>>You have 12 billiard balls.
>>
>>One of them is either lighter or heavier than the others.
>>
>>You can weigh the billiard balls 3 times on a balance scale.
>>
>>You need to find out which ball it is and whether it is heaver or lighter.
>
>Here is a similar problem:
>
>There are 6 balls: 2 red, 2 blue and 2 white. One of the balls of each color is slightly lighter than the second ball of the same color (you can name these two weighs as A & B). You need to sort out all the balls. You can weigh them only 2 times on a balance scale.

Actually, I abandoned this account for a couple of years. And just starting looking at it late last Septemeber. That is when I saw your post. I've been thinking of the solution off and on since then. I finally had time to sit down and work through a solution.

Is that solution correct?