Ninth Inning

Puzzler time.

This one is about baseball. I know baseball season is over, but we are big fans of the sport here at Car Talk. So, here ya go.

I'm going to set the stage. It's the ninth inning. The batter is at the plate. The pitcher throws the ball. The batter hits it. It's a long fly ball into the right field corner.

The outfielder runs into position to catch the ball, and in fact, he catches it. But at the last second, he drops the ball on purpose.

Why does he do this?

Good luck.

Answer the Puzzler »

Remember last week's puzzler?

Puzzler of Yesteryear

This is a very old one. This puzzler is the reason we use the phrase, 'our fair city,' so, we like to bring this back every so often.

So here we go. The puzzler from yesteryear.

Here it is.

Back in the day, a well dressed gentleman enters a bank, approaches a teller and begins to tell the tale of woe.

"Pardon me, madam, I hope you can help me. You see, I'm an English professor at Northwestern University, and I am a visitor to your fair city. I find myself in need of someone's help. I'm here visiting your fair city with my wife and my two daughters, and I have no money with me, because my wife and my oldest daughter have gone out shopping this morning and taken my wallet, which contained my cash and credit cards and identification. I've been left alone with the other daughter, who has taken ill, and I must buy her some medication, but I have no money. If you would be kind enough to cash a check for me for $50 that would be a great help to me and my daughter."

The bank teller looks him over. He appears well dressed, distinguished looking, obviously, quite articulate, an intelligent person.

After a moment, the teller looks at him and says, "I won't be able to help you, sir, because you are a fraud and a liar."

The man gasps and says, "Pardon me!"

But the bank teller was correct. He was a fraud.

The puzzler is, how did the bank teller know this?