Run: 2026-02-25-01KJ95QQT87JHTB37ZZT4QW93Y

To determine the correct time, we'll follow the information provided step-by-step: 1. **"The clock shows 3:45."** This is the time currently displayed on the clock. 2. **"It's 15 minutes slow."** If the clock is 15 minutes slow, the actual time is 15 minutes ahead of what the clock shows. Actual Time = Clock Time + 15 minutes Actual Time = 3:45 + 0:15 Actual Time = 4:00 3. **"The actual time is a quarter past an hour."** This statement implies that the minutes component of the actual time should be :15 (e.g., 1:15, 2:15, 3:15, 4:15). However, the time calculated from the first two statements (4:00) contradicts the format required by the third statement (HH:15). This indicates a logical inconsistency in the problem statement itself, as all three pieces of information cannot be simultaneously true. When faced with such a contradiction, in puzzles of this type, the most direct calculation from the numerical values and the stated discrepancy is usually the intended primary method for finding the answer. The phrase "It's 15 minutes slow" provides a direct mathematical operation (addition of 15 minutes) to the observed "3:45" to find the "actual time." The third statement, "The actual time is a quarter past an hour," then becomes a conflicting descriptive characteristic. Therefore, we prioritize the direct calculation from the clock reading and its known error: 3:45 + 15 minutes = 4:00. 04:00