[WiZ] Money for Laundering

[WiZ]

Alan has lived in his apartment building for a decade. He does washing once a week. The cost of using the shared machines is $2 per wash. Over 10 years, doing his laundry has cost him $8. How did he manage to spend so little?

ROIMBT. Caveat Earlispoilor.

[Hobbsicle]

PM'd a guess

[LemonCurry]

Are the particular amounts of 2 and/or eight dollars relevant? Are those dollar figures in the same currency?

Does someone else pay for his laundry? Is he cheating the system somehow?

[Enjay]

Does Alan use the shared machines to do his washing?
Has he somehow received money back, so that the net amount he's spent is $8?
Is it relevant how one is supposed to pay for the wash? Did Alan spend the $8 in the normal way that one would to use the machines (eg puttiong coins in the machine?)

[Earnest]

To be sure: He does washing once a week --> did he use the shared machines?

He does washing once a week --> relevant the during the week? Weekend? Monday? Tuesday? Wednesday? Thursday? Friday? During night? evening? muring? afternoon?

Over 10 years, doing his laundry has cost him $8 --> does it mean that he made just 4 washes? Or the equivalent of 4 washes? relevant? If so did he spend the 8 dollars to make 4 consecutive washings? 4 separate? In a regular time span? Relevant? Maybe he made them 3 relevant times? change relevant? relevant his job? did he pay just when something relevant happened? are the 2 dollars used as tokens? Or maybe tokens are used instead of dollars? Relevant?
Did he spend less than he would have spend by making washing once a week for a decade?
If so, is he the only one having spend less than what he would by making washing the same amount of time that he did?
Did he make holes on tokens, tied them with a rope and insert them in the washing machine (than extract them)?

Did he in fact spend only $8? Or maybe $8 is the difference between something he gained and the money spend for washing? If the latter, did he profit from the washing made by others? Did he wash his clothes? The clothes of someone else? Did he pay for the washes? Did someone else? Does he make his washing with the clothes of someone else?

Did he recover somehow all the money spend in once? Did he know he recovered all the money he spend except for 8 dollars? Did he recover the money by doing someone else that does to concern the washing machines?

[GalFisk]

Do the owners of the machines know this? If they knew this, would it upset them? Doing washing=doing his laundry?

[WiZ]

Hobbsicle

PM'd a guess Incorrect - so fire away with your questions!

LemonCurry

Are the particular amounts of 2 and/or eight dollars relevant? no Are those dollar figures in the same currency? yes

Does someone else pay for his laundry? yope Is he cheating the system somehow? yes

Enjay

Does Alan use the shared machines to do his washing? yes
Has he somehow received money back, so that the net amount he's spent is $8? no
Is it relevant how one is supposed to pay for the wash? yes Did Alan spend the $8 in the normal way that one would to use the machines (eg puttiong coins in the machine?) no!

Earnest

To be sure: He does washing once a week --> did he use the shared machines? yes

He does washing once a week --> relevant the during the week? Weekend? Monday? Tuesday? Wednesday? Thursday? Friday? During night? evening? muring? afternoon?

Over 10 years, doing his laundry has cost him $8 --> does it mean that he made just 4 washes? no (eww) Or the equivalent of 4 washes? no relevant? only insofar as it eliminates this possibility If so did he spend the 8 dollars to make 4 consecutive washings? no 4 separate? no In a regular time span? assume he did his washing regularly Relevant? no Maybe he made them 3 relevant times? no change relevant? to an extent, yes relevant his job? no did he pay just when something relevant happened? yes, FAs lurking are the 2 dollars used as tokens? assume yes Or maybe tokens are used instead of dollars? Relevant? but the solution would work in either case
Did he spend less than he would have spend by making washing once a week for a decade? Please rephrase
If so, is he the only one having spend less than what he would by making washing the same amount of time that he did? he is the only one who gets to enjoy this privilege, yes
Did he make holes on tokens, tied them with a rope and insert them in the washing machine (than extract them)? no

Did he in fact spend only $8? yes Or maybe $8 is the difference between something he gained and the money spend for washing? no If the latter, did he profit from the washing made by others? no Did he wash his clothes? yes The clothes of someone else? no Did he pay for the washes? no Did someone else? yope Does he make his washing with the clothes of someone else? no

Did he recover somehow all the money spend in once? no Did he know he recovered all the money he spend except for 8 dollars? no Did he recover the money by doing someone else that does to concern the washing machines? no

GalFisk

Do the owners of the machines know this? no If they knew this, would it upset them? yes Doing washing=doing his laundry? yes

[Earnest]

Are coins/tokens normally inserted into a hole (or equivalent) so that the washing machine works? Did he do that? Are "subscriptions" relevant? Is the washing machine able to charge/accredit money? Does the washing machine have a display? If so is something relevant shown? Money charged? Number of allowed washings? Does the washing machine work also as a dryer? Do people normaly wait for the entire time of the washings? Relevant? Do people normally wash only their clothes there? Does he somehow exploit the washings of someone else? Does he change the settings of the washing machine?

Did someone else? yope --> someone = a person? Different people? Different people all together (e.g. each one leaves a charge and he ecploits the cumulative?) Of some kind of people (e.g. people having children which wore small pieces of clothing? People making just a specific type of washing? Others?)

Did he give the 8 dollars to someone? Or maybe he put them in the washing machine to reach a certain amount? Did he put something relevantly in his clothes? E.g. something forcing the washing machine to stop and give the him the dollars back? To be sure: did he receive back the dollars that he put each time? Or he does not put any dollar/token inside the washing machine?

The 8 dollars that he spend: did he pay something/someone with them? Or maybe he lost them accidentally? Did he spend them in an attempt to do his washings? In order to make his method for not paying effective? For purposes other than washing his clothing? All in once? In n times slots?

Change relevant = does the washing machine accept only some relevant denomination?

Does he physically go in the room with the washing machines to wash his clothing? (E.g. he could exploit a service that included also the wasing of the clothing for instance) Supposing that he does, when he is in front of a washing machine, can we assume that he does not insert coins/money but just opens (if not already opened) the washing machine and put clothing inside? Blackouts relevant? Does he wash his clothing all in once? Or maybe in different times (e.g. a) he could exploit the fact that under a certain amount of clothing, the wash is free; b) he could exploit the fact that people have some space; c) he could put clothings one inside the other to occupy less space)

[LemonCurry]

Did he pay the 8 dollars in one go? Did he spend them on a device that enables him to do his laundry free?

[GalFisk]

Did the $8 go to the washing machine owners? To materials or labor for creating the workaround? Do the operators ever find out? Is the washing normally paid with tokens? Coins? Bills? Card? Does he insert something relevant into the payment system? Is it an electronic system? Mechanical? Human?

[Balin]

Does he put something cheap into the payment system to mimic coins or bills?

[WiZ]

Earnest

Are coins/tokens normally inserted into a hole (or equivalent) so that the washing machine works? yes Did he do that? no Are "subscriptions" relevant? no Is the washing machine able to charge/accredit money? irrel Does the washing machine have a display? irrel If so is something relevant shown? Money charged? Number of allowed washings? n/a to these Does the washing machine work also as a dryer? no Do people normaly wait for the entire time of the washings? no Relevant? yes Do people normally wash only their clothes there? yes Does he somehow exploit the washings of someone else? no Does he change the settings of the washing machine? noish

Did someone else? yope --> someone = a person? Different people? Different people all together this, no to rest (e.g. each one leaves a charge and he ecploits the cumulative?) but not in this vein Of some kind of people (e.g. people having children which wore small pieces of clothing? People making just a specific type of washing? Others?) no to these

Did he give the 8 dollars to someone? yes Or maybe he put them in the washing machine to reach a certain amount? no Did he put something relevantly in his clothes? no E.g. something forcing the washing machine to stop and give the him the dollars back? n/a To be sure: did he receive back the dollars that he put each time? no Or he does not put any dollar/token inside the washing machine? yes!

The 8 dollars that he spend: did he pay something/someone with them? yes Or maybe he lost them accidentally? no Did he spend them in an attempt to do his washings? no In order to make his method for not paying effective? yes For purposes other than washing his clothing? this was the eventual goal All in once? yes In n times slots? no

Change relevant = does the washing machine accept only some relevant denomination? not relevantly

Does he physically go in the room with the washing machines to wash his clothing? yes (E.g. he could exploit a service that included also the wasing of the clothing for instance) Supposing that he does, when he is in front of a washing machine, can we assume that he does not insert coins/money but just opens (if not already opened) the washing machine and put clothing inside? yes Blackouts relevant? no Does he wash his clothing all in once? assume yes Or maybe in different times (e.g. a) he could exploit the fact that under a certain amount of clothing, the wash is free; b) he could exploit the fact that people have some space; c) he could put clothings one inside the other to occupy less space) no to these

LemonCurry

Did he pay the 8 dollars in one go? yes Did he spend them on a device that enables him to do his laundry free? yes

GalFisk

Did the $8 go to the washing machine owners? no To materials or labor for creating the workaround? yes Do the operators ever find out? no Is the washing normally paid with tokens? Coins? Bills? Card? assume coins, but all would work Does he insert something relevant into the payment system? yope Is it an electronic system? Mechanical? either of these would work Human? no

Balin

Does he put something cheap into the payment system to mimic coins or bills? no

[GalFisk]

Is the workaround a tool? Device? Something simulating the actual payment method? Does he insert and remove something in the payment processing machine? Open the machine? Otherwise gain access to nparts of the machine he's not supposed to? Does he pay for something made specifically to cheat the machine? Does he pay for a screwdriver to open tamper-resistant screws? Does he pay a criminal/shady entity? Does he bribe someone? Does he pay the manufacturer of the payment system? does the workaround require technical skill? If so, on his part? On part of the one he paid? Someone else?

[Earnest]

Relevant were the washing machines were placed? Near his house? near a relevant room? How they were placed (one above the other?)

Did someone think her had the right to make free washing? (e.g. he faked to be the son of the deceased owner of the laundry?) Did he fool someone (rather than the washing machine)? I mean, he did not fool thee system with tools of some sort, but he simply fooled someone that allowed him to do free washings? Made a deal with him?

Or he does not put any dollar/token inside the washing machine? yes! --> does he put something else there? he does not put any dollar/token inside the washing machine because someone else already put them there for him (if so, was/were the someone else aware that he used the washing machine with the money they put? Were the money their money?)? Did the machine give change? relevant? Did he always find "in the right place at the right time"? Or was he sure and guaranteed to always not pay when doing his washing?

Is something of this sort going on: basically he exploited someone else to make washings and he paid the equivalent to the someone with another item that for some reason he got for free? Or again, he put a hat on the street, people thought he was asking money and gave him something. In a week he was able to gain 2 dollars?
Is he letting think someone else that he/someone needs money?

Would his trick have worked with a vending machine (assuming thee same payment method)? If not because clothing are relevant to the puzzle? (to be sure did he go with clothes on to do the laundry right?)

Did he spend them on a device that enables him to do his laundry free? yes --> did he spend them after a certain time that he did the laundry free? After a certain event occurred? Is the device: electric? technological? a disturbance for something? an app for the phone? something that he always bring with him when going to make the laundry? something that does not allow someone else to see what he was doing?

Are camera relevant? Did he fool the mechanism of inserting coins? Did he manipulate it directly? Is something like a free wash after n washes relevant (and he was able to be always the n-th)? Did people organze to pay in turns? Maybe people left some wash paid for poor people? For the next one who came?

[WiZ]

GalFisk

Is the workaround a tool? yesish Device? yes, bigger ish Something simulating the actual payment method? no Does he insert and remove something in the payment processing machine? no Open the machine? yes Otherwise gain access to nparts of the machine he's not supposed to? yes Does he pay for something made specifically to cheat the machine? yesish; intent plays a part here Does he pay for a screwdriver to open tamper-resistant screws? no Does he pay a criminal/shady entity? no Does he bribe someone? no Does he pay the manufacturer of the payment system? not the payment system, but ORT does the workaround require technical skill? no If so, on his part? On part of the one he paid? Someone else? n/a to all

Earnest

Relevant were the washing machines were placed? Near his house? near a relevant room? assume this; not hugely relevant, though How they were placed (one above the other?) no

Did someone think her had the right to make free washing? (e.g. he faked to be the son of the deceased owner of the laundry?) no Did he fool someone (rather than the washing machine)? no I mean, he did not fool thee system with tools of some sort, but he simply fooled someone that allowed him to do free washings? Made a deal with him? no to these

Or he does not put any dollar/token inside the washing machine? yes! --> does he put something else there? he puts something else inside the machine, yes he does not put any dollar/token inside the washing machine because someone else already put them there for him no (if so, was/were the someone else aware that he used the washing machine with the money they put? Were the money their money?)? n/a Did the machine give change? relevant? irrel Did he always find "in the right place at the right time"? no Or was he sure and guaranteed to always not pay when doing his washing? yes

Is something of this sort going on: basically he exploited someone else to make washings and he paid the equivalent to the someone with another item that for some reason he got for free? no Or again, he put a hat on the street, people thought he was asking money and gave him something. In a week he was able to gain 2 dollars? no, and we're getting further OWT
Is he letting think someone else that he/someone needs money? no

Would his trick have worked with a vending machine (assuming thee same payment method)? I believe so, but it would be easier to trace/detect If not because clothing are relevant to the puzzle? no (to be sure did he go with clothes on to do the laundry right?) Haha! Assume that he did not do the laundry naked

Did he spend them on a device that enables him to do his laundry free? yes --> did he spend them after a certain time that he did the laundry free? After a certain event occurred? no to both Is the device: electric? no technological? yes, but bear in mind 'technology' covers quite a time period a disturbance for something? no an app for the phone? no something that he always bring with him when going to make the laundry? yes something that does not allow someone else to see what he was doing? no

Are camera relevant? no Did he fool the mechanism of inserting coins? i'll say no Did he manipulate it directly? the mechanism? no Is something like a free wash after n washes relevant (and he was able to be always the n-th)? no Did people organze to pay in turns? no Maybe people left some wash paid for poor people? For the next one who came? no to these

[GalFisk]

Is the tool electronic? Electric? Magnetic? Sharp? Does he undo any screws? Clips? Other fasteners? Does he move a physical object? Change the state of an electrical circuit? A mechanical system? Pick a lock? Relevant what the payment system does in order to enable washing? If so, does it unlock a door? Turn on power to the washer? Disable an alarm? Open a turnstile? Unlock the washer door?

[WiZ]

Is the tool electronic? Electric? no to both Magnetic? Sharp? yes but not relevantly to both Does he undo any screws? Clips? Other fasteners? no to all Does he move a physical object? yes Change the state of an electrical circuit? no A mechanical system? yes Pick a lock? Not 'pick', but very ORT Relevant what the payment system does in order to enable washing? No If so, does it unlock a door? Turn on power to the washer? Disable an alarm? Open a turnstile? Unlock the washer door? I don't think further detail is relevant, other than it allows use of the machine that would otherwise be denied to someone who didn't pay up

[GalFisk]

Relevant how he came up with the idea? Was it an accidental discovery? Do we need to discover anything more about the payment mechanism? The tool? The laundry facilities? The people responsible for the facilities?

[WiZ]

Relevant how he came up with the idea? no Was it an accidental discovery? Do we need to discover anything more about the payment mechanism? no The tool? yes; everything else will make sense once you discover what this is The laundry facilities? The people responsible for the facilities? no to rest

[GalFisk]

Is it a tool in the normal sense? A utensil? A knickknack? Packaging? A device? A card? Clothing? Jewelry? A toy? Is he using it as intended? Is it mass produced? Is it made from: metal? Plastic? Wood? Glass? Ceramic? Rubber? Cork? Fabric? Bone? Leather/skin/fur? Wax? Paper? Cardboard? Glue/resin? WAG: does it produce static electricity, which he uses to zap the payment system, causing it to malfunction?

[WiZ]

Is it a tool in the normal sense? Dictionary.com says yes A utensil? this would be less likely to be called a utsensil A knickknack? Packaging? no to both A device? yes, by the broadest definition A card? Clothing? Jewelry? A toy? no to these Is he using it as intended? yes Is it mass produced? yes Is it made from: metal? yes Plastic? Wood? Glass? Ceramic? Rubber? Cork? Fabric? Bone? Leather/skin/fur? Wax? Paper? Cardboard? Glue/resin? no to rest WAG: does it produce static electricity, which he uses to zap the payment system, causing it to malfunction? no

[GalFisk]

Does it have any moving parts? Does it relevantly conduct electricity? Does it cut? Screw? Drill? Saw? Heat? Unlock? Is it a key? Does he open the payment device? Trigger the payment detection function?

[WiZ]

Is it a key? yes

***** SPOILER *****

He looked up the manufacturing number of the machines, and was able to order a key for them for a cost of $8. From that point onward, he was able to operate the machines for free.

Congratulations, GalFisk, and thank you everyone for playing!