Concerning Illogical Puzzles

     If you liked the previous piece, you’ll enjoy this one:

     Some years back, a Marine colonel-instructor was walking along the beach with a young second lieutenant when he halted them both to pose a difficult command question to the young man:

     “Lieutenant,” the colonel said, “imagine that a Russian submarine has just pulled up onto this beach and immediately disgorged fifty armed fighters. You’re the senior officer present. What would you do?”

     The young lieutenant snapped to attention. His response was immediate and definite:

     “Sir! I’d blow ‘em into the water with concentrated mortar fire, sir!”

     The colonel was impressed with the young lieutenant’s speed and decisiveness in the face of a sudden lethal threat, and said so. Then he thought a moment more.

     “Wait just a minute there, son. Where’d you get those mortars?”

     But the young lieutenant was prepared for that thrust as well:

     “Sir! Same place you got the sub, sir!”

     I hope that young man went far in the Marine Corps.