This month generated a very strong response of correct answers - which was most encouraging.

And, yes, the inscription read: “To Tie Horses To”!

There was one person who wanted to know if a prize was on offer for getting a couple of the Mind Benders correct. You know, here was I thinking the sheer satisfaction of finding the actual solutions would be enough reward. However, clearly, it’s not!

So, here’s what I’ll do: Whoever submits a correct answer (and is among the first 10 responses) for six of the Mind Benders in any given year … will then receive a prize worthy of that achievement. As all responses are logged and time-dated, that will be an easy task at this end.

And I’ll leave it to you to be quick off the mark, when the Mind Bender for May hits your screen.

This month’s Mind Bender drew an excellent response — with some 30 of you proposing varying solutions.

Those solutions ranged from …

• Place one bag on the scales at a time, until you discover the lighter one; and
• Put all bags onto the scales, and remove them one at a time for the result; and
• Assuming it is a balancing scale: Put five bags on each side, then remove two at a time to find the lighter bag; through to …
• Simply lift each bag manually to “feel” which bag is lighter, and avoid the need to use the scales at all.
  (more…)

Last month, a couple of people suggested that I needed to “raise the bar” a little. And, judging from the handful of responses that came back … it seems this Mind Bender may have slowed few of them down.

In fact, I think there were actually only three of you, who managed to finally work it out.

Here is the solution you needed …
(more…)

Thanks for submitting your solutions for this Mind Bender.

It’s interesting that most people tend to focus upon what is there — rather than what is NOT there — in seeking out a solution. So, it’s good to see that a number of you don’t place such limits on your own thinking.

In your comments, several people suggested that the words “a” and “the” were missing. Yet it’s not very hard to construct a paragraph without them.

However, what’s unusual is to have an entire paragraph without the letter “E” - being the most popular letter in the alphabet.

Anyway, congratulations to those of you who picked it up quickly. And maybe I will have to ‘raise the bar’ for February.

It’s good to see that you’re receiving and reading my Blog. And more importantly, thinking laterally!

The two words spoken by the wise man to the Sons were: “Swap horses” (or “Exchange” or “Change horses”.)

You see, it was only the horse that was required to come last. Therefore, by swapping horses, each son was then highly motivated to start the race, and cross the finish line first — on his brother’s horse.

The Two Winners are …

Now we have received a number of correct responses.

As Dominic and Richard were the first two correct responses … they receive a FREE place at my Property Workshop planned for Saturday 24 February 2004.

And for those of you intending to come along, remember: If you do register for the Workshop before Christmas, you’ll receive a FREE autographed copy of my latest book: “How Investing in Commercial Property Really Works”.

Look forward to seeing you there.