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Incredible, but solvable (Posted on 2015-10-30) Difficulty: 4 of 5
A puzzle by Princeton mathematician John Horton Conway:

Last night I sat behind two wizards on a bus, and overheard the following:

A: I have a positive integral number of children, whose ages are positive integers, the sum of which is the number of this bus, while the product is my own age.
B: How interesting! Perhaps if you told me your age and the number of your children, I could work out their individual ages?
A: No.
B: Aha! AT LAST I know how old you are!

Rem: Taking in account the fatherhood limitations, this is uniquely solvable.

No Solution Yet Submitted by Ady TZIDON    
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Some Thoughts re(2): @ Charlie- an explanation and a question | Comment 11 of 13 |
(In reply to re: @ Charlie- an explanation and a question by Charlie)

You are right, and I am relieved.

Now the only thing really wrong with the puzzle (and both of us let it go) is how fast A answered "No" to B's conditional questions.

Thanks again for removing unnecessary worries from my humble self.



  Posted by Ady TZIDON on 2015-11-01 09:15:21
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