MetaChat - William runs a mint with 100 workers.

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01 November 2006

William runs a mint with 100 workers. Every day, he gives every worker 1 kg of gold, of which every worker has to make 100 memorial coins (10 g apiece). William has recently learned that one of his workers is cheating him, making coins that weigh 1 g less. How can William learn the identity of the thieving bastard with only one weighing?

post by: Daniel Charms at: 15:43 | 21 comments

Prob'ly torture would get the job done with one weighing or less.

posted by shane 01 November | 16:01

What kind of scale?

posted by taz 01 November | 16:02

What if he took one coin from the first worker, 2 coins from the second worker, etc, until he had coins from every worker. He would put them into containers and write their names and numbers or them. Then weigh all the containers at the same time. If the weight was 20 grams light, for example, it would be the 20th employee who was cheating him.

posted by iconomy 01 November | 16:03

Actually he wouldn't need to even put them into containers. Just keep a list of who gave how many coins.

posted by iconomy 01 November | 16:04

So who was it?

posted by taz 01 November | 16:07

It's one of William's split personalities.

Or, if the question's being asked by a communist, the answer is that William is stealing from the workers by keeping them in bonded servitude.

Either way, the bastard did it.

posted by Eideteker 01 November | 16:15

The urge to strike....is so strong....must resist....

posted by Lipstick Thespian 01 November | 16:16

If William were a real capitalist, he would choose a worker at random, gouge out one of their eyes on the factory floor, and tack it up in the employee break room as an example to the thief. If you're going to rule, the only option is to rule with an iron fist. That's what Jesus taught me.

posted by cmonkey 01 November | 16:18

There is no wealth without labor.

Elitist pigs!

Eat the rich.

posted by shane 01 November | 16:30

posted by terrapin 01 November | 16:31

*eats William, weighs self*

posted by taz 01 November | 16:34

Subpoena the complete financial records of each employee. Also, recent purchases, library withdrawals, internet activity, phone records, plus all of the above for all personal and phone contacts for all employees.

That is a start.

posted by danf 01 November | 16:34

They're just coin workers, danf, not members of Hewlett-Packard Board of Directors. Sheesh.

posted by mullacc 01 November | 16:51

In the blog where I found this riddle, everyone suggested that William should shoot every tenth worker in order to stop them from stealing his gold :p

posted by Daniel Charms 01 November | 17:13

William should bide his time. Patiently wait, a year or so. Then, one day, one of the employees will show up on a gold unicycle...

Then William, ceasing his day, can borrow the gold unicycle and ride through the town looking for the thief.

posted by Hellbient 01 November | 17:35

You guys are smart AND funny.

posted by richat 01 November | 18:19

If I were hellbient, though, I'd be pretty bummed at myself for that typo. Just saying.

posted by richat 01 November | 18:21

This was a puzzler on Cartalk many years ago. Iconomy's answer was the one they gave.

posted by Rhomboid 01 November | 19:13

Then William, ceasing his day, can borrow the gold unicycle and ride through the town looking for the thief.

Then William would be the Bicycle Thief?

posted by shane 01 November | 21:10

holy christ, seizing. I've said it again, I shouldn't comment at the end of the work day.

posted by Hellbient 02 November | 00:45

It was Richard Pryor did it.
Applaud his efforts and give him a job defeating Superman.

posted by seanyboy 02 November | 03:06

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