The mysteriously wet floor
The floor is wet again. The leak looks obvious. Is it the cause, or only the symptom?
The challenge
A wet floor appears every morning near a closed valve.
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Your task
Name the root cause, not the first wet surface you see.
Before you look
What’s your answer?
Writing down a hypothesis makes the reveal more satisfying—and your reasoning easier to compare.
Your guess stays private. No account required.
I’ll skip the guessAnswer revealed
The puddle is a result, not a reason.
- Ask why the water is there.
- Follow the path backward.
- Stop at the condition that, if removed, ends the puddle.
Why this works
Symptoms repeat when the cause stays in place.
Treat the cause, not the puddle.
How did you do?
Your response helps us tune difficulty.