Bob Messersmith in South Bend, Indiana, writes:
I loved your puzzle about the odds of meeting attractive men with a job and a sense of humor at a party. (October 11, 2015) But I really have to question your ending statement, “And yes, we’ve all been to parties like that, haven’t we?” If so, please invite me to your next party like that. The only way your answer will work is if 100% of the women at the party are attractive, humorous and have a job. Also, I’m curious if these forty attractive, hard-working, fun-loving women will gravitate to the thirty men at the party with a job, the forty men at the party with a sense of humor, or the fifty attractive men in the room?
Marilyn responds:
Note that my comment referred to the statement, “It’s possible that every man is either unattractive, has no sense of humor, or is unemployed.” So yes, I do think we’ve all been to parties like that! (I wasn’t referring to the party described in the puzzle.) In answer to your curiosity question, I can’t speak for all women, but if it were just me, I’d gravitate to the guys with a sense of humor. And if they’re both unattractive and unemployed, they’d certainly need one.
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