perplexus.info :: General : Siblings Should Share Secret Safely

Siblings Should Share Secret Safely (Posted on 2005-07-17)

An old man, with four sons and three daughters, buried a safebox with valuables inside. He wanted his children to get it when he died, but neither the boys nor the girls to get it all for themselves; he desired that at least two sons and two daughters had to be involved in order to find the missing treasure.

(For example, the three girls on their own couldn't find the treasure, even if one boy helped them. The four boys and one girl couldn't find it either.)

How could he manage this?

Submitted by Old Original Oskar!

Rating: 4.0000 (2 votes)

Solution: (Hide)

A possibility: bury the treasure, and on a map, draw two lines that cross at the treasure position. Call the first line the "boys line" and the second the "girls line". Give to each boy the coordinates of a random point in the "boys line", and each girl a point in the "girls line". If two boys get together, they can determine their line, but unless two girls do the same, they cannot find the treasure.

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)

Subject	Author	Date
Puzzle Solution	K Sengupta	2022-07-10 00:38:45
Note on the official solution ...	JayDeeKay	2010-03-05 14:19:21
re(5): Easy solution for greedy children	Amber	2005-07-25 03:58:25
re(4): Easy solution for greedy children	brianjn	2005-07-19 08:57:39
re(3): Easy solution for greedy children	Amber	2005-07-19 03:36:55
re(2): Before Checking Ken	brianjn	2005-07-19 00:57:01
re: Before Checking Ken	Leming	2005-07-18 19:33:29
re(2): Easy solution for greedy children	e.g.	2005-07-18 03:35:22
re: Easy solution for greedy children	Amber	2005-07-18 03:25:49
Easy solution for greedy children	Amber	2005-07-18 03:12:11
Pedantic	brianjn	2005-07-18 00:50:27
re: Buried... DOESN'T WORK	Federico Kereki	2005-07-18 00:10:42
Buried...	Jane Canarde	2005-07-17 23:54:11
re: Do it with keys	Ken Haley	2005-07-17 18:27:10
Do it with keys	e.g.	2005-07-17 15:16:59
re: Locate	brianjn	2005-07-17 07:42:46
Before Checking Ken	brianjn	2005-07-17 07:02:49
Using Symmetric Encryption	Ken Haley	2005-07-17 05:58:42
Locate	brianjn	2005-07-17 02:51:28

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