Henry Ernest Dudeney/Modern Puzzles/184 - A Prohibition Poser
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Modern Puzzles by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $184$
- A Prohibition Poser
- Let us now take another step and look at those cases where we are still allowed any amount of waste,
- though the liquid is now limited to a stated quantity.
- The American Prohibition authorities discovered a full barrel of beer,
- and were about to destroy the liquor by letting it run down a drain
- when the owner pointed to two vessels standing by and begged to be allowed to retain in them a small quantity for the immediate consumption of his household.
- One vessel was a $7$-quart and the other a $5$-quart measure.
- The officer was a wag, and, believing it to be impossible, said that if the man could measure an exact quart into each vessel
- (without any pouring back into the barrel) he might do so.
- How was it to be done in the fewest possible transactions without any marking or other tricks?
- Pouring down the drain counts as one transaction.
- Perhaps I should state that an American barrel of beer contains exactly $120$ quarts.
Click here for solution $1$
Click here for solution $2$
Sources
- 1926: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Modern Puzzles ... (previous) ... (next): Measuring, Weighing, and Packing Puzzles: $184$. -- A Prohibition Poser
- 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Combinatorial & Topological Problems: Liquid Pouring Puzzles: $404$. A Prohibition Poser