Challenge Question set 28/01/05

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Imagine a duck inside a clear glass bottle. You have no idea how it got there (and it has no idea either!). The duck is way too large to fit through the neck of the bottle. It's quacking for you to get it out. You are not allowed to break the bottle or harm the duck in any way. How are you going to get the duck out again?
 

I thought that this would be a toughie, but not for you lot. The answer I was looking for was 'If can imagine the duck inside the bottle, you can imagine it outside of the bottle again!' There were a lot of you who got this, so I've picked a few people out of an imaginary hat to win a prize this week. Well done to: Jack (Year 4); Josef (Year 3); Alice (Year 4)
 
However, I received a wealth of thoughtful answers to get the duck out, a few of which I had to mention here. You really know how to use your imagination to solve problems...
 

Like Alice in Wonderland, I would pour some shrinking potion into the bottle so the duck will drink it and then the duck will turn smaller. After that you get a long wooden spoon and put it into the bottle so the duck can jump onto it. Then you could pull it out (with the duck on). Last of all, give the duck some more potion which makes it bigger again. (from Melissa - Year 4)
 
Fill the bottle with water which will then flatten the feathers down, and the duck will be able to squeak through the neck of the bottle. (from Chloe - Year 4)
by Josef
 
1. Give the bottle to a friend and get them to break it to get the duck out.

2. Don't feed the duck and then it will be thin to get out.
3. Pull it a bit and turn it.
4. Get a beer opener and pull it out.
5. Cut a hole in the bottom and then it will fall out.
6. I think the mum might of laid the egg in the bottle. (from Zoe - Year 3)
 
The answer is imagine a duck outside a bottle.
My ideas were:
Go back in time and stop the duck from getting into the bottle.
Put in a miniature gym to make him slim.
Don't feed him or her for a umber of days until he is thinner, then tickle his nose with a feather so that he sneezes and pops out.
If it is a wide necked bottle then he can just get out. (from Emma - Year 4)