DEAR ABBY: A lady friend and I were recently in a gift shop where we found a wooden puzzle -- the kind you have to take apart and put back together. We both tried the display model with no luck.
In another section, they were selling slices of a delicious-looking raspberry cheesecake. I told my friend, "I'll buy you the entire cheesecake if you can solve that puzzle."
She took the display model to the counter with the unopened puzzles, found one with an instruction sheet inside the clear plastic bag, and began to unroll the instruction sheet inside the bag until she could read the solution. Then she "solved" the puzzle and demanded her cheesecake.
I was upset. Not only had she cheated, what she did was unethical. The implied rule was that she had to solve the puzzle by herself, not with the help of the instruction sheet. I bought her one slice of cheesecake (a big slice), but now she's demanding the rest -- with interest.
We've asked friends, and I was shocked to find that some sided with my lady friend. So now we've come to you -- do I owe her the rest of the cheesecake or not? -- HUNK-A-CHEESECAKE
DEAR HUNK: I'd say you owe her half a cheesecake because she solved the puzzle (but not quite legitimately), and she owes you half a cheesecake because she tricked you.
The next time you order, try a new flavor -- razz-berry!