In the diagram above, equal weights are suspended by a pulley-rope combination. Assume there is no friction. If the structure is allowed to move to equilibrium, what is likely to happen?
A. The right-hand weight will travel downward.
B. The left-hand weight will travel downward.
C. Both weights will travel downward.
D. The weights are balanced and will not move one way or the other.
Please email your solution to John Kador at [email protected] using the subject line “Pulley Puzzle.” Deadline is May 1, 2015. One entrant with the most compelling solution (or a creative alternative) will receive a signed copy of John Kador’s How to Ace the Brainteaser Job Interview. Good luck to all.
Solution to previous puzzler: FORTUNE 1000
To recap: The following words are all derived in some uniform way from the names of Fortune 1000 companies. What is the rule and what are the companies? The disguised words are: Lean, Lover, Lord, Less, Lost, Like, Loss, Lush, Loll, Lest. Solution: Each word substitutes the initial letter L for the real initial letter of the first word of the company name. For example, “Ford” is disguised as “Lord.” The words are listed in alphabetical order by name of company: Lean=Dean (Foods), Lover=Dover, Lord=Ford, Less=Hess, Lost=Host (Hotels & Resorts), Like=Nike, Loss=Ross (Stores), Lush=Rush, Loll=Toll, Lest=West.