One of these things is not like the others
Goofy
Jokey
Brainy
Vanity
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Answer #20
One of these things is not like the others
Dodo
Coelacanth
Apatosaurus
Wooly Mammoth
Please go to the Question #20 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
The coelacanth is a type of fish which was believed to be extinct (for over 65 million years!), but was discovered in 1938 to still be around. The other three animals listed aren't still around -- they're actually extinct. So as the only living animal on the list, the coelacanth does not belong.
Dodo
Coelacanth
Apatosaurus
Wooly Mammoth
Please go to the Question #20 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
The coelacanth is a type of fish which was believed to be extinct (for over 65 million years!), but was discovered in 1938 to still be around. The other three animals listed aren't still around -- they're actually extinct. So as the only living animal on the list, the coelacanth does not belong.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Answer #19
One of these things is not like the others
En passant
J'Adoube
Touché
FIDE
Please go to the Question #19 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
The french is a bit of a red herring here. "En passant" ("in passing")is a term in chess which refers to special pawn capture. "J'Adoube" (or "I adjust") is something a chess player would say if they want to adjust the position of a piece on the board, and not actually make a move. And FIDE stands for Fédération Internationale des Échecs -- The World Chess Federation.
The remaining term has nothing to do with chess. "Touché" is a term in fencing used to acknowledge a hit. It is not like the others, so it does not belong.
En passant
J'Adoube
Touché
FIDE
Please go to the Question #19 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
The french is a bit of a red herring here. "En passant" ("in passing")is a term in chess which refers to special pawn capture. "J'Adoube" (or "I adjust") is something a chess player would say if they want to adjust the position of a piece on the board, and not actually make a move. And FIDE stands for Fédération Internationale des Échecs -- The World Chess Federation.
The remaining term has nothing to do with chess. "Touché" is a term in fencing used to acknowledge a hit. It is not like the others, so it does not belong.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Answer #18
One of these things is not like the others
12 1/2
33 1/3
45
78
Please go to the Question #18 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Whenever people see a list of numbers like this, the first instinct is to find a mathematical relationship between them. In this particular puzzle, that would lead you astray. It's actually a music question!
Three of these are record formats. The number is the speed (in RPMs) that you play the record. The "45" is probably the most familiar in this context, since that number at one point became synonymous with the fact that these records were "singles". Other records are played at 33 1/3 RPMs, and 78 RPMs. But there was never a record format played at 12 1/2 RPMs, so that is what does not belong.
12 1/2
33 1/3
45
78
Please go to the Question #18 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Whenever people see a list of numbers like this, the first instinct is to find a mathematical relationship between them. In this particular puzzle, that would lead you astray. It's actually a music question!
Three of these are record formats. The number is the speed (in RPMs) that you play the record. The "45" is probably the most familiar in this context, since that number at one point became synonymous with the fact that these records were "singles". Other records are played at 33 1/3 RPMs, and 78 RPMs. But there was never a record format played at 12 1/2 RPMs, so that is what does not belong.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Answer #17
One of these things is not like the others
"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars."
"He has too much of his father in him."
"Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son."
"Your father he is."
Please go to the Question #17 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Each of the quotes is from the Star Wars films.
The first is spoken by Princess Leia (or a holographic image of her, anyway) in the original 1977 film. She is asking for Obi-Wan Kenobi to help the rebellion, based on the fact that he had helped her (adoptive) father years previous.
The second quote is spoken by Aunt Beru, referring to how Luke Skywalker is too much like his father (Anakin) to simply be a farmer. This quote is also from the original Star Wars film ("Episode IV").
Darth Vader speaks the third quote to Luke in The Empire Strikes Back, in the scene in which he reveals that he is Luke's father.
The last quote is from Yoda, in Return of the Jedi, confirming to Luke that Vader was telling the truth -- he is indeed Luke's father.
The commonality is who the "father" refers to in each of the quotes. Darth Vader / Anakin Skywalker is the father in the last three quotes. Princess Leia, however, was certainly not referring to Vader when she tried to enlist Kenobi's help. So that is the quote which does not belong. It is not like the others.
"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars."
"He has too much of his father in him."
"Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son."
"Your father he is."
Please go to the Question #17 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Each of the quotes is from the Star Wars films.
The first is spoken by Princess Leia (or a holographic image of her, anyway) in the original 1977 film. She is asking for Obi-Wan Kenobi to help the rebellion, based on the fact that he had helped her (adoptive) father years previous.
The second quote is spoken by Aunt Beru, referring to how Luke Skywalker is too much like his father (Anakin) to simply be a farmer. This quote is also from the original Star Wars film ("Episode IV").
Darth Vader speaks the third quote to Luke in The Empire Strikes Back, in the scene in which he reveals that he is Luke's father.
The last quote is from Yoda, in Return of the Jedi, confirming to Luke that Vader was telling the truth -- he is indeed Luke's father.
The commonality is who the "father" refers to in each of the quotes. Darth Vader / Anakin Skywalker is the father in the last three quotes. Princess Leia, however, was certainly not referring to Vader when she tried to enlist Kenobi's help. So that is the quote which does not belong. It is not like the others.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Question #17
One of these things is not like the others
"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars."
"He has too much of his father in him."
"Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son."
"Your father he is."
"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars."
"He has too much of his father in him."
"Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son."
"Your father he is."
Answer #16
One of these things is not like the others
white
black
cyan
magenta
Please go to the Question #16 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Over on Twitter, several people chose black, with the quite-reasonable explanation that the others all come from emitted or reflected light, while black comes from the absence of light.
Perhaps a better choice for the list would have been white, yellow, cyan, magenta, given this alternate solution.
The intended solution relates to the color model used in four-color printing presses. Computer monitors and televisions use additive colors, where the combination of the component colors (Red, Green, and Blue -- RGB) add up to white. That works with light. But with ink or paint, adding all the component colors together produces black. To get richer blacks in print, a fourth color of ink is included -- Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and blacK -- CMYK.
white
black
cyan
magenta
Please go to the Question #16 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Over on Twitter, several people chose black, with the quite-reasonable explanation that the others all come from emitted or reflected light, while black comes from the absence of light.
Perhaps a better choice for the list would have been white, yellow, cyan, magenta, given this alternate solution.
The intended solution relates to the color model used in four-color printing presses. Computer monitors and televisions use additive colors, where the combination of the component colors (Red, Green, and Blue -- RGB) add up to white. That works with light. But with ink or paint, adding all the component colors together produces black. To get richer blacks in print, a fourth color of ink is included -- Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and blacK -- CMYK.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Answer #15
One of these things is not like the others
fir
pine
maple
spruce
Please go to the Question #15 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
These are all kinds of trees, of course. Fir, pine and spruce are coniferous, while maple is deciduous, so it does not belong. It is not like the others.
fir
pine
maple
spruce
Please go to the Question #15 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
These are all kinds of trees, of course. Fir, pine and spruce are coniferous, while maple is deciduous, so it does not belong. It is not like the others.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Answer #14
One of these things is not like the others
Willow
Kendra
Faith
Buffy
Please go to the Question #14 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
All the names on the list are characters on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but only three of them were actually Slayers. Willow was not, so she does not belong.
Willow
Kendra
Faith
Buffy
Please go to the Question #14 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
All the names on the list are characters on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but only three of them were actually Slayers. Willow was not, so she does not belong.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Answer #13
One of these things is not like the others
up
odd
bottom
strange
Please go to the Question #13 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
For such common words, it may be surprising that the answer involves something rather arcane. Three of the items on the list are types (or "flavors") of quarks -- subatomic particles not believed to have any further sub-structure.
Up and down quarks are by far the most common. The four other types are up, down, strange, and charm. The word on the list which is NOT a quark type is "odd", so it does not belong. It is not like the others.
up
odd
bottom
strange
Please go to the Question #13 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
For such common words, it may be surprising that the answer involves something rather arcane. Three of the items on the list are types (or "flavors") of quarks -- subatomic particles not believed to have any further sub-structure.
Up and down quarks are by far the most common. The four other types are up, down, strange, and charm. The word on the list which is NOT a quark type is "odd", so it does not belong. It is not like the others.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Question #13
I'm a few hours late for posting this one. I thought I'd put up a tough one for the thirteenth!
One of these things is not like the others
up
odd
bottom
strange
One of these things is not like the others
up
odd
bottom
strange
Friday, June 12, 2009
Answer #12
One of these things is not like the others
femtosecond
fortnight
millennium
parsec
Please go to the Question #12 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
A femtosecond is one millionth of one billionth of a second. A fortnight is 14 days. And a millennium is one thousand years. The fourth item on the list, parsec, is not a measurement of time, but rather of distance. So, parsec does not belong. It is not like the others.
femtosecond
fortnight
millennium
parsec
Please go to the Question #12 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
A femtosecond is one millionth of one billionth of a second. A fortnight is 14 days. And a millennium is one thousand years. The fourth item on the list, parsec, is not a measurement of time, but rather of distance. So, parsec does not belong. It is not like the others.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Answer #11
One of these things is not like the others
melancholic
sanguine
esoteric
phlegmatic
Please go to the Question #11 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Most of the items on the list are temperaments -- specifically, those related to the ancient theory of bodily humors. It was once believed that imbalances in these humors was the source of disease. An excess of blood caused one to be sanguine. Black bile would make you melancholic. And phlegmatic personality types were caused by an excess of ... yes ... phlegm.
The fourth humor which I left off the list was is choleric. Esoteric is not a bodily humor, or a temperament, so it does not belong. It is not like the others.
melancholic
sanguine
esoteric
phlegmatic
Please go to the Question #11 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Most of the items on the list are temperaments -- specifically, those related to the ancient theory of bodily humors. It was once believed that imbalances in these humors was the source of disease. An excess of blood caused one to be sanguine. Black bile would make you melancholic. And phlegmatic personality types were caused by an excess of ... yes ... phlegm.
The fourth humor which I left off the list was is choleric. Esoteric is not a bodily humor, or a temperament, so it does not belong. It is not like the others.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Answer #10
One of these things is not like the others
Esperanto
Aramaic
Volapük
Klingon
Please go to the Question #10 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
A couple of people on Twitter got this one right. All of the items on the list are languages, but most of them are invented -- deliberately designed languages. The Klingon language was invented by Marc Okrand for the Star Trek films. Esperanto and Volapük were designed as attempts to create a universal language.
The last language on the list is Aramaic, which is much older than the others on the list. It developed naturally, as did most languages. For this reason, Aramaic does not belong. It is not like the others.
Esperanto
Aramaic
Volapük
Klingon
Please go to the Question #10 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
A couple of people on Twitter got this one right. All of the items on the list are languages, but most of them are invented -- deliberately designed languages. The Klingon language was invented by Marc Okrand for the Star Trek films. Esperanto and Volapük were designed as attempts to create a universal language.
The last language on the list is Aramaic, which is much older than the others on the list. It developed naturally, as did most languages. For this reason, Aramaic does not belong. It is not like the others.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Answer #9
One of these things is not like the others
Calgary
Vancouver
Atlanta
Salt Lake City
Please go to the Question #9 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Vancouver will soon be the host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Similarly, Calgary has hosted the Winter games, and Salt Lake City has as well. Although Atlanta has also hosted the Olympics, they were the Summer games. Therefore, Atlanta does not belong. It is not like the others.
Calgary
Vancouver
Atlanta
Salt Lake City
Please go to the Question #9 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Vancouver will soon be the host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Similarly, Calgary has hosted the Winter games, and Salt Lake City has as well. Although Atlanta has also hosted the Olympics, they were the Summer games. Therefore, Atlanta does not belong. It is not like the others.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Answer #8
One of these things is not like the others
Ikiru
Usagi
Yojimbo
Kagemusha
Please go to the Question #8 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Most of these should be familiar to fans of Japanese films. Ikiru, Yojimbo, and Kagemusha are all movies directed by Akira Kurosawa.
The stand-out is Usagi, which is the Japanese word for rabbit (which I only know because of Stan Sakai's anthropomorphic comic book hero Usagi Yojimbo.) So, Usagi does not belong. It is not like the others.
Ikiru
Usagi
Yojimbo
Kagemusha
Please go to the Question #8 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Most of these should be familiar to fans of Japanese films. Ikiru, Yojimbo, and Kagemusha are all movies directed by Akira Kurosawa.
The stand-out is Usagi, which is the Japanese word for rabbit (which I only know because of Stan Sakai's anthropomorphic comic book hero Usagi Yojimbo.) So, Usagi does not belong. It is not like the others.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Answer #7
One of these things is not like the others
Barbie
Hot Wheels
Intellivision
Colecovision
Please go to the Question #7 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Over on Twitter, some users (@ohmoemusic first) chose Barbie as the item that isn't like the others. I'm always open to hearing about alternative solutions, so I asked the reason behind this answer, since it wasn't my intended solution. The answer was that the toys/games are not gender-specific, except for Barbie, which is primarily intended for girls.
While I can understand the impulse to see the puzzle in that way, I personally disagree, as I've never really understood the idea of seeing toys as exclusive to one sex. In any case, even if we accept this, I think there is a much stronger answer to the puzzle.
Three of the items on the list are or were created by Mattel. Colecovision was not. It does not belong.
Barbie
Hot Wheels
Intellivision
Colecovision
Please go to the Question #7 post if you haven't had a chance work on this one yet, since the text below contains the solution.
Over on Twitter, some users (@ohmoemusic first) chose Barbie as the item that isn't like the others. I'm always open to hearing about alternative solutions, so I asked the reason behind this answer, since it wasn't my intended solution. The answer was that the toys/games are not gender-specific, except for Barbie, which is primarily intended for girls.
While I can understand the impulse to see the puzzle in that way, I personally disagree, as I've never really understood the idea of seeing toys as exclusive to one sex. In any case, even if we accept this, I think there is a much stronger answer to the puzzle.
Three of the items on the list are or were created by Mattel. Colecovision was not. It does not belong.
Monday, June 1, 2009
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