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Puzzles #252-254: How often did my children wake on Christmas eve?

Can you solve this festive arithmetical puzzle, Santa clocks, a twist on Clement C. Moore’s classic Christmas poem? Plus more holiday brainteasers and the answer to puzzle #251

13 December 2023

#251 Children of Quirkopia

(set on 9 December)

Solution

The answer is (b) the population is still divided 75 per cent male to 25 per cent female. This is true regardless of the make-up of individual families. To see why, imagine visiting the maternity hospital. There is a 75 per cent chance that the next baby to be born will be male. If so, then that family isn’t allowed more children, but this is irrelevant to the midwife, who is awaiting the arrival of the next baby, which is also 75 per cent likely to be a boy. Each new…

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