Vote Archives

Question:

Brain teaser time to get you going. You have nine cookies. Eight are identical. The ninth is identical with the exception that it is heavier as a gold ring was baked inside it. You have a set of balance scales (the ones that allow you to put something on one side and something on the other and tell you which is heavier). What is the fewest number of times you need to use the scale to determine which cookie contains the ring?

Results:

0 was the clear winner with 60% of the votes from the following selection:

• 0 (60%)
• 1 (20%)
• 2 (0%)
• 3 (20%)
• 4 (0%)
• 5 (0%)
• 6 (0%)
• 7 (0%)
• 8 (0%)
• 9 (0%)

Analysis:

Interesting - nobody got this one right. The correct answer is two.

Divide the cookies into three groups of three. Put two of them on either side of the scales and pick the group that is the heaviest. If they are the same, then pick the group that is not on the scales. At this point we know that the ring is in one of the three cookies in the heaviest group. Simply do the same thing again - pick two of the cookies and put one on either side of the scales. If there is a heavier one then it contains the ring. If not, the ring is in the one not on the scales.

Question:

Here's a brain teaser from Karen. If it were 2 hours later, it would be half as long until midnight as it would be if it were an hour later. What time is it now?

Results:

9 o'clock was the clear winner with 75% of the votes from the following selection:

• 6 o'clock (0%)
• 7 o'clock (0%)
• 8 o'clock (25%)
• 9 o'clock (75%)
• 10 o'clock (0%)

Analysis:

Once you get your head around the wording of the question, this one wasn't that hard. Most of you got it right - the answer is 9 o'clock.

Question:

The drive for five is done. Jimmie Johnson has done it again. More importantly, however, is the fact that I won the NASCAR race game. If I ran the competition again next year, would you be interested?

Results:

Yes was the clear winner with 100% of the votes from the following selection:

• Yes (100%)
• No (0%)

Analysis:

A resounding yes from a very small number of people. Only three people responded which is less than actually took part in the competition. Regardless of the answer, I'm going to run another one next year anyway. To be honest, the season starts in February, so I'll probably set the competition up early in the year to allow people to register and to see if I can entice someone to play who doesn't know me .... but I doubt it.

Question:

A traumatic experience happened earlier this week when I sat down to watch Top Gear only to find that it had been franchised out and rather than watching the TV show I'm used to, I ended up watching American Top Gear. Somehow Clarkson's wit doesn't come across. That said, it was still true to car lovers, so this week I ask the simple question, if you could have one of the following sports cars, which one would you pick?

Results:

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport was the clear winner with 75% of the votes from the following selection:

• Ascari A10 (0%)
• Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport (75%)
• Ferrari 599xx (0%)
• Gumpert Apollo (0%)
• Jaguar XJ 220 (25%)
• Koenigsegg CCX (0%)
• McLaren F1 (0%)
• Pagani Zonda F (0%)
• Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo (0%)
• SSC Ultimate Aero TT (0%)

Analysis:

Seems like the popular vote has gone to the fastest car. I suppose that was to be expected and I think the Bugatti is an amazing car.

Question:

It appears that tradition upon leaving a company is to write an email telling everyone how much you enjoyed working with them. Many people try and be funny or add something witty to these goodbye messages. Which of the following phrases would you end with in a goodbye email to work colleagues?

Results:

Boing .... said Zeberdee, So long, farewell, goodbye, auf Weidersehen, So long and thanks for all the fish and TTFN tied with 25% of the votes each from the following:

• Boing .... said Zeberdee (25%)
• Hasta la vista, baby (0%)
• Na-na-naa-na, hey hey hey, Goodbye (0%)
• See you later .... I'm off somewhere better (0%)
• So long, farewell, goodbye, auf Weidersehen (25%)
• So, five-card stud, nothing wild. And the sky's the limit. (0%)
• So long and thanks for all the fish (25%)
• Time to bounce (0%)
• TTFN (25%)

Analysis:

Random responses then. I suspect Mr O went for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy response (so long and thanks for all the fish). The thing with that one is that it's been done before and I'd think I was copying someone, otherwise it's likely something I'd go for. I quite like the Star Trek TNG one (so, five card stud, nothing wild. And the sky's the limit). I've not seem anyone do this before, however, my vote was for the magic roundabout (boing .... said Zeberdee). Kind of has a cool checking out feel to it and nobody in the US will have a clue what it actually means.

Question:

I've been watching a few Star Trek (TNG, not that it matters) episodes and am taken by how good some of the one liners are. When Q transports the senior staff of the Enterprise to Sherwood Forrest to make Picard play out a Robin Hood saga, the camera pans to Worf in tights who shouts “Sir, I protest, I am not a merry man!” Anyway, that brings me to this week's question - which of the following is your favorite quote?

Results:

Luke, I am your father - Darth Vader and None of the above tied with 33% of the votes each from the following:

• Beam me up, Scotty - Captain Kirk (17%)
• Do you feel lucky, punk? - Dirty Harry (0%)
• Elementary, my dear Watson - Sherlock Holmes (17%)
• Hello Clarice - Hannibal Lecter (0%)
• Luke, I am your father - Darth Vader (33%)
• Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? - Evil Queen, Snow White (0%)
• Play it again, Sam - Humphrey Bogart (0%)
• None of the above (33%)

Analysis:

The correct answer is, of course “none of the above” on the basis that none of these lines were actually spoken. These are all misquoted lines. The actual lines are as follows:

• Captain Kirk (closest line) - Scotty, Beam us up.
• Darth Vader - no, I am your father.
• Dirty Harry - Ah, I know what you’re thinking, punk. You’re thinking, ‘Did he fire six shots or only five?’ Well, to tell you the truth, I’ve forgotten myself in all this excitement. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question, ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya punk?
• Evil Queen (Snow White) - Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all
• Hannibal Lecter - good evening, Clarice.
• Humphrey Bogart - You played it for her, you can play it for me. When Sam tries to refuse, he replies, If she can stand it, I can. Play it!
• Sherlock Holmes - has quoted deductions as being elementary and has referred to his sidekick as my dear Watson, but never together.

Question:

With Christmas being right around the corner, it seems appropriate to ask a festive question this week. Which do you prefer or which are you?

Results:

Naughty Girl was the clear winner with 100% of the votes from the following selection:

• Naughty Girl (100%)
• Nice Girl (0%)

Analysis:

Not entirely sure whether the lack of votes was because the question was boring or because my computer screwed up and advanced the vote one too many, so the vote wasn't actually on the vote page for most of the week. Anyway, we all know that naughty girls are the best!

Question:

As we move into the new year, I guess I should ask something about resolutions or perhaps be a bit philosophical on what the new year will bring. Unfortunately, the only question on my mind right now is - do you fancy a cup of tea?

Results:

Yes was the clear winner with 67% of the votes from the following selection:

• Yes (67%)
• No (0%)
• Infinite Improbability Drive (33%)

Analysis:

Indeed. You can't go wrong with a nice hot cup of tea. Whether it's for yourself or to create an infinite improbability drive.

Question:

Does your 2011 new year's resolution involve losing weight?

Results:

Yes and No tied with 50% of the votes each from the following:

• Yes (50%)
• No (50%)

Analysis:

I see the majority of respondents are happy remaining fat ... and quite rightly so.

Ho hmmm! Caught out by a last minute vote to tie the standings. That's the problem with writing the analysis before the time has run out for people to vote. You leave yourself open to last minute changes.

Question:

Well, this week is the 180th vote question that I've set. Quite worrying in itself I think, but what does 180 mean to you?

Results:

The highest score in darts was the clear winner with 75% of the votes from the following selection:

• The number of vote questions set on this site (0%)
• The highest score in darts (75%)
• An about turn (0%)
• A change of mind (0%)
• The number that falls between 179 and 181 (25%)
• An energy drink produced by Anheuser-Busch (0%)

Analysis:

As Mr O says - top arrows. Indeed 180 should resonate with everyone and you should immediately think of darts. And obviously the accompanying announcer that draws out the words “one hundred and eighty!”