Neatorama presents our collaboration with Pzzlr, a site where you can always find a riddle to exercise your brain. Can you solve this one?
Eka is a young man of marrying age within the lost tribe of the Milcarnicans. He and Nikku, the daughter of the tribe’s Chief, are in love and go to the Chief to request permission to marry.
The Chief gives Eka 5 blue pebbles, 5 green pebbles and two bowls. Out of sight of Nikku, Eka must divide the pebbles between the two bowls any way he chooses. A blindfolded Nikku must then draw a pebble from one of the two bowls. If she draws a blue pebble then the couple will have the Chief’s blessing to marry, but if the pebble is green then the union will be forbidden (green being the color of the evil serpent spirit, Balcan).
How should Eka divide the pebbles between the bowls to give Nikku the greatest chance of drawing out a blue pebble?
Do you know the answer? The solution is at Pzzlr!
Look for a new puzzle here at Neatorama every Wednesday, and check out Pzzlr for a puzzle anytime!
(Image credit: Flickr user Jo Christian Oterhals)
Coincidentally, this also increases the odds, as I found when I looked at the answer!