Riddle Trivia

[Malchik]

If he is at point A at 11.20 am on the way up on day one, he must not be at point A at 11.20am on the way down on day two. Nor may he be at any point on the path at the same time on the two consecutive days.

 

Is that clearer?

 

I'm off now until tomorrow.

 

A pencil and paper may help.

[seregmegil]

I don't know, what is the answer?

[Malchik]

Your advice? It is impossible to complete the pilgrimage under those conditions, at some point on both days you have to be at the same place at the same time. If you need proof, PM me.

 

Here's a simpler and well known one.

 

A and B are friends. One always tells lies and the other always tells the truth but you do not know which is which. How can you phrase a question so that you will always be able to work out the truth?

[Chunky_Moose]

You ask them both why they always lie. The one that always tells the truth will say that they never lie while the one that always lies will tell you a false answer such as 'because the sky is blue'.

[Malchik]

The one who always lies will tell you he never lies. The one who always tells you the truth will tell you he never lies. With the correct question you only need to ask one of them and will always get the same answer.

 

Suppose, for the sake of argument ,you are afraid your food has been drugged but are very hungry. What question can you ask either of them that will give you enough information to tell if it is safe to eat the food or not?

[Chunky_Moose]

I think I've got it this time lol.

 

You ask them:

 

'Am I hungry?'

 

The one who tells the truth will truthfully say that he doesn't know. The one who lies doesn't know either but he has to lie so he'll say either yes or no.

[Malchik]

Good point you have there. What does a liar say when he does not know the truth? He cannot say you are or you are not hungry because he may accidentally tell the truth. A bonus point for that.

 

It is not the answer because I forgot to add all of the restrictions - my fault. (I did say I was not very good with riddles.) I should have added that you may ask only one question and of only one of them.

 

Sorry about that but keep trying, you will surely get there soon!

[Maquissar]

Ask A: "If I were to ask B who is the liar, what would he answer?"

 

Both the liar and the honest guy would say they tell the truth, if directly asked.

If A answers that B would answer that A is the liar, then A is the one who tells the truth.

If A answers that B would admit that he is a liar, then A is the one who lies.

[Hogosha Ookami]

ask them to point to themselves, the one who points to himself is the truth teller, the one who points to anyone else is the liar.

[Malchik]

I think you are there M, although your explanation is not quite clear. You are right in saying you have to ask one what the other would say. The answer is always a lie.

 

E.g. A lies, B tells the truth. Ask A what B would say: answer, a lie, 'B is the liar'.

Ask B what A would say: he would truthfully report A's lie 'B is a liar'. Thus you will know which one tells the truth. Because the statement is a lie, B tells the truth.

 

This riddle is commonly met in the room with two guards and two doors one leading to certain death and one leading to freedom. Ask either guard which the other would say goes to freedom and take the opposite route.

 

You have drugged food. If you ask the liar what the truthteller would say, you end up with a lie 'the food is fine'. If you ask the truthteller what the liar would say you get the lie 'the food is fine'. Whatever the answer, do the opposite.

 

Now it's your turn to set a riddle!