Train time dilemma

The wind whistled outside the cabin, but inside Badger and Yote’s workshop, all was warm and bright. The woodstove crackled in the corner, filling the air with a pleasant, piney aroma as it radiated heat. Surrounded by the tools of their trade, Badger and Yote sat side by side at a sturdy workbench, each intent on the task before him—repairing their old snowshoes. They’d been through many winters with these snowshoes, but each season, they needed a little extra care to ensure they were ready for the snow-covered trails ahead.

Yote was carefully retying the webbing on his snowshoes, inspecting every knot and stitch, while Badger worked on reinforcing the frame of his. They hadn’t yet had their first big snow, but they both knew it wouldn’t be long now. As they worked, Yote couldn’t help but break the silence.

“I’m looking forward to those winter hikes, Badger,” he said, grinning. “Nothing quite like the quiet of the woods in the snow.”

Badger chuckled, setting his tools down for a moment. “A peaceful walk in the snow, that’s for sure. It’s the simple things that make life special.” He leaned back and looked at Yote with a mischievous glint in his eye. “Speaking of simple things, I’ve got a riddle for you, Yote. It’s about a boy named Jesse and his two grandmothers.”

“Oh, this I have to hear,” Yote said, smiling as he set down his snowshoe to listen.

Badger cleared his throat, adopting a storyteller’s tone.

“Alright, here it goes. Jesse has two grandmothers, and they both want to see him every Sunday. The problem is, they live on opposite sides of town. So, Jesse comes up with a plan: every Sunday, he goes to the train depot nearest to his cabin at a random time and hops on the next train that arrives.”

Yote leaned in, intrigued. “I’m with you so far.”

Badger continued, “Now, if the train happens to be going north, he visits his Grandma Erica in the north highlands. But if the train is heading south, he visits his Grandma Cara in the south highlands. Both trains come every 20 minutes, so it seems fair, right?”

“Sounds like a clever plan,” Yote agreed.

“But here’s the twist,” Badger said, his eyes twinkling. “After a few months, Grandma Cara starts complaining that she only sees Jesse one out of every five Sundays. Jesse insists that he’s going to the train station at random times, just like he said. So, Yote, why does Grandma Cara see him so rarely?”

Yote scratched his head, thinking it over. “Hmm… if both trains run every 20 minutes, they should have an equal chance of seeing him… but something doesn’t add up.”

Badger nodded, smiling as he watched Yote puzzle through the problem. “Think about the timing, my friend.”

Can you solve the train time dilemma?

🧠 This riddle is a great example of how timing and patterns can affect outcomes in unexpected ways. Badger and Yote’s puzzle teaches us to look beyond surface appearances and pay attention to details, whether it's repairing snowshoes for winter or managing plans in daily life. Recognizing these patterns can help us solve problems more effectively and understand the world around us.