The STAR COUNTER's eyes shine, feeling a possible challenge.

There once was a town where all people used a big CLOCK in the center of the town to tell time. It would ring its bell to inform them.

It would ring the number of hours it currently is, once for 1am, once for 2am, and so on. It would also ring every half hour, but only once.

A man has woken up in the middle of the night. What's the longest possible waiting time for him to figure out what time it is (in hours)?

Excellent. You may continue.