From “Tantalizers: A Book of Original Logical Puzzles” (1970)
The Chippings Post is published at an entirely random time each afternoon, but George Handcuff, the local tycoon, must have his copy within the hour. Being a capitalist, he is willing to pay an urchin a penny for fetching it; and, being against monopolies, has divided the concession among three urchins, Luke, Mark, and Naboth.
Each of the three calls regularly at the Post office once an hour. Each waits no more than five minutes and then leaves, empty-handed if necessary. The boy with the luck to get the paper gets the penny.
This may sound all very fair and sporting. But in face Naboth has made twice as much out of the arrangement in the last year as Luke and Mark together.
How has this happened?
This puzzle is from the book Tantalizers (1970), but I have not found a corresponding Tantalizer puzzle originally published in New Scientist.
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