Linear Thinking Riddle

There are four people in a house. A fireman, an athlete, an old woman, and a drunk guy. The house catches fire and before the fact is known, it is too late. All they know is that the entire house is in flames and it will collapse exactly after twelve minutes. Now they can move out of the house but for that, they will have to pass the hallway which is entirely blazing with flames. Thus to move, one must carry a fire extinguisher to keep the flames away. Seeking the burnt wooden floor, only two people can run through that hallway at one time. But for others to go, one must return back with the fire extinguisher. The fireman is trained for such tasks and can run through the hallway in a minute. The athlete can make it in a couple of minutes. The old woman can run slowly and will cover the hallway in four minutes. The drunk guy will take five minutes to run through it. If all of them can make it through the hallway in twelve minutes, all of them will be saved. When two move together, they will run at the speed of the slower ones.

How will all four of them manage to run to safety?




Similar Riddles

When I got four, I have it none.
When I got two, I have it some.
When I got none, I have it all.

What is it?

Asked by Neha on 31 Aug 2024


By using 'because' continuously three times, can you make an English statement ?

Asked by Neha on 28 Aug 2021

Can you find a number that lies one third of the distance between 1/3 and 2/3?

Asked by Neha on 29 Dec 2020


In a stable, there are men and horses. In all, there are 22 heads and 72 feet. How many men and how many horses are in the stable

Asked by Neha on 29 Jun 2023

James Bond is caught up in a mysterious scenario where the evil villain has him blindfolded. He somehow breaks through the handcuffs but is unable to get the blindfold off. Upon searching, he comes across a bow and 3 arrows. He can hear the villain speak, and thus tries to take a shot at him. He launches the first arrow, it misses the villain. He then launches the second arrow and it misses by a greater margin.

What is the probability that this third shot our James bond takes will be worse than the second shot?

Asked by Neha on 21 Jun 2023

A man was convicted of a minor offence in Akbar court. Akbar decided to give him a chance. He asked him to give a statement. If the statement is true, he will be killed by lions and if it is false, he will be killed by trampling of wild elephants.

The convicted person requested help from Birbal and since the crime was not a big one, Birbal decided to help him. Whatever Birbal suggested impressed Kabir and he let the convicted person go.

What did Birbal suggest to the person?

Asked by Neha on 10 May 2021


What is the next number in this series?

4,12,84,3612....

Asked by Neha on 18 Mar 2023

Two girls were born to the same mother, on the same day, at the same time, in the same month and year and yet they're not twins. How can this be ?

Asked by Neha on 26 May 2021

Can you decipher the following common phrase?

T M C
A U O
H S M
W T E

Asked by Neha on 14 May 2021


Rob is taller than Edwin, and Jurgen is shorter than Rob.
Of only one of the following statements, we now certainly know it is correct:

A.Edwin is taller than Jurgen
B.Jurgen is taller than Edwin
C.It cannot be determined if Jurgen or Edwin is the tallest.

Asked by Neha on 01 Mar 2024

Hot Articles

Amazing Facts

Word ladder puzzle

The word ladder puzzle was invented by Lewis Carroll, author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.