Welcome, traveler… Don’t feel bad that you searched for this. It is a normal pursuit and you are not alone.
Here is my story…
I watched an episode of The Office on Hulu.com and although I had seen the first 4 episodes in 2006, I decided now that I like it and must watch them all. So I am. back to back. most of every day… (that confession felt good to release).
That’s the setup. Now the drama:
In the teaser clip of episode 33, Season 3, Dwight rattles off a string of popular brain teasers in an attempt to stump Ryan and he never even finishes his last one.
Dwight: Brain teaser. I have two coins totaling fifteen cents; one of them is not a nickel. What are they?
Ryan: A dime and a nickel.
Dwight: No, I said one of them is not a nickel
Ryan: But the other one is, I’ve heard that before.Dwight: Ok, a man and his son get into a car accident. They are rushed to the hospital. The doctor says, there’s no way I can operate on this boy
Ryan: Because he’s my son. The doctor is the boy’s mother.Dwight: A man is found hanging from the ceiling
Ryan: He stepped on a block of ice, hung himself and the ice melted.Dwight: A hunter-
Ryan: It’s a polar bear, because you’re at the North Pole.
Dwight: DAMNIT!!
If you saw this and wondered what the hell the actual riddle is, then you’re me. Or at least you’re like me. In that regard. Not in others. Well, maybe others, but not exhibited by this.
Anyway, the full riddle iiiiiis:
A hunter leaves his base camp one morning and travels one mile due south. He then turns and travels one mile due east. At this point, he shoots a bear. Taking the direct route, he travels one mile due north and is back at the base camp. What color is the bear?
The answer, of course (and I only say “of course” since we already know that is the answer – not due to the answer being obvious), is white, because (as Ryan said) it’s a polar bear and the hunter is at the North Pole. But why? Mmmmbeeeaaacuuuuse…….. [pause, while I look it up]……….
The only place on earth in which one can go south, east and then north and return to his starting position is the North Pole, because the longitudes meet there.
Black bears, brown bears, grizzlies, and hairy overweight homosexual men are not native to the North Pole, thus the bear is Polar, and it’s color is white.
PS: this post includes text of this lame riddle that was plagiarized from several sources that I was unable to find a good one enough one to qualify as the citation link, so am instead just noting that it came from “multiple sources that are not my brain”. suck it.
haha i’m watching the episode now.. and i just google searched “hunter it’s a polar bear because it’s the north pole”… and u showed up 😀 i’m glad i’m not the only person with nothing better to do 😛
lol. same.
i love how at the beginning, dwight said: ‘Brain Teaser’ before he said the brain teaser, just like he says ‘question’ before he asks someone something.
Thanks Richard. I had not heard this one and so I was, of course, curious; so I’m glad for you, for making this a painless exercise to find the brain teaser. Now I have to find a 12 year old to stump. There is nothing weird about this comment.
Wow, I’m lol-ing Richard. I’ve been on an Office rampage for the past few days and was starting to wonder if there was something wrong with me in my ability to watch episode after episode. And yes, the polar bear teaser was the only one I didn’t know too! Thank-you!
LOL!!! I just did the same thing! Was watching the episode, and had to search “it’s a polar bear beacuse you at the north pole.” Really glad i’m not the only one…. I think I have to much time on my hands… Maybe I should go outside…
Except there is no way there would be a polar bear anywhere directly near the north pole so the riddle is just silly…but thanks for helping me figure out what the riddle was in the first place!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who watches shows and looks stuff up like this. Curiosity pulls the brain.
This is why the internet is so great. I can watch a frustrating show, type in my question, and someone great like you has provided the answer. Thank you!
Awesome. I just started watching the office in syndication, and this episode is on. That was the only riddle I had not heard so I googled “it’s a polar bear.” I’m glad this popped up, so now I know the stupid riddle is not worth repeating.
Yep!! Me too! Office on TBS…. Thank you for finding the rest of the joke!
I’d seen this episode when it first aired but only NOW googled it when my 12yr old asked me what Dwights was going to say..
Wow I too am laughing cuz I wasn’t the only one that directly typed Ryan’s answer into search to get here lol! Glad I found this!
Finaly!!! It is clear now!
Thanks
Hahah, thank you 🙂
Actually , there are some places near south pole also where we can travel south, east , north and still reach the starting point. Difficult to explain in words, here is the explanation with diagrams http://www.murderousmaths.co.uk/books/bearpuz2.htm. Anyway answer remains the same as polar bears wont live in south pole +
It could be a grizzly that you brought along on a scientific expedition.
Glad I was not the only one!!! 😉
Hahaha. I feel better for doing this, now. Thanks!
thanks! just watched it and googled to here!
Lol…I did the same thing, googled brain teaser its a polar bear because they’re at the north pole, and this was the very first result lol….thanks:)
I’ve been meaning to look this up for years, having seen the episode dozens of times. Thanks.
My wife just ‘broke’ the riddle. Base camp is large maybe a mile across and 1 mile north of the zoo. The hunter shot a panda!
Watching the episode now. Thanks for the explanation. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what I’d do.
I’ve seen the show a million times and always thought about it but never bothered to look it up until now. You really cleared a lot up for me thank you!
Just saw this episode and wanted to document my search which led me here…. nearly 12 years after the original post. Thank you!