Captain Holts brain teaser

If you weigh 6 and 6 you learn nothing. If you weigh 4 and 4 and the seesaw is even, you know its the third group. Then you switch that with one of the other groups and the new group pulls seesaw down the fellow is heavier. If it goes up they are lighter. If the first weighing has a difference you switch one of the groups with the third group and if the seesaw goes even, the switched out group was heavier or lighter depending which way the seesaw leaned. If it stays up or down its the group left on see saw. With two moves no matter what, you know which group of four has the off weight person and wether they are lighter or heavier. Now you have 1 weighing left and four people left. Which you cant figure out with the seesaw, but you can figure out which two has the off weight person. Now you have two persons left, but cant use the seesaw anymore. You cant reach here with any other combination with even close to as little moves, so if its solvable, it is a trick question and if its not then its not. But the answer could be related to the fact that the men are on an island and since with this solution you know wether the person is lighter or heavier you could use water to figure out which one is the off weight person. My opinion is that the problem is impossible on purpose.

/r/brooklynninenine Thread