******* 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: Hubcaps of the Undercover Highway Patrol RAY: The inspiration for this puzzler was sent in a decade or two ago by a fellow named Eric Orr. Actually, it was just a few months ago. And, of course, I had to completely scrap what he sent in. TOM: He sent you the kernel of the idea. RAY: Exactly. Here it is: I remember a day some years ago when I got into a scrape with the law. Okay, I got stopped for speeding. It was an unmarked state police car that pulled me over. As he drove off after handing me my license and speeding ticket, I looked his car over, trying to find something that would make this unmarked car easier to spot in a crowd of cars the next time. Well, the one thing I did notice-there were no other features really-was that this car had something called "half moon hubcaps." They're the kinds that cover only that part of the wheel where the lug nuts are located. They don't cover the entire wheel like traditional hubcaps. Over the next few weeks, I began to look at lots of police cars, both marked and perhaps even unmarked. Most of them had these very same hubcaps, and not the full wheel hubcaps that most civilian cars had. The question is why do you see these kinds of hubcaps on police cars? By the way, you do see them on some civilian cars. You see them on hot rods, for example-- and it may be that they're on hot rods and police vehicles for the same reason. Think you know? Drop us a note via http://www.cartalk.com/email/email.html If you're right and we select your answer, we'll ship you a $26 Shameless Commerce gift certificate. Want to listen to Ray obfuscate the puzzler in person? Listen anytime, at http://www.cartalk.com/content/puzzler/ ************ Remember last week's puzzler? A Most Unsavory Cup of Joe RAY: This puzzler came from a fellow named Jim Kugler. It's, well... it's a few years old. TOM: He's probably dead! RAY: That's what I'm hoping for. Actually, he isn't really the author. He says, "This is a re-worked question from a Mensa quiz." So, he stole it from Mensa. Did I mention that I had to obfuscate? Okay. Here it is: My friend Richard bought himself a fancy European sports car. One day he received a letter from his dealership asking him to stop by for a recall. The inspection would be completed within 30 minutes while he waited, of course. Richard made an appointment, dropped off his car, and was directed to the waiting room. The hospitality hostess-this is a very fancy dealership, as you can tell-- pointed out the magazine rack, directed him to a café table, and asked him if he would like some coffee and a brioche. Richard said, "Yes," and soon the hostess returned and provided him with a steaming cup. Just as he was about to put the cup to his lips he saw an extinguished match floating in his coffee cup. He called the hostess over to his table and pointed out the used match. She cried out, "Mon Dieu!" She immediately removed the offensive cup and quickly returned, saying, "I'm so sorry, sir. Here's a fresh cup." After he calmed down, Richard tasted his coffee, and then indignantly slammed his fist on the table, and bellowed, "What are you trying to pull? This is the same cup of coffee! All you did was take out the match!" How did he know? 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 *************** Write Tom and Ray--Please! Been meaning to write us a witty, brilliant, evocative, insightful letter? Excellent! We're not getting any of those things from the chumps hanging around Car Talk Plaza. For that matter, we'd settle for anything better than the usual schlock Tommy reads on the air. So, what are you waiting for? Write Tom and Ray right now at http://www.cartalk.com/email/email.html ******************* Useful information alert: How to Get a Free Car Talk CD or Booklet Tired of paying auto club dues to an outfit that lobbies against environmental causes? Check out Better World Club--and in the process get a Car Talk booklet or CD for free! Better World is an auto club with genuinely decent values-- unlike some others we could name... Whose initials happen to be AAA. Better World Club cares about... *Your environmental interests -- it gives 1% of its revenue to environmental clean up and advocacy. *Your consumer interests -- it even offers discounts on hybrid rental cars. *And it has the nation's only bicycle roadside assistance program. Dump your AAA membership and join Better World! If you join via the Car Talk web site now, you'll get a free Car Talk CD, or a copy of our booklet, 10 Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car without Even Knowing It. Check out Better World Club now at Http://www.cartalk.com *********************************** 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.
