"Whose Vault Is It?" (lateral thinking puzzler)

**soxfan**[$] · #1 06-22-2004, 05:20 PM

A new lateral thinking puzzle from Mental Fitness Puzzles (Hendrickson, Hendrickson, Kenneke and Hendrickson):

A burglar is stealing two bars of gold, each so heavy he cannot lift them above his waist. On his way out of the vault, he suddenly sees a security camera ahead. Thinking quickly, he disguises himself without putting down the gold bars. How?

My PM box is now open.

eplovejoy · #2 06-23-2004, 01:43 PM

It seems clear that he is carrying both bars out of the vault at the same time. Right?

Are they too heavy for him to lift them in front of his face?

theeye · #3 06-23-2004, 01:51 PM

Is he carrying the bars in his hands?

Or is he using some sort of conveyance (cart, etc.) to move them?

Is the answer simply that he is 'stealing' them, but not 'carrying' them and thus need not 'put them down' in order to have two hands available to disguise himself?

**soxfan**[$] · #4 06-23-2004, 02:37 PM

It seems clear that he is carrying both bars out of the vault at the same time. Right? Yes.

Are they too heavy for him to lift them in front of his face? Yes.

Is he carrying the bars in his hands? Yes.

Or is he using some sort of conveyance (cart, etc.) to move them? No.

Is the answer simply that he is 'stealing' them, but not 'carrying' them and thus need not 'put them down' in order to have two hands available to disguise himself? No, he's definitely carrying them.

theeye · #5 06-23-2004, 02:46 PM

Does he simply turn his back to the camera and walk backwards?

Put his head down between his legs, dangling his arms down?

Does his disguise primarily or entirely consist of some means of obscuring his face?

Or does he disguise all or most of his body in some fashion?

**soxfan**[$] · #6 06-23-2004, 02:50 PM

Does he simply turn his back to the camera and walk backwards? No.

Put his head down between his legs, dangling his arms down? No.

Does his disguise primarily or entirely consist of some means of obscuring his face? Yes.

Or does he disguise all or most of his body in some fashion? No.

*emeleel* · #7 06-23-2004, 03:35 PM

Does he lay one bar across his forehead and upper eyes, the other covering his mouth and chin?

Well - you did say he couldn't lift them ABOVE his head, didn't say anything about an equal level!

**soxfan**[$] · #8 06-23-2004, 03:39 PM

Does he lay one bar across his forehead and upper eyes, the other covering his mouth and chin? No.

Well - you did say he couldn't lift them ABOVE his head, didn't say anything about an equal level!

Oops, I made a typo (now corrected) -- the burglar can't lift the bars above his waist, instead of above his head.

CurtisEdmonds · #9 06-23-2004, 03:50 PM

Does he shake his head so fast that the camera can't record a non-blurry image?

theeye · #10 06-23-2004, 03:53 PM

Does he use the bars to hide his face?

Does he adjust his posture such that his head is below his waist?

Do the bars remain in his hands all the time?

Or does he shift them and carry them in some other way (sticking them in the waistband of his pants, for example)?

Does he then use his hands to cover his face?

Does he let his hat fall down over his face?

Does he, in fact, arrange to have his face covered by something?

**soxfan**[$] · #11 06-23-2004, 03:57 PM

Does he shake his head so fast that the camera can't record a non-blurry image? No.

Does he use the bars to hide his face? No.

Does he adjust his posture such that his head is below his waist? No.

Do the bars remain in his hands all the time? Yes.

Or does he shift them and carry them in some other way (sticking them in the waistband of his pants, for example)? No.

Does he then use his hands to cover his face? No.

Does he let his hat fall down over his face? No.

Does he, in fact, arrange to have his face covered by something? Yes.

theeye · #12 06-23-2004, 04:05 PM

Is his face covered by an article of clothing?

By his hair?

By the canvas sack (or some such) in which he is carrying the two bars of gold?

**soxfan**[$] · #13 06-23-2004, 04:09 PM

Is his face covered by an article of clothing? No.

By his hair? No.

By the canvas sack (or some such) in which he is carrying the two bars of gold? No.

theeye · #14 06-23-2004, 04:15 PM

Is he stealing more than just the two bars of gold?

Does he have something on top of his head, which he uses in his disguise?

Does he have an accomplice?

**theworm**[$] · #15 06-23-2004, 04:15 PM

Does he put a mask on the back of his head and walk out backwards?

**soxfan**[$] · #16 06-23-2004, 04:16 PM

Is he stealing more than just the two bars of gold? No.

Does he have something on top of his head, which he uses in his disguise? No.

Does he have an accomplice? No.

Does he put a mask on the back of his head and walk out backwards? No.

CurtisEdmonds · #17 06-23-2004, 04:19 PM

Were the gold bars in a bank?

A museum?

A mansion?

Fort Knox?

A costume shop?

(I know they weren't in my house; I keep my gold bars in the trunk of my car.)

**theworm**[$] · #18 06-23-2004, 04:21 PM

Is the security camera actually recording the exit from the vault, or is it outside the vault?

**soxfan**[$] · #19 06-23-2004, 04:32 PM

Were the gold bars in a bank? Yes, though the location doesn't matter.

A museum? No.

A mansion? No.

Fort Knox? No.

A costume shop? No.

(I know they weren't in my house; I keep my gold bars in the trunk of my car.) Why the trunk? Wouldn't the glove compartment be easier if you need to pay tolls?

**soxfan**[$] · #20 06-23-2004, 04:32 PM

Is the security camera actually recording the exit from the vault, or is it outside the vault? It's actually recording the exit.

CurtisEdmonds · #21 06-23-2004, 04:49 PM

Quote:

soxfan said

Wouldn't the glove compartment be easier if you need to pay tolls?

Heh. I live in Atlanta. Toll roads are a dirty word around these parts.

**soxfan**[$] · #22 06-24-2004, 06:08 PM

Here's a hint: the burglar conceals his identity with something he already brought with him -- and it's not a typical part of a burglar's equipment.