Lateral Thinking Puzzles

43. The Man Named "Each"

Twelve men stopped beneath a pear tree that held exactly twelve ripe pears.

Afterward it was reported: “Each took a pear and eleven pears were left on the tree.”

How can this be true?

Added 8 July 2012

Hint:

What if the word “each” is not a pronoun but a person’s name?

Solution:

One of the twelve men was actually named “Each.” Only that man picked a pear; the other eleven men left the fruit untouched. Because just one pear was removed, eleven pears remained hanging on the tree. Thus the statement “Each took a pear and eleven pears were left” is literally correct.


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