Riddle of the Week

Riddle of the Week: Can You Find the Hiding Turkey?

Difficulty level: Hard

Betsy Farrell
By Jay Bennett

Problem

A week before Thanksgiving, a sly turkey is hiding from a family that wants to cook it for the holiday dinner. There are five boxes in a row, and the turkey hides in one of these boxes. Each night, the turkey moves one box to the left or right, hiding in an adjacent box the next day. Each morning, the family can look in one box to try to find the turkey.

How can the family guarantee they will find the turkey before Thanksgiving dinner?

Hint


Betsy Farrell

If you simply search one box per day, starting with 1 and finishing with 5, you might not find the turkey. It could be in box 3 when you check box 2, and then move to 2 the next day when you check 3, and you would miss it. Similarly, you cannot keep checking the same box, as the turkey could bounce back and forth between only two boxes the entire time. You need a plan to guarantee you will find the turkey.

Solution

Once you help this family find their Thanksgiving dinner, you can check back for the solution on Friday.