Being a liberal geek, my car radio is pretty much perma-tuned to NPR (especially if the jazz station is out of range). So driving home Sunday from Escondido after not getting my Miata started, I was listening to Car Talk – two brothers from Cambridge who weekly answer car (and other) questions. They have a weekly puzzler… This week’s puzzle wasn’t that hard (Given a thousand dollars in one dollar bills, what is the fewest number of envelopes you could stuff the money into in order to be able to hand someone envelopes containing exactly any amount requested).
Anyway, I sent my answer to them, and here’s the automated email response I got; it’s just so funny… every time I listen to that show, it reminds me of New England and home… (Not including my answer, which is provably correct, because I don’t want competition!)
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Thanks for sending in your puzzler answer. Imagine how excited you’ll be if we choose your response as the correct, winning answer! In case you were wondering, here’s the process we go through to select each week’s winner:
First, we have to be certain you have the correct answer. We start by
sending your answer to Paul Murky, at Murky Research. Murky, working with our Statistician Marge Innovera, will place your puzzler answer in one of two heaps: “not even close” and “pretty much right.”
Assuming it passes by Paul and Marge, your answer will then be zipped along to Central Processing, where it will be date and time stamped, and searched for attached currency. Next, it will be shipped electronically to our Correct Answer Verification Center, where our legions of lackeys once again search your answer for currency– just in case someone at Central Processing missed it. Then, they make certain that your response fits the criterion we have established for correct answers.
Please note that since we’re often unsure of what the right answer is
ourselves, we have very wide latitude in determining what constitutes a correct answer. Incorrect answers, however, will be sent to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, for immediate inclusion in their mailing list.
Lastly, correct answers will be sent to Ms. Shirley Wright, who operates under the auspices of the Committee for Reviewing Answers to Puzzlers. There, operating under complete secrecy, Ms. Wright will pick a winner.
If your response is selected as this week’s winning entry, we’ll announce your name on the air. You
