(No I am not constipated, or cross - I am thinking . . . like Socrates LOL)
But I do have a little conundrum for you. To make it a little more interesting I am adding a few characters which those 'in the know' will find amusing LOL.
Three men are travelling together, let us call them Mr X, Mr P and Mr B. Mr X is shrink and a miserable so and so. He has no sense of humour whatsoever, being of German extraction. Mr B is a builder and has the nick name "Twinkle Toes" since he likes to trip the light fantastic whenever he can. Mr P has a racy sports car and a very expensive camera. They are all looking for the same very elusive lady who seems to have successfully given them all the slip, yet again. It is very late and even though they can't stand the sight of each other they realise it is futile carrying on their search and so reluctantly they decide to stop for the night at the next hotel or motel they pass. They find one a little way further on their travels and so they pull in and walk to reception.
The tight fisted German, Mr X, is delighted when they are told the room costs just $30 for the three of them and so they pay the desk clerk come bell boy, Eddie Bluelights, $10 each. (My word I get some interesting jobs don't I?). Moths fly out of Mr X's wallet because he doesn't use it very often.
The manager is furious and poor Eddie gets a right rollicking because there is a special promotion running and the room should have cost only $25 for the night but dear Eddie forgot all about it. Well, he is not perfect!! "Give them $5 back immediately - here do it at once . . . or you are fired!"
"Ok boss!" . . . . . All together . . . . . "Poor Eddie! how dare that bully bully him like that, we all love him! Leave him alone you monster!"
Eddie is furious because he realises he won't get a tip for all this so he figures out a little plan. He reasons that because they paid in advance they would be happy if he paid back some money to each of the men and keep some as a tip for himself . . . because he also is a tight fisted so and so! LOL. Realising they will never know the real deal, devious Eddie pockets $2 as a hidden tip and refunds each man $1. Mr X's eyes light up as he is handed $1 and rapidly stuffs it into his bulging wallet. The other two men just say, "Thank you", and put their 1$ in the charity box. They did not dream of saying to Eddie, "Keep it!" Rotten b's!
The chamber maid, a delightful lady with seemingly boundless energy and very long hair, notices Eddie's antics, winks at him and says, "Eddie, you are a naughty boy! - you are awful! . . . but I like you! Hey man - these guys will go bananas if they see you have cheated them out of one third of the $2 you should have returned. I should report you really but won't do it if you can explain why the mathematics of all this does not add up. Listen Eddie dear, because this whole thing does not make any sense to me! Lawd have mercy on my sanity LOL. Hey buddy, since each of these men paid $10, and have now gotten $1 back they have each paid $9. $3 times 9 is $27, plus $2 you have pocketed equals only $29 and not the $30 we started out with. Where is the other $1? Answer me that, Eddie - find me the answer if you can!"
"Easy peasy!", says Eddie. "The answer to this puzzle is in the language used to pose the question. In reality there is no missing $1. 3 x 9 is indeed 27 (a bit of your usual linguistic misdirection, me thinks), and I do indeed have $2, but adding them together has nothing to do with solving the problem, it just adds to the confusion, and makes the puzzler what it is. Here is the real break down:
"The hotel has $25, Eddie has $2 and each of the men have $1. So, 25 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 30, nothing is missing."
"Oh you are a clever boy . . . and you have passed the test . . . . but I think you should give me $1 so we have $1 each!"
"Oh alright, but you owe me a dance!"
"OK Bluelights! - you're on!"
