Web Puzzles

Tim and Tom were playing their Dad's old favourite game machine - a classic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The game was, surprisingly, Duck Hunt. Tom was at the controls, shooting innocent ducks with the lightgun.

Tim pokes Tom, and whines, "let me play." Tom looks back, and Mum is looking at them, so Tom begins to feel generous.


"Tell ya what, Tim. If you can answer a riddle about ducks, you can play. Otherwise, I get a half an hour more."

Tim, who occasionally can be a dunce, happily says "OK!".

Tom asks his question, "How many ducks do you have if you have two ducks in front of two ducks, two ducks behind two ducks, and two ducks between two ducks?"

Tim is stumped. "15?"

"Nope," says Tom.

"12?"

"Nope."

Exasperated, Tim says, "Ok, what is the answer?"

When Tom tells him, Mom goes off smiling, Tim stomps off, and Tom gets the high score on the game.

What it the least number of ducks to meet the conditions?

Solution