Earlier today, I presented you with three puzzles that were inspired by my new book, the Football School Encyclopedia. (To understand why, please refer to the original post.)

1. Dogged delivery

A residential structure is enclosed by a wall that stands at a height of five feet. The entrance to the house can only be accessed via a pathway that begins at the main gate. In the garden, a dog is attached to a tree with a leash that allows it to reach the pathway. A delivery person arrives with a package and must navigate the pathway, but is unable to risk being attacked by the dog. How can the package be safely delivered to the front door?

Solution

One method is to walk loudly around the house. The dog will then follow and eventually wrap the leash around a tree, shortening its length. This will prevent the dog from reaching the path, making it safe for the delivery driver to deliver the package.

are 6, 7 and 8 years old.

The ages of the three lions are 6, 7, and 8 years old.

There are three lions enclosed in a pen. The preferred meal of lions is zebra. However, if a lion consumes a zebra, it will become lethargic and could potentially become prey for another nearby lion. Additionally, a lion that eats another lion will also become lethargic and could be targeted by another lion.

The pen contains a zebra. Lions are known for their logical thinking and self-preservation. They will only prey on other animals if they are confident they will not become prey themselves. In the event that a zebra is caught, it will be consumed by a single lion rather than shared among the pack.

Is the zebra able to survive?

Solution No. The zebra dies.

To find a solution, we first consider a lone lion in the enclosure and observe the outcome, then gradually add more lions.

A single lion and a lone zebra: The lion consumes the zebra.

Two lions and one zebra: Both lions refrain from eating the zebra, as one lion would become prey for the other if it did.

Out of three lions and one zebra, one lion is able to consume the zebra because it has realized that when it becomes drowsy, the other two lions will not attempt to eat it. This is due to the fact that when the lion is drowsy, the scenario resembles the ‘two lions, one zebra’ situation where neither lion consumes the zebra.

in the square

2b. The square’s four lions

Is the zebra able to survive if there are four lions in the pen instead?

The zebra has successfully survived.

Continuing with the calculations from earlier:

Four lions and one zebra: It is not logical for any of the lions to eat the zebra, as this would create a situation similar to the “three lions one zebra” scenario. In that scenario, a drowsy lion is eaten by the three hungry lions.

3. Dogged defending

Can this scenario be classified as a goal or not?

Solution:

I hope you had a good time solving today’s puzzles. I will return next week. Woof woof!

The Football School Encyclopedia can be found on The Guardian Bookshop and other internet stores. It is a hardcover book with full-color illustrations and provides extensive information: covering history, geography, science, statistics, rules, psychology, quizzes, jokes and much more. The Daily Telegraph rated it 5 stars and stated, “If your kids love football, this is the only book you’ll need.” TalkSport described it as the perfect gift for the holidays, even though parents may end up reading it after Christmas dinner. But enough about the book itself. You know what to do! 😉

Every other Monday, I post a puzzle on this platform. I am continuously searching for interesting puzzles. If you have a suggestion, please send me an email.

Source: theguardian.com