Brain Teasers
The Return of Justin Case and Auntie Bellum
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
You heard right! The fellow con artists have returned. This time they've decided to steal a rare and expensive golden vase. Because this vase is so precious, it was put in a museum and guarded with extreme security. It was surrounded by an electronic field that formed a complete sphere around the vase. If anything at all pierced the field, an alarm would go off and guards would appear within seconds. They knew that if they set off the alarm, they would be caught before they could escape. However, being the criminal masterminds that they were, they found an ingenious way to get the vase. How did they do it?
Hint
They hid in a broom closet near the vase.They convinced the guards that the alarm was faulty.
Answer
Justin Case and Auntie Bellum hid inside of a broom closet which was very close to the vase after the museum closed. They took a broom and pushed it out just enough to pierce the electronic field and set off the alarm and swiftly returned to the closet. When the guards came, they saw that everything was in working order and left. After repeating this feat several times, they were able to convince the guards that the alarm system was malfunctioning. When the guards shut it off, they replaced it with a replica and got away.Hide Hint Show Hint Hide Answer Show Answer
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Comments
Hmmmm..... Being the first to comment, I really hate to say anything negative. It WAS a very clever plan, and a cute teaser!!!...... However I can't help but see some gaping holes in the scenario as it is written. (Perhaps more details should have been added.)
-How would they explain being in the museum after it closed? Did they steal guards' uniforms?
-And how did they get out? They couldn't have waited until the next day when the museum opened, because management would have been notified immediately about the probem with the alarm system, and surely other security measures would have been taken immediately, therefore making discovery of their presence, or discovery of the fake inevitable. (Especially since the vase was so valuable!!)
Other than that I liked it!
-How would they explain being in the museum after it closed? Did they steal guards' uniforms?
-And how did they get out? They couldn't have waited until the next day when the museum opened, because management would have been notified immediately about the probem with the alarm system, and surely other security measures would have been taken immediately, therefore making discovery of their presence, or discovery of the fake inevitable. (Especially since the vase was so valuable!!)
Other than that I liked it!
Nice, but....
A broom cupboard so close to a display? It beggars belief.
Hardly something you could work out from the scenario.
Still, carry on.
A broom cupboard so close to a display? It beggars belief.
Hardly something you could work out from the scenario.
Still, carry on.
Was it "How To Steal A Million" with Audrey Hepbern and Peter O'Toole? She dressed up as a cleaning woman and he was actually the director of security. He was testing his own system, and he beat it. And he got the girl.
Choptliva, you make some interesting points, but as in all situation puzzles one can easily poke numerous holes. However, since I do find your issues interesting, I will pose solutions...
-To get into the museum after it closed, the could have went there and stayed until after it closed.
- To get out, they could have waited until the next day and left while there was a crowd unnoticed. I doubt that management would think, there's a problem in the alarm system... it must be some one in the broom closet! It would take some time to discover that there was a fake since it was a replica.
-To get into the museum after it closed, the could have went there and stayed until after it closed.
- To get out, they could have waited until the next day and left while there was a crowd unnoticed. I doubt that management would think, there's a problem in the alarm system... it must be some one in the broom closet! It would take some time to discover that there was a fake since it was a replica.
Ok.... I just think the museum's security is pretty lax for the guards to just turn off the alarm and question it no further. Just my opinion.
this is wat i thought i thought they dug a hole under and got in or they used a mirron to reflect it back but the mirror wasnt that smart cause it wouldnt work anyways
I love brain teasers but do they not need to contain enough information to derive the correct answer? If not then other equally correct solutions could be:
(1) they cut the power to the alarm / field and stole the vase, or
(2) they could have simply knocked out or sjot the guards upon escaping.
Who knew there was even a broom cupboard in the exhibit hall?
(1) they cut the power to the alarm / field and stole the vase, or
(2) they could have simply knocked out or sjot the guards upon escaping.
Who knew there was even a broom cupboard in the exhibit hall?
Really liked this, but a liitle too hard for me, LOVED IT anyway
Just pondering something.....
Does anyone agree that there's an inherent problem with SITUATIONAL teasers? I'm referring to comments, like mine and others, that inevitably arise out of this kind of teaser. Unfortunately, they can be perceived as negative and critical, even if that's not the poster's intent.
As this is a website devoted to THINKING, debate is the natural response for many of us, yet it often leads to negative feelings and reactions when posted as a comment on a teaser. (Please note, SOF, that I'm being general here.... not referring to your comments).
I just think that the problem with Situational teasers is that there's really no "right" answer other than the author's.... and at best, all we can do is guess at the correct answer. There's no requirement that the writer provide enough information to solve the problem logically..... because then the teaser would belong in a different category such as Mystery, Logic, Science or Trivia.
Just wondering if anyone feels the same way...
Does anyone agree that there's an inherent problem with SITUATIONAL teasers? I'm referring to comments, like mine and others, that inevitably arise out of this kind of teaser. Unfortunately, they can be perceived as negative and critical, even if that's not the poster's intent.
As this is a website devoted to THINKING, debate is the natural response for many of us, yet it often leads to negative feelings and reactions when posted as a comment on a teaser. (Please note, SOF, that I'm being general here.... not referring to your comments).
I just think that the problem with Situational teasers is that there's really no "right" answer other than the author's.... and at best, all we can do is guess at the correct answer. There's no requirement that the writer provide enough information to solve the problem logically..... because then the teaser would belong in a different category such as Mystery, Logic, Science or Trivia.
Just wondering if anyone feels the same way...
To choptlivva and hibsmax:
First of all, if I sound negative, I'm very sorry. My purpose in my comment was simly to provide information and pose sulutions to the "problems" you submitted.
Secondly, this is the point of a situation puzzle as quoted from the website:
"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."
Keeping this in mind, I can say that there isn't supposed to be a clear cut solution to the problem, or it would belong in a different category. If you simply look at your comuter and try to figure out the answers to the brain teasers, unless you get lucky sometime, you won't get the answer!
BTW, hibsmax, the hint does provide that they hid in a broom closet near the exhibit.
Hope this helps!
First of all, if I sound negative, I'm very sorry. My purpose in my comment was simly to provide information and pose sulutions to the "problems" you submitted.
Secondly, this is the point of a situation puzzle as quoted from the website:
"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."
Keeping this in mind, I can say that there isn't supposed to be a clear cut solution to the problem, or it would belong in a different category. If you simply look at your comuter and try to figure out the answers to the brain teasers, unless you get lucky sometime, you won't get the answer!
BTW, hibsmax, the hint does provide that they hid in a broom closet near the exhibit.
Hope this helps!
I agree with choptlivva. There really can't be any right or wrong answer... I just enjoy trying to figure out some of the possible solutions.
One of my "possible" solutions was that they melted the vase. But then, I guess that it would lose its value and rarity Just a thought!
I liked this teaser a lot! Keep writing Swordoffury1392.
One of my "possible" solutions was that they melted the vase. But then, I guess that it would lose its value and rarity Just a thought!
I liked this teaser a lot! Keep writing Swordoffury1392.
Thanks amgcrl! I try to make my teasers as interesting as I can! Maybe you'd be interested in reading some of my other teasers?
Also, thanks to all of the other people who commentedon this teaser. I appreciate you compliments and criticism, and will try to apply them to my upcoming teasers!
My bad, I didn't look at the hint. I dunno if that's a personal problem but I tend not to even if I am stuck.
I appreciate your comments about situational puzzles. I just found the website yesterday and haven't fully gotten up to speed with all the ins and outs of the different types of puzzles. I'll get there in the end but until I do, keep up the good work.
I appreciate your comments about situational puzzles. I just found the website yesterday and haven't fully gotten up to speed with all the ins and outs of the different types of puzzles. I'll get there in the end but until I do, keep up the good work.
That's fine. I had some time getting used to the website when I just started coming to it. I hope my teaser made you appreciate the website!
To bake a cake you need all of the ingredients. to solve a puzzle you need all the pieces. If hiding in a broom closet is correct (which the reader didnt know existed) then any answer would suffice. Whos to say they didnt use the Harry Potter cloak of Invisibility instead of a closet. My answer was that the got a delorean, went back in time to when the vase was created, found Dr. Brown, and then returned via the flex capacitor..... yea... I like that one
physhyfishy, the reader knows that the closet existed since the hint provides the info!
I figured it out right away
Swordoffury1392: Keep in mind the purpose of the hint is so a stumped person can get some help without immediately getting the answer. Vital information like "there is a broom closet" isn't exactly hint-grade material.
Also, the guards would have to be incredibly stupid for this to work. If the alarm near a precious vase went off, I'd bet that they'd do more than just scan over the general area. Wouldn't they at least stay NEAR the vase itself?
Sorry if I sound angry, but I think that this riddle leaves much to be desired.
Also, the guards would have to be incredibly stupid for this to work. If the alarm near a precious vase went off, I'd bet that they'd do more than just scan over the general area. Wouldn't they at least stay NEAR the vase itself?
Sorry if I sound angry, but I think that this riddle leaves much to be desired.
good 1, idk how ppl come up with these teasers, i could never think of that. Good 1
Old movie plots do not a true teaser make. Give credit where credit is due.
Mar 18, 2006
I liked it an it was good, but the answer was kind of obvious and unthinkable at the same time. I mean, in a situation puzzle I would never guess that two people would hide in a closet, come out, poke the field, and hide when the guards came, because it is too elementary. The idea that the guards shut it down due to a system malfunction was well thought of though . Oh and one last thing. Why didnt the cons just stick their hands in the field? Did it have to be the brooms?
I guess I have to agree with the vagueness of this catagory of puzzle. From the hint, if they 'convinced' the guards I assumed that they had a converstaions with them regarding the alarm...ie. they posed as employees of the security company. For the solution listed, they didn't convince rather they tricked the guards into believing the system was faulty.
i knew that they have to have hid somewhere but in a broom closet and if the place had guards, wouldn't they ahve cameras and then they would either see the broom messing with the alarms.
Ptream99, I also was thrown off by the words, "they convinced the guards," assuming like you did that the theives actually had a conversation with the guards. That was the reason for my initial question (top of page) that asked, "how did they explain their presence in the museum after it was closed?" His answer was that they hid in the closet, not that they had stolen uniforms. So apparently the author did not iintend that the "convincing" was verbal, but by the theives sticking the brom into the beam repeatedly. I agree that the word "convince" was misleading.
As I said in a subsequent post, it seems that this category lends itself to this kind of problem. In fact, by this site's definition of a "Situation" teaser, we should be able to "ask questions" in order to solve it. Perhaps a new format for this type of teaser should be considered, sorta like the game "20 Questions". The author can answer yes or no, and the answer is not revealed until someone guesses it. Just a thought!
As I said in a subsequent post, it seems that this category lends itself to this kind of problem. In fact, by this site's definition of a "Situation" teaser, we should be able to "ask questions" in order to solve it. Perhaps a new format for this type of teaser should be considered, sorta like the game "20 Questions". The author can answer yes or no, and the answer is not revealed until someone guesses it. Just a thought!
I liked this one.Mind you the hint should have been in the riddle.
The shutting off of the alarm: In "How to Steal a Million", the alarm was extremely loud (seeing as it was an extremely valuable object) and it woke of the President....
I have a better answer that doesn't even require the hint. They slaughtered the guards in a beautiful bit of sniper work, shot the locks off the museum doors, and just walked out with the vase, alarms going off to dead ears.
Not as clever, but less work and risk then hiding in a broom closet and hoping the guards are dumb and lazy.
Not as clever, but less work and risk then hiding in a broom closet and hoping the guards are dumb and lazy.
I agree with choppy that this category has been allowed to degrade into a series of random answers where there is no closure having discovered the author's so called "answer". There are good ones here like the scenario described that turns out to be in a game of Monopoly. You don't think of it at the time because you tend to try and equate the scenario to real events and when the SITUATION is revealed you say "Of course - now it's obvious". But many others simply propose either preposterous answers or suddenly reveal extra clues that were not in the body of the teaser. I don't believe that this is the true spirit of situation teasers. They should describe a siutation which on first reading is apparently impossible or highly improbable based on a misleading context. When the trick situation or context is revealed, all of a sudden the clues that appeared to be contradictory are suddenly quite appropriate and the answer makes sense.
People are complaining about this puzzle because there are a dozen answers that fit the situation as well as the author's. However, what you should be complaining about is the situation itself!
A spherical electromagnetic field? Huh?
One that can detect when it has been "pierced??" Again, huh?
An electromagnet is not like a balloon or a force field that forms a wall of some sort. The basic science falls apart.
A spherical electromagnetic field? Huh?
One that can detect when it has been "pierced??" Again, huh?
An electromagnet is not like a balloon or a force field that forms a wall of some sort. The basic science falls apart.
it just says electronic field, not electromagnetic.
and basically, the point was to say that if anything got near the vase, an alarm would go off.
and basically, the point was to say that if anything got near the vase, an alarm would go off.
Not sure of the movie reference above, but it was also similar to a westlake book (also became a movie) "What's the Worst that could happen?"
They tripped the window alarm, hid when police got there, they found nothing wrong. They did this several times, each time the police took longer to get there. Finally, the police said the alarm is faulty and did not come, thieves got the loot...
They tripped the window alarm, hid when police got there, they found nothing wrong. They did this several times, each time the police took longer to get there. Finally, the police said the alarm is faulty and did not come, thieves got the loot...
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