12: A bored demon is never good to have around

[scaresplants]

...I'd never thought I'd say this, but frankly, I'm bored.

[Here is one Anthony J. Crowley, currently lounged back in his chair in his spotless white apartment as he adjusts the nozzle of a plant mister in his hands.]

And when I'm bored, I turn to people, because they're the best source of entertainment I can get.

So, Vatheonites, have a nice brain

Comments

[obsequience]

[He's not familiar with the "£," but he'll repeat it based on the provided phonetics.]

The £1 is not missing, because the math is incorrect. The paid total includes the bellboy's share. £27 was reached because you deducted £1 from each person. The spare £3 comes from them.

In short, the addition of the bellboy's £2 is a context trick.

[scaresplants]

[Dryly because seriously, he's sick of people figuring it out so quickly:]

Good for you. I'm seriously jumping for joy over here.

[obsequience]

[Should have picked a harder one, Crowley.]

You did say those who can't figure it out are "idiots." Anyone with common sense would have found the answer.

[scaresplants]

[He should have. /sobs]

Not everyone. It's supposed to be hard, not something everyone already knows.

[obsequience]

[There's always next time!]

You've received several correct responses, I take it. Because the numbers do not add up when they should, anyone can say that there is no missing £1 by arguing against the mathematics. They can even guess it.

[Really, you don't need much of a brain to throw out a vague answer and be correct. This is one of those riddles where you can take that risk.]

[scaresplants]

Yes, they can. Okay, I realize it was a bad brain teaser to use. No need to rub it in.

[Grumble grumble stupid smart people grumble.]

[obsequience]

It's by no means a bad riddle.

[All right, man, have a suggestion to make things more difficult for people.]

You can always ask why the answer is what it is.

[scaresplants]

I realized that after people started to get it right and have been doing it ever since. I'm not stupid- I realized my mistake and took it upon myself to get the most enjoyment out of it.

[obsequience]

So you're a quick thinker. [It's a spoken observation free of sarcasm.] Good for you.

[scaresplants]

It's part of the job. Think quick or lose the profit. That's what I was taught to do.

[obsequience]

And what job is that?

[scaresplants]

[A pause, and Crowley smiles like a snake.]

Just a business in which I deal with people like you every day. Kind of like an experimenter, of a sort.

[obsequience]

[Something about that sounds ominous.]

"People like you"? . . . I see.

[scaresplants]

Do you?

[It's asimple question, but it almost sounds condescending, in a way.]

[obsequience]

[ . . . ]

As vague as your answer was, that is enough to narrow the list of possibilities.

[scaresplants]

And what do you take me to be? Just your opinion, of course.