Solution to Winning by Losing
Who will cross the finish line last? From the book "Puzzle-math" by George Gamow.
Another wonderful book that all who love puzzles will enjoy is called “Puzzle-math” and the author is the famous physicist George Gamow. This book is hard to find but worth the price if you do get a copy. Here is one puzzle from that book.
An Arab sheikh wants to will all his fortune to only the wisest among his two sons.He makes them a proposition. His two sons will ride their camels in a race, and the son whose camel crosses the finish line last will inherit it all. The two brothers wander aimlessly for days, neither willing to cross the finish line. In desperation, they ask a Wise Dervish for advice. He tells them something. The brothers leap onto the camels and charge toward the finish line. What did the Dervish tell them?
Solution: He told them to switch camels. Perhaps the sheikh should have left his fortune to the Dervish. But then again, the Dervish may not want it.