Puzzler of the week

[Scott MacLean]

This week's puzzler:

It was a dark and stormy night. Tommy and I were passengers on a small ferry, en route to a tiny island off the Connecticut coast. We were on the upper deck, smoking Cuban cigars with the captain. This was the kind of ferry that takes cars as well as passengers, and from our vantage we could see the eight or nine cars that were parked on the front of the boat. But we could barely see the license plates of these cars, let alone what makes and models they were.

As we approached the dock, Tommy and I decided that we needed to have a bet. Tommy said, "Geez, how many of these cars do you figure are automatics, and how many do you figure are standard shift?"

So, I picked a number. I said, " I think three cars are stick shift."

And Tommy said, "I think there are five."

The boat finally docked, and the people who owned the cars got in them and drove away. And I turned to my brother, and said, "You won."

We never left the upper deck, and all we could see were the backs of the cars. We couldn't see inside the cars, nor could we identify what makes the cars were. But we did see the people get in and drive the cars off the boat

The captain said, "How could there not be an argument here? How could you possibly know and agree that Tommy's number was right?"

Last week's puzzler:

Many years ago, I received a late night phone call from my brother: I knew it was one of two things - either his wife threw him out and he needed a place to sleep, or his car had broken down.

This time, though, it's his car. He says, "I need help. Do you have a rope to tow with?"

I say, "Yeah. Sure. I'll be right there." So, I watch Ted Koppel and the "Tonight Show," I take a shower and I make a sandwich - and then I decide to head out and give him a hand.

I arrive with my car, tow rope in hand. He's asleep in the car, snuggled up with one of his favorite raccoons. He wakes up, and tells me what's wrong. I say, "I can't tow you, you knucklehead."

And Tommy says, "We only have a few blocks to go. I'll tow you."

I say, "Huh?" But he's right. The question is, what's wrong with his car? Now, don't forget: Tommy's the one that broke down and he's going to tow me back.

Got a clue why Tommy's towing Ray?

Last week's puzzler answer:

The reason he can tow me and I can't tow him is that his brakes have failed and because I have a rope if I tow him when I stop, he's going to slam into me. But, if rather he tows me when he needs to stop, he can signal me and by my stepping on the brakes, I will stop him as well.