20 Questions - A Friday Challenge

[aclivity]

Don't know if anyone is interested in this, I'll post it and see what kind of reaction it gets. The history of this is that it was used to test candidates for an organisation in the 60's, and the time taken to work out the solution was the important bit, not the questions asked. It's just a bit of fun.

The way it works is that I can answer any question you ask me with 'Yes', 'No' or 'Cannot Answer' (the last is used when a Yes or No answer is not possible).

Some people may already have heard this, I'd ask them not to spoil it!

This is the question:

A man walks into a bar in New York City. He gets into a conversation with another customer. The two men reach an agreement and leave the bar together. They go to another place where, in perfect surgical conditions, the first man removes the second man's arm. The first man then pays the second man, who then leaves.

The first man packs the severed arm in ice, into a packing case. He arranges for it to be sent on an aircraft to a private airstrip in California.

He then makes 5 phone calls to 5 locations in California and Nevada.

The 5 people who recevied the phone calls meet at the airstrip. They take the case from the aircraft, and drive into the desert. After an hours driving, they stop, open the case, and examine the contents. Satisfied with what they see, they bury the case, and all leave.

The question is why did all of this happen

[tom]

was man ill

[aclivity]

Originally Posted by tom

was man ill

cannot answer

[tom]

was the first man involved in the arms trade?


(sorry!)

[David]

Don't know if anyone is interested in this, I'll post it and see what kind of reaction it gets. The history of this is that it was used to test candidates for an organisation in the 60's, and the time taken to work out the solution was the important bit, not the questions asked. It's just a bit of fun.

I thought it was the way the group of people worked together. to see if they can work as a team. as you say the task is irrelevant.

but I do know the answer

DAvid

[Gavin Smith]

Originally Posted by aclivity

A man walks into a bar in New York City.

Was it an iron bar?

[Helen F H]

It was a downpayment on something costing an arm and a leg?

[aclivity]

Originally Posted by tom

was the first man involved in the arms trade?


(sorry!)

groan


no

[aclivity]

Originally Posted by Gavin Smith

Was it an iron bar?

no

[aclivity]

Originally Posted by Porg

It was a downpayment on something costing an arm and a leg?

no