TED-Ed: Can you solve the jail break riddle? - Dan Finkel

The video tutorial presents a scenario where you need to escape from jail by timing exactly 45 seconds to short out an electric fence. The challenge arises when your watch is broken, and you must rely on two fuses and a lighter to measure the time. Each fuse burns for one minute but not uniformly. The solution involves lighting the fuses strategically to measure 45 seconds accurately, allowing you to escape before the fence reactivates.

What is the main challenge the protagonist faces in timing their escape?

• The fuses are too short to be useful.

• The electric fence is too high to climb.

• Their watch is broken, making it hard to time 45 seconds.

• The partner forgets to give the signal.

What items does the protagonist find that might help with timing?

• A lighter and two fuses

• A clock and a matchbox

• A stopwatch and a candle

• A timer and a rope

How long does each fuse take to burn from end to end?

• 90 seconds

• 30 seconds

• 45 seconds

• 60 seconds

What is the key insight for using the fuses to measure time?

• Using a single fuse is enough to measure 45 seconds.

• Lighting both ends of a fuse makes it burn faster.

• Cutting the fuse in half makes it burn evenly.

• The fuses can be used as a distraction.

What action does the protagonist take when the first fuse burns out?

• They light the other end of the second fuse.

• They wait for the partner's signal again.

• They cut the second fuse in half.

• They extinguish the second fuse.