Harry is in a history competition with two other students–Renèe and Tyler. The rules are as follows: A student will choose another student to target. A history question will be read out, and the student will give his or her answer. If the answer is correct, the target is eliminated. And if the answer is incorrect, the target stays in the game. This will happen until only one student remains. Harry isn't very good in history; his odds of answering correctly are 1/3. Renèe's odds are a little better–2/3. And Tyler is a history ace, with his odds of giving the correct answer being 3/3. Every student knows everyone else's odds. To be fair, Harry will begin; then, the turn will pass to Renèe, then to Tyler, and then to Harry, and so on until one player remains. How can Harry have higher chances to win?
Hint: Harry's strategy should focus on maximizing the chances of eliminating the strongest opponent, Tyler, as soon as possible.
On Harry's first turn, he should give the incorrect answer on purpose. If he targets Renèe and manages to eliminate her, then it's just Harry and Tyler; however, Tyler will definitely eliminate Harry because HIS odds are much higher. And if Harry targets Tyler and manages to eliminate him, then it's just Harry and Renèe; however, Renèe might eliminate Harry because she has higher odds. If Harry purposefully answers incorrectly, the turn will simply move to Renèe, who will answer next. On Renèe's first turn, she will likely target Tyler because he has higher odds than her. If she manages to eliminate him, then it's just Harry and Renèe. Harry will be going first with his shot at winning the competition. If Renèe doesn't eliminate Tyler, then it will be HIS turn; Tyler will target Renèe and eliminate her for sure due to his odds being higher than hers. Although Harry will have to go against Tyler in the end, it's still a fair situation because Harry will still be going first with a chance to win.
You live in a one story house made entirely of redwood. What color would the stairs be?
A boy was at a carnival and went to a booth where a man said to the boy, "If I write your exact weight on this piece of paper then you have to give me $50, but if I cannot, I will pay you $50." The boy looked around and saw no scale so he agrees, thinking no matter what the carny writes he'll just say he weighs more or less. In the end the boy ended up paying the man $50. How did the man win the bet?
Mr. and Mrs. Mustard have six daughters and each daughter has one brother. How many people are in the Mustard family?
What has six faces, but does not wear makeup, has twenty-one eyes, but cannot see? "What is it?"
A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him underwater for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be?
How do you make the number 7 even without addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division?
There are 10 people in an empty, square room. Each person has full sight of the entire room and everyone in it without turning his head or body or moving in any way (other than the eyes). Where can you place an apple so that all but one person can see it?
Always in you, Sometimes on you; If I surround you, I can kill you. What am I?
How can you take 2 from 5 and leave 4?
I have a little house in which I live all alone. It has no doors or windows, and if I want to go out I must break through the wall. What am I?
I am a word of six; my first three letters refer to an automobile; my last three letters refer to a household animal; my first four letters is a fish; my whole is found in your room. What am I?
Two girls have the same parents and were born at the same hour on the same day of the same month, but they are not twins. How can this be possible?
A time when they are green, a time when they're brown, but both of these times, cause me to frown. But just in between, for a very short while, They're perfect and yellow and cause me to smile! What am I talking about here?
When can you add two to eleven and get one as the correct answer?
Sometimes I am born in silence, Other times, no. I am unseen, But I make my presence known. In time, I fade without a trace. I harm no one, but I am unpopular with all. What am I?
A pregnant lady named her children: Dominique, Regis, Michelle, Fawn, Sophie, and Lara. What will she name her next child? Jessica, Katie, Abby, or Tilly?
Romeo and Juliet are found dead on the floor in a bedroom. When they were discovered, there were pieces of glass and some water on the floor. The only furniture in the room is a shelf and a bed. The house is in a remote location, away from everything except for the nearby railroad track. What caused the death of Romeo and Juliet?
Three playing cards in a row. Can you name them with these clues? There is a two to the right of a king. A diamond will be found to the left of a spade. An ace is to the left of a heart. A heart is to the left of a spade. Now, identify all three cards.
I'm not clothes but I cover your body; The more I'm used, the thinner I grow. What am I?
A man was found dead next to a 13 story building. The police say it was a suicide, but you say it was a homicide (someone killed him). To prove this, you go to each floor on the building, open the window, and toss a penny out. You do this to each floor until you reach the 13th floor, open the window, and toss a penny out. How does this prove it wasn't a suicide?