Bless-This-Truck Mystery

Puzzler time.

This one comes from the world of trucking, and it’s a little mysterious.

Back in the winter of 1978, when diesel engines hated cold mornings, there was a mechanic named Tony Cardiello.

When a truck wouldn’t start, Tony would walk over to the hood, face the bulldog ornament, make the sign of the cross, and say, “Now you start the truck.”

And most of the time, the truck would fire right up.

But when the drivers tried it themselves, it never worked.

So the question is, how was Tony starting those trucks?

Answer the Puzzler »

Remember last week's puzzler?

The Slip Decision Dilemma

Alright, a mathematical puzzler—don’t panic, no calculators required.

Three different numbers are written on three slips of paper and placed face down on a table.

Your goal? Pick the slip with the largest number.

Here’s how it works:

You flip over one slip and look at it.

If you think it’s the biggest, you keep it.

If not, you toss it—no take-backs.

Then you flip a second slip.

Same deal: keep it or toss it.

If you toss that one too… you’re stuck with the third.

Now, someone says: “Hey, your chances are 1 in 3. That’s it.”

But another guy says, “Not so fast—I can do better than 1 in 3.”

Who’s right? Is there actually a strategy that improves your odds?