Puzzle Time: The Missing Dollar Riddle

Hello, curious minds and puzzle enthusiasts! Ready for another brain teaser that’ll have you scratching your head? Let’s get on with it then!

The Puzzle

Imagine this: Three friends decide to go out for a fancy dinner on some special occasion. The total bill comes to $30. Each friend chips in $10, giving the waiter a total of $30.

But wait! The restaurant manager realizes there’s been a mistake — the actual cost of the meal is only $25. To correct this, he gives $5 to the waiter and asks him to return it to the friends.

Now, the friends, feeling generous, decide to let the waiter keep $2 as a tip for his excellent service. The waiter then gives $1 back to each friend. So, if you’re keeping track, each friend gets $1 back, meaning they each paid $9 for the dinner (totaling $27). Meanwhile, the waiter has a $2 tip.

But hang on a second — $27 (paid) + $2 (waiter’s tip) = $29. Where’s the missing dollar? Take a moment, dear readers, to chew on this puzzler. Do a little mental math, maybe even discuss it with a friend over a cup of coffee. Ready for the reveal? Here we go!

Solution

Drumroll🥁, please… There is no missing dollar!

This is a classic example of how our minds can…