The Club Password Mystery

A man wanted to enter an exclusive club but didn’t know the password. He waited by the door and listened. A club member knocked on the door, and the doorman said, “twelve.” The member replied, “six” and was let in. Another member came, and the doorman said, “six.” The member replied, “three” and was let in. The man thought he understood and walked up to the door. The doorman said, “ten,” and the man replied, “five,” but he wasn’t let in. What should he have said?

He should have said, “Three.” The doorman lets in those who respond with the number of letters in the word he says.

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