******* The Car Talk Puzzler Psychic Friends Network******* >From The Desk Of
Maury Maille Puzzler Tower Car Talk Plaza Hahvahd Squayah Our Fair City This Week's Puzzler: Ray, In Search of Some Hot Water RAY: A few weeks ago, my wife and I, along with my brother and his wife, had occasion to visit New York City and stay at one of the finer hotels-that is, one of those that actually had beds and sheets. I'm sure all of you have noticed this: If you go into the bathroom in your hotel room and turn on the hot water, whether it's at the sink or the shower, you get hot water very nearly instantaneously. TOM: It's certainly not time enough to come up from the basement of the building. RAY: Exactly! So, I'm convinced that the water heater has got to be under the sink, which is called a "point of use" hot water heater. I immediately drop to my knees, and I'm on my back looking up under the sink and I see nothing. So, I decide to investigate. I walk up and down the corridor, figuring somewhere there's got to be a "Mechanicals" room where the water heater is, and it's obviously going to be right near my room. I'm in Room 1120, there's 1121 next to me, 1119 on the other side, and I'm convinced that one of them is a phony. All night long I'm tossing and turning. I can't figure this out. At 2:00 in the morning, I jump out of bed, I throw on a pair of undies and a robe, and I run to 1121 next door. I know this is the utility room. It's not a real hotel room, it's a phony room. I pound on the door, expecting no one would answer because all that's in there is the hot water heater. A guy answers in his underwear, "Whaddaya want?" So, I know that's not the answer. The next morning, I ask one of the chambermaids, "Where is the water heater on this floor?" She says, "There's no water heater on this floor." I ask the concierge, "Is there a water heater above us or below us?" He says, "No, monsieur. All ze water heaters are in ze basement." TOM: You didn't tell me you did all this! RAY: I was up all night. TOM: So was I. Some jerk was banging on my door! RAY: The question is, if the water heaters are in the basement, and I'm on the 11th floor, how can I have hot water instantaneously? Think you know? Well then, drop us a note via http://www.cartalk.com/email/email.html with your answer. If you're right and we select your answer, we'll ship you a $26 Shameless Commerce Gift Certificate. Want to listen to Raymond obfuscate the puzzler in person? Listen anytime, at http://www.cartalk.com/content/puzzler/ ************ Remember last week's classic puzzler? Fine English Cuisine-And a Murder to Boot RAY: This puzzler was sent in by Jason Margolies. Two American businessmen were visiting their British counterparts, and enjoying a night at the boss's English mansion. Over a dinner of fine English cuisine -- TOM: Right away, I know this puzzler is going to be bogus. There's no such thing as fine English cuisine. RAY: The group discussed the differences between the two countries. As is often the case when a bunch of guys get together, the topic turned to sports, and how, for example, our American pastime is a descendant of cricket. As the night wore on, one of the British businessman, Ian, realized he wanted to get a report he had left in his office. He excused himself to retrieve it, and Dave, one of the Americans, asked if he could ride along with him. They were gone only a short time, but when they returned to the mansion they were surprised to see a few police cars parked in front. An officer approached the two men, asked them to identify themselves, and explained that a servant had been attacked by one of the three guests in the house. The servant had been stabbed in the right shoulder, and had managed to call the police before he passed out. TOM: Was he heard to scream, "Fine British cuisine, my foot!" RAY: Something like that. An ambulance took the servant to hospital, and, needless to say, the police were eager to solve the crime. They weren't sure if the servant was going to survive to identify the attacker. A young police officer present described the wounds that had been inflicted on the servant-then Ian explained that he had an idea how to find out who did it. He assembled all the men in the study, and began strutting in front of the fireplace, talking in a quite animated manner about what he thought had happened -- kind of like Sherlock Holmes would do, puffing on his Calabash pipe. Near the fevered climax of his presentation, Ian picked up three knick-knacks from the mantelpiece, and tossed them one by one to the three suspects, who in turn caught them with one hand. Ian had concluded that, since the servant's wounds were in the right shoulder, the attacker was left-handed, and the person who caught the trinket in his left hand was the culprit. To his dismay, each of the three men caught the trinket in his right hand. A bored looking policeman said, "Well, it doesn't look like that worked." Just then, out of the inky shadows, Dave, the American, who had ridden with Ian to retrieve the report said, "Actually, Ian's trick worked quite well. And it looks like I'll be flying home alone." How did he know it was his countryman who attacked the servant? Well, here's how: http://www.cartalk.com/content/puzzler/ So, did you figure it out? Yours in weekly puzzler torment, Maury Maille Puzzler Dissemination Specialist Car Talk Plaza *********************************** Got more time to kill? This past weekend's new, lousy Car Talk show is now on the web site, at http://www.cartalk.com/Radio/Show/ ******************** Help Ray lose the night sweats he's been getting, trying to come up with a decent puzzler each week. E-mail him your suggestion any time, via http://www.cartalk.com/email/email.html ******************** Puzzled out? You can unsubscribe to the Car Talk Puzzler Psychic Friends Network anytime at http://www.cartalk.com/ct/maillist.jsp?puzzler_list=subscribe#psychic We'll forgive you.
