Missing Cards Riddle + Solution
Try solving the following puzzle before looking at the solution!
Missing Cards Riddle
This is a good riddle to test your card dealing skills. Do you know how many cards are missing?
For reference, I have included the riddle text below as well:
A small number of cards has been lost from a complete 52-card pack.
If I deal among 4 people, 3 cards remain.
If I deal among 3 people, 2 cards remain.
If I deal among 5 people, 2 cards remain.
How many cards are there?
Solution
The key to this riddle is that each person gets dealt the same number of cards, which means that we need a multiple of the number of people being dealt. Then we can pick multiples near 52 and see how many remain for each number of people being dealt. The scenario that matches all 3 remainders is the correct one, which in this case is 47 total cards or 5 cards missing from a complete 52-card deck.
The steps to the solution are shown in the image as well as in text before below.:
Each person gets the same number of cards.
Dealing 4 people: Need multiples of 4 near 52.
44: Each get 11 cards. 3 remain → 47 total cards.
48: Each get 12 cards. 3 remain → 51 total cards.
Dealing 3 people: Need multiples of 3 near 52.
51: Each get 17 cards. 2 remain → 53 total cards.
48: Each get 16 cards. 2 remain → 50 total cards.
45: Each get 15 cards. 2 remain → 47 total cards.
Dealing 5 people: Need multiples of 5 near 52.
50: Each get 10 cards. 2 remain → 52 total cards.
45: Each get 9 cards. 2 remain → 47 total cards.
The only one that works for all is 47 total cards.
This riddle was taken from the following website: https://www.rd.com/list/math-riddles/
Source: https://mes.fm/puzzles/missing-cards-riddle/solution
New Puzzle: Einstein's Riddle
A rare fish has been stolen from an aquarium. The police have traced the fish to a street with 5 houses. They can't search all at once and if they search one, the thief will know they are on his trail and run away. The police hire you as a detective to solve the case.
The police give you the following information:
Each house owner is a different nationality: German, Dane, Norwegian, Swede, and Brit.
Each house owner drinks a different beverage: milk, tea, coffee, water, and root beer.
Each house owner smokes a different type of cigar: Dunhill, Blends, Pall Mall, Prince, and Blue Master.
Each house interior walls are painted a different color: yellow, red, white, green, and blue.
Each house contains a different animal: cat, horse, bird, dog, and fish.
You are able to gather the list of clues shown in the image below.
Now it is up to you to solve for the house with the fish!
HINT: Make a 5x5 table with house number vs house information to help organize your investigation.
I will share the solution here next month!
More Puzzles
The above puzzles were taken from my website and republished on the Hive blockchain.
For more puzzles, visit: https://mes.fm/puzzles