Question: A man had a clock with an hour hand and minute hand of the same length and indistinguishable. If it was set going at noon, what would be the first time that it would be impossible, by reason of the similarity of the hands, to be sure of the correct time?
Readers will remember that with these clock puzzles there is the convention that we may assume it possible to indicate fractions of seconds. On this assumption an exact answer can be given.
Answer: The first time would be 5 5/143 minutes past twelve, which might also (the hands being similar) indicate 60/143 minutes past one o'clock.
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