Puzzle No. 006
Picarats: 40


Here we have eight small weights that all look the same. However, one of the weights in the group is slightly lighter than the rest.

Using this scale two times, you can find out which of these weights is lighter than the rest.

So, which weight is the light one?













Hint One: You're not weighing two sets of four weights on your first use of the scale, are you? If you do that, you'll only have one more chance left to determine which of four weights is the light one.

But you probably already know that, right?

Hint Two:  Maybe thinking about another example will help you here. Imagine you have three weights, one of which is lighter than the rest.

To find the light weight, all you gotta do is weigh any two of the three. If one of the weights on the scale is lighter, there's your answer. If the two weights on the scale are the same, the remaining weight is the light one.

Hint Three: Think about the last hint. You can figure out the lighter weight in a group of three with one use of the scale.

If you can narrow the number of weights in question to three in one use of the scale, you've got your answer.

The weights are totally random, so YOU have to solve the puzzle based on the hints. Good Luck!

That's right! To solve this puzzle with no guesswork, you must load three weights on each side of the scale for your first measurement. If you manage to get that far, the rest is easy.