Krypton, Californium, Trilithium, Palladium

[AlisonMary]

Which one of these is the odd one out Krypton, Californium, Trilithium, Palladium?

[newtron]

trilithium is the only one that is not an element.

[newtron]

Also, trilithium is a fictional material from Star Trek.

[Gef]

I always thought that Scotty was worried about his dilithium crystals.

[the t star]

Krypton

[kempie]

Gef - Scotty did indeed mention that dilithium crystals "cannae take it cap'n". I believe that trilithium first appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

[Hamish]

Krypton - its the only one thats a gas

Calafornium - its the only one thats reactive

Trilithium - its the only fictional one

Paladium - its the only one which isn't distinct from the other three!

[kempie]

Well done Hamish. At last someone else who doesn't fall into the trap of believing there is only one 'correct' answer to odd one out puzzles. You should always be able to make an argument for each one of the offerings being different to the others unless specific criteria are stated.

[snoteater]

There is clearly one odd one out here only - the fictional one - it could share any of the properties that makes the otheres (alledgedly) odd ones out because its fictional.

[kempie]

snoteater -

Your reasoning would be 'clearly' incorrect if, for example, krypton had never been mentioned in any Star Trek script but all three others had.

The answer depends on your point of reference.

[hinge1967]

Only one has a theatre in London named after it?

[newtron]

kempie, I see your point, but that makes this type of puzzle meaningless.  It is easy to find one property in each item that none of the other items share, but the point of this type of puzzle is to identify a common similarity between the items that only one does not share. 

[kempie]

As you say newtron, my point is that this type of puzzle is meaningless unless more information is proffered.

The example I gave did not identify one property in each not shared by the others but rather the commonality you would expect of this puzzle.

The reason behind my post was not to suggest that the fictional element trilithium is the incorrect answer but rather that another answer could be equally valid no matter if other people (not meaning you) start jumping up and down yelling "you're wrong!"

[Gef]

Can't believe that this has resulted in such debate. Trilithium does not exist, the others do, end of story.

[hinge1967]

I may open a theatre in London called The Californium....which will be be nice.

[newtron]

kempie, I was refering to Hamish's answer.  He did just identify one property in each item that the other items don't share.  By that reasoning, I've come to the conclusion that there is no odd one out because they are all not red with purple and yellow stripes!

[Hamish]

Hi  Newtron. The comminality is there by intferance.

1 - the other are soloids, 2 the others have stable nucli, 3 the others are real, 4 the others have easily diffined differnaces, (although I prefer the theater one by Hinge1967).

A better question would have been- wich is the odd one out from Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium and Trilithium. You would have to get very picky to find a differace other than the fictional/nonfictional answer.

[Hamish]

Could Alison Mary put some context to the question now it has been thrashed to bits here?