpers" such as this. Without getting verbose as some critics did, let me say that the extra "flack" in the boss's reply is what really threw me off- when he added "four letters are different." But it was a terrific teaser and not many people can be clever enough to come up with such quality yet alone be brave enough to post it. FABULOUS EFFORT!
I agree with Imurray (again) that I heard this one before, and knew at least part of the answer before I ended the reading.
that is SO CLEVER bobdole!!!!!!!!!!! good on you!
keep up the good work.
if_i_may94
p.s. i was STUMPED
keep up the good work.
if_i_may94
p.s. i was STUMPED
I didn't like this one at all! Had to think too much. Sorry,we just had a bad ice storm,just got power back on,and I'm just now thawing out. Still a little crabby.
Sorry Patpat about the storm cutting off your power. We were lucky in my part of WNY. Just had high winds, rain. Regarding the teaser, I thought it was pretty good, but I had never seen it before, so it was new to me. I have to agree with Imurray and Coachpisco, where are all the new teasers that people are submitting? Surely there must be some good ones.
It was very clever! I didn't get it at first but it is very good
I DON'T GET IT. DUHHHHHH. I DUNNO!!!
tricky, tricky, tricky
nice one
nice one
THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KEEP THEM COMEING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I didn't get it and it was so good!
I have also been wondering for some time now why we are getting so many reruns. I know it was stated a while back that some people are new to this site and so the reruns are new to them. But I have only been a member for a little over a year and I am already getting bored by reruns. How about several days of new ones and then inserting a good rerun? I also get tired of going seeing 115 or so comments, most of which were made 1-3 years ago.
Hi, folks! I'm another relative newcomer for whom this puzzle was new....
I believe this puzzle SHOULD be marked 'trick'! It totally stumped me, but I had a good laugh when I read the answer!!
I believe this puzzle SHOULD be marked 'trick'! It totally stumped me, but I had a good laugh when I read the answer!!
I got the old password right but the new one was hard to figure out. I didn't guess it so had to look at the answer. Very good teaser indeed
LOL
nice 1
nice 1
lol, great teaser! i only got the old password right, too. Go bobdole!
Got it and loved it! Awesome teaser!
Right in front of my face and I missed it. Oh well. Win some, lose some. Great job!
If you ignore rules of proper sentence structure and English grammar then this was a good teaser
That was terrible!!
--I mean, of course, the fact that it stumped me so badly.
Good teaser over all, but I agree with the suggestions made above for improvement, especially: "I tried to log onto my computer, but my password was out of date."
Cheers!
--I mean, of course, the fact that it stumped me so badly.
Good teaser over all, but I agree with the suggestions made above for improvement, especially: "I tried to log onto my computer, but my password was out of date."
Cheers!
I really enjoyed this teaser, but for me it was quite easy. Many of us read between the lines to get the real meaning of things. More please.
Wow, I had to scroll awhile to get down here! It was worth the wait. This was an awesome teaser, and I usually don't comment, but well done!
This is why English teachers harp on punctuation: If this were correctly written with quotation marks around the stated critical words, it wouldn't be the good teaser that it is...and we would have gotten it!
Great! I actually got it!
But my only question is when the boss says the new password is different, he says "but if you listen closely you will be able to get the new one". I don't get why the boss would say details about the new one after he says it.
Just a thought. Liked it though
But my only question is when the boss says the new password is different, he says "but if you listen closely you will be able to get the new one". I don't get why the boss would say details about the new one after he says it.
Just a thought. Liked it though
I got 'different' right off the bat, but it never even crossed my mind that 'out of date' was the old one. That was clever. Good job!
Paying attention to what I was reading made this extremely easy.
Fun teaser! Took me a minute to find the second one. I love it!
Great teaser, it had me puzzled. I must say, it is one of my faves.
NICE1, THAT IS ONE OF MY FAVS!!!!
OH!!!!! It was right there and i missed it!
I got the first one, but not the bonus.
so fun
Fun - but I wouldn't call this place a high security institution. They use dictionary words for their passwords and his boss knows his password? That is probably the weakest password security procedure a company can use.
Read,read, read. Very easy
The part about only four letters being the same makes no sense and the conversation is only clever cover if it seems natural otherwise the boss should have just said it plainly.
In the real world of high security I doubt a password could have spaces and NOT have at least one numeral or capital letter. The password would also be assigned by a program and never be a cute word or phrase.
The essence of the teaser is cute but the details spoil it upon inspection.
In the real world of high security I doubt a password could have spaces and NOT have at least one numeral or capital letter. The password would also be assigned by a program and never be a cute word or phrase.
The essence of the teaser is cute but the details spoil it upon inspection.
This is a very old riddle so I knew the answer straight away. Very disappointing.
I got "different", but not the bonus. I was thinking the old was was "difficult", but now realize it has 5 letters the same, and wouldn't really fit the clues. A little strange, but pretty good teaser.
Fun, easy and entertaining teaser; I both the old and new passwords fairly quickly.
..if you listen carefully? Should have stated: if you have listened carefully!
That was the red herring that stumped me, plus it should have been in the Trick Category!
That was the red herring that stumped me, plus it should have been in the Trick Category!
Poorly constructed, insofar as a puzzle, ideally, should have only one correct answer. It 's possible that when the man said, "My password is out of date, and the boss replied, "Yes, that's right," what the boss meant was that the man's new password is in fact "Out of date". The problem then becomes one of finding a password with the same number of letters as the string "Out of date", but with only four letters that match the ones in that string. The character string "Not so late" fulfills those conditions, same number of letters as "Out of date", but sharing only four letters, a, e, o, and t, with the string "out of date". It seems to me, then, that a reasonable solution to this teaser would be: New password = "Out of date"; old password = "Not so late".
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