Reply To: Puzzles
HARRY 28-SEP-25 NEWS PUZZLE – REPOSTED HERE WITH MY OWN NARATIVE ENDING
I got it from Raymond Chandler, you know the guy? Writer, gumshoe, loved a mean street. Anyway, turns out he loves a good puzzle too, and this one is more than good. He heard I liked coin flipping mysteries (see this news item from last year) and thought I might like this one. See what you make of it!
The night was black and wet, and the cave was worse. I went in looking for shelter and found a troll instead. He was ugly the way a fist is ugly—big, raw, and ready to break something. Behind him sat a mountain of coins. Thousands. Gold on one side, silver on the other. Half with the gold sides grinning at me, the others had turned their pale cheeks up. The troll laid it out flat. “Two piles. Same number of silver facing up in each; miss, and you’re dead.” Then he killed the torch. The dark came down heavy, thick enough to choke on. I couldn’t see. Didn’t matter. Guessing was suicide . . .
===================== THE STORY CONTINUED = MY VERSION . . .
After what seemed like an eternty, not becuase of my trying to figure it out but because of the stupid amount of coins, I said “Hey ugly, you can put the light on now and start inspecting ’em its getting late” He grabbed hold of me and I thought I was in for a beating, turned out he was making sure I didn’t run off while he examined the piles. To my relieve the troll kept his word and let me go, I scurried out calling back “Tell your next victim that there is an even amount of coins you loser”.
I wondered if I should return later with a friend a powerful searchlight, a shotgun and a wheelbarrow. Would you?
############ ANSWER DO NOT READ THIS UNLESS YOU WISH TO ############
Short Answer without proof:
Split the coins into two equal piles and flip all the coins in one pile.
Solution can be done in darkness, and without guessing.