puzzled

okay, here's an old puzzle cited in the book i mentioned a couple of posts back. maybe you'd like to try answering it..

you are given 12 coins. they all have the same weight, except for one, which may be either lighter or heavier than the rest. you have to find out which coin is different, and whether it is light or heavy, using at most three weighings on a pair of scales. the scales have no graduations for weights; they just have two pans, and you can tell whether they are in balance, or the heavier one has gone down and the lighter one has gone up.

anyway, it's a puzzle, all right XP the solution in the book is given here below. good luck in figuring it out, hehehehe:

F set the coins out in a row
And chalked on each a letter, so,
To form the words, 'F AM NOT LICKED'
(An idea in his brain had clicked.)
And now his mother he'll enjoin:
MA DO LIKE
ME TO FIND
FAKE COIN

cool, huh? XP

oh well. this book sure was a good buy. it's an effective distraction. *sigh* i love puzzles. but really.. why do you keep confusing me this way..?! what did i do this time..? :(