Find the heavier coin
Nine identical-looking coins include one heavier coin. Using a balance scale only twice, how can you always find it?
Logic challenge at easy difficulty.
Hint
Each weighing has three possible outcomes.
Answer and method
Split the coins into three groups of three. Weigh two groups. If they balance, the heavy coin is in the unweighed group; otherwise it is in the heavier group. From the suspect group, weigh one coin against another. The heavier coin is the answer, or the third coin is the answer if they balance.
Reusable reasoning moveDesign tests whose outcomes divide the remaining possibilities as evenly as possible.