The instruction was simple: "Open the cabinet." The apprentice who obeyed most readily found the lock impenetrable. (impenetrable: impassable, inaccessible, impervious) The one who tried to force it was physically stronger, but the examiner judged that strength irrelevant. (irrelevant: extraneous, immaterial, unrelated) A third candidate examined the hinges with great attentiveness before announcing that access was infeasible. The examiner asked whether it might be feasible to ask for the key. (feasible: workable, practicable, viable)
He wanted to assess initiative, not conformity. (initiative: enterprise, drive, resourcefulness; conformity: compliance, conformance, accordance) Yet the inducement of a prize made most applicants conform to what they imagined was a rule against speaking. (inducement: incentive, stimulus, encouragement; conform: comply, accord, correspond) The tacit implication of the examiner's silence was especially potent. (implication: suggestion, insinuation, import) One conscientious boy managed to open the door with a spoon. (conscientious: diligent, scrupulous, painstaking) Behind it stood another locked cabinet.
The last candidate asked why they needed the cabinet open. The examiner admitted his lunch was inside. She offered to share hers. After the meal they found the key on the back of the outer door. The boy who had used the spoon won the apprenticeship. The girl who had asked about lunch was offered a paid stint designing next year's problem. (stint: spell, period, stretch)