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Missing Dollar Riddle

Here are a couple of solutions to the Missing Dollar riddle. Check them out, see what you think and then decide if you correctly solved it. Maybe you even have another solution that works too.


The facts in this riddle are clear: There is an initial $30 charge. It should have been $25, so $5 must be returned and accounted for.  $3 is given to the 3 friends, $2 is kept by the bellhop - there you have the $5.  The trick to this riddle is that the addition and subtraction are done at the wrong times to misdirect your thinking - and quite successfully for most. Each of the 3 friends did indeed pay $9, not $10, and as far as the friends are concerned, they paid $27 for the night. But we know that the clerk will tell us that they were charged only $25 and when you add the $3 returned with the $2 kept by the bellhop, you come up with $30.

From Ward, another way to look at this one: My answer:

The following night two friends check into the same motel.  Once again the clerk charges them $30, or $15 per person.  After the clerk remembers the total rate is only $25 he sends the bellhop upstairs with five $1 bills to pay the two friends back.  The bellhop knows he got away with larceny once so he tries it again.  But this time he pockets $3 and returns $2 to the hotel guests ($1 per guest). So each of the two guests got $1 back from their original $15.  Therefore each paid $14 which is a total payment of $28 for the room. Now the bellhop has $3, the guests paid $28, for a total of $31....THERE'S THE MISSING DOLLAR!!!!


























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More Fun

Getting tired of all of the riddles? Here are some really good, fun things to do for a little break. Take a few of the short tests. See if you can follow directions. Can you solve rebus puzzles? Some of these are sure to bring a smile or two.