Friday, October 3, 2025

Can you solve this week's puzzler?

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This Week's Puzzler

104 Mixed Up Cards

Puzzler time.

This one is quick. 

Here we go.

Let's say you have two ordinary decks of playing cards, minus the jokers. So you have a deck of 52 cards and another deck of 52 cards. These are identical decks. They are both red on the back. 

So, take both those decks and a shuffle them up as best you can. So both identical decks, mixed together, shuffled really good. 

That would be 104 cards all mixed up together. 

Then you divide them into two equal piles. You do this randomly, so just two equal piles of 52 cards each. 

So you got a pile of 52 cards on one side of the table and a pile of 52 cards on the other side of the table. 

And the puzzler question is, what are the chances that the number of red cards in pile #1 equals the number of black cards in pile #2? 

And also, how many cards would you have to look at to be certain of your answer? 

Good luck.

Answer the Puzzler »
Remember last week's puzzler?

The Valid Equation

Puzzler time.

This one involves matchsticks and Roman numerals again. But if you don't have those, because no one smokes anymore, you can use regular sticks!

Here we go.

So, if you use your sticks to make Roman numeral 7, that would be VII. 

Then an equals sign, which is two more sticks, of course. 

The you put an I. 

So the equation says: VII = I

Which is: 7 = 1

Now, your task is to move one stick and make this a valid true equation. 

The puzzler question is, which stick do you move to make it a valid equation?

Find out here »
Congratulations to this week's
puzzler winner:

 rpmerrill

Congratulations! This correct answer was chosen at random by our Web Lackeys.
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