Solution:

Let us denote the cats with A, B, C and D in a fashion that A is chasing B, B is chasing C, C is chasing D and D is chasing A. The cats are moving in symmetry and thus the only logical answer is that they will meet at the center of the square.

At any point of time, the Cat A is perpendicular to cat B and Cat B is perpendicular to Cat C and so on. Cat A runs for Cat B but Cat B does not run towards or away from Cat A for it is moving in a perpendicular direction to Cat A. Thus the distance that need to be covered by Cat A to grab Cat B will be exactly same as the original distance between them which in this case is one unit (as it is a unit square).

Thus the speed of each cat towards the cat it is chasing will be [1 + cos (x)] where x denotes the angle on each corner.

Thus speed of the cat = 1 + cos (90) = 1 + 0 = 1

The time needed = Distance / Speed = 1/1 = 1 unit

Solution:

You must put labels on the tablets as A and B before using. In that case, if you pour tablets together, you will get 3A, 2A 1B, 1A 2B or 3B. If they are from the same bottles you can take one from another bottle and save the remaining two for another day. If you get two from same and one from other, you can draw one from another bottle and you will have two pairs of which you can eat one and save the other.

Solution:

Four

As the window was closed it is obvious that the six candles that were not extinguished were lit till they melted away entirely. Thus only four candles that were extinguished remain at the end.

Solution:

If we have to measure precisely, it is impossible. Because we are asked to measure odd number of liters whereas all the jars we have can contain only even liters of water.

* Tricky question asked in ias/infosys/infoedge/ibibo interview

Solution:

There are two things to keep in mind:
Firstly there is at least one red hat. (There can be two or three as well).
Secondly the competition is fair for everyone.

Thus if there is only one red hat, that person will see two green hats on other heads and will be able to deduce his own color as red. However the other students will see one red and one green hat and can never be sure. In such manner, the competition will prove to be partial for one student.

Suppose if there are two red hats. Then the students who are wearing red hats will see one red and one green hat on others. Now they must have deduced that there can’t be just one red hat. Thus they will know that they are also wearing a red hat. But the one who is wearing a green hat will see two red hats and can never be sure of his own color. In this case as well, the competition will not be fair.

Thus the only possible and fair means is if all of them are wearing a red hat. The one who is able to deduce the situation first, will raise his hand and will tell the correct answer.

Solution:

David to play second

Explanation:
Let's suppose that David plays first and he picks 9. Then Albert will definitely pick 8. Now, David will have to pick 7 or Albert will pick 7 in his turn. But if David picks up 7, then he will score 16 that is beyond 15 and will lose. So one thing is for sure, no one will be willing to start with the highest digits.

Suppose David plays first and picks up 1, Albert will pick 2. Then David will pick 3 and Albert will pick 4. Now David will be forced to pick 9. The score is 6 to 13 and thus David will have no chance of winning.

If David Picks 9 after Albert has picked up 2, then Albert will pick 8 and the score will become 10 to 10. Thus David will pick 3 as picking 7 will send him past 15. Now Albert will pick 4 and David has nothing to pick for winning. Thus Albert wins.

Therefore, you should suggest David to play second.

Solution:

The answer is 2. First, divide the coins into 3 equal piles. Place a pile on each side of the scale, leaving the remaining pile of 3 coins off the scale. If the scale does not tip, you know that the 6 coins on the scale are legitimate, and the counterfeit is in the pile in front of you. If the scale does tip, you know the counterfeit is in the pile on the side of the scale that raised up. Either way, put the 6 legitimate coins aside. Having only 3 coins left, put a coin on each side of the scale, leaving the third in front of you. The same process of elimination will find the counterfeit coin.

Solution:

For this answer is 3^0, 3^1, 3^2... That is 1,3,9,27,81,243 and 729.

Solution:

1. Fill 5 liters jar ( 5l-jar:5, 3l-jar:0)
2. Transfer to 3 liters pail (5l-jar:2, 3l-jar:3)
3. Empty 3 liters jar ( 5l-jar:2, 3l-jar:0)
4. Transfer 2q from 5 pail to 3 pail (5l-jar:0, 3l-jar:2)
5. Fill 5 liters pail(5l-jar:5, 3l-jar:2)
6. Transfer 1q from 5 pail to 3 pail(5l-jar:4, 3l-jar:3)

Solution:

The first step that they will take will be a leap of logic. What it means is that they will deduce that every color must appear twice at least. Why? Because the master logician has assured them that the puzzle will not be impossible for anyone of them. And if a color appears only once in the circle, the person wearing it will have no clue about that color which will not be fair for him.

Then the logicians will follow the same and look for all the colors of hats in the circle. If one of them sees a color just once, he can safely assume that he is also wearing the hat of the same color as by leap of logic, no color can appear just once. Thus when the bell is rung, he will leave.

In the similar fashion, if anyone sees another color just once, he can determine that he is wearing the hat of the same color and will leave when the bell rings or will be disqualified and sent home. Unvaryingly, if a color is seen twice, they will be eliminated after the first bell. Hence, there must be at least three hats of any of the remaining color.

Assume that you are sitting in the circle and you don’t see a color once but see it twice. Then if they were the only two hats of the same color, the logicians must have left at the first bell already. But they did not. Which means that there are three hats of that color and you are wearing one. Thus you will leave after the second bell.

Solution:

Since the knife was in her hand which implies that she was planning to kill her husband "Inspector Montalbano".