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While I'm not debating the difficulty of the obstacles presented in the Philospher's Stone, it would seem to me that it would make more sense to just guard it.

In the cases of the potions, the keys, and the chess, why present solutions to the user? Why not simply present a wall of fire, an enchanted door that's nigh on impossible to unlock, and some stone guardians one has to fight?

Lachun
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    I'd like to mention that I'm looking for an in-canon answer, not something about how Rowling wanted Harry's crew to go – Lachun Nov 16 '17 at 11:55
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    Also https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/77280/why-did-the-chambers-in-philosophers-stone-let-people-pass, and https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/122400/why-did-dumbledore-make-it-less-difficult-to-get-to-the-sorcerers-stone and https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/133080/why-was-the-sorcerers-stone-so-poorly-protected as a bonus. – Mithical Nov 16 '17 at 12:15
  • The combination of the various answers people have given provide quite a thorough and in depth answer, I appreciate it – Lachun Nov 16 '17 at 21:54
  • Reminds me of the line from The Emperor's New Groove: "Why do we even have that lever?" – EvilSnack Mar 03 '18 at 21:48

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I think the most likely answer is that the obstacles are meant to delay people, not to stop them. Providing a solution means that people will take the time to try to figure out how to solve them, and potentially proceed undetected, rather than to brute force the obstacles in a smash-and-grab that might succeed before help could arrive.

FuzzyBoots
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