Friday Riddle Answer

nudgie
nudgie Member Posts: 1,478 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
RIDDLE: You are on a spaceship with 2 computers. You have 2 doors, one leads to a room with the spacesuits, the other opens directly to outer space (and certain death). Both computers know which door is safe and which is not. One problem is that one computer can only tell the truth and the other can only lie. The other problem is there is no way to know which computer is which.

What is the one question that you can ask EITHER computer that will guarantee directions to the door leading to the room with space suits?

ANSWER: Ask either computer what the other would say is the safe door and then go into the other door. Example: Door "B" is the door to safety. Ask the truth computer what would the lie computer say is the safe door, the truth computer would say the lie computer would say; Door "A". Or ask the lying computer and it would say the truth computer would say Door "A".

Comments

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #2
    Not buying it (again)
    I'm taking them too literally.
    "What is the one question that you can ask EITHER computer that will guarantee directions to the door leading to the room with space suits?"
    So if you asked one computer, say the lying one, which is the safe door and it says door A, how do you know it's the liar computer based on asking only one of them?

    Now, if it were worded "what is the one question you can ask BOTH computers" that makes it solvable because you can determine which computer is lying by asking both. I know I'm splitting hairs but there is a difference between asking one and asking BOTH and the riddle just said EITHER which means one computer or the other, not both.

    I don't know Nudgie, these riddles are puzzling.
    I'd rather try to crack the case of just why did the chicken cross the road?
    Good one
    ;-)
    -phil
  • PGLGreg
    PGLGreg Member Posts: 731
    #3
    PhillieG said:

    Not buying it (again)
    I'm taking them too literally.
    "What is the one question that you can ask EITHER computer that will guarantee directions to the door leading to the room with space suits?"
    So if you asked one computer, say the lying one, which is the safe door and it says door A, how do you know it's the liar computer based on asking only one of them?

    Now, if it were worded "what is the one question you can ask BOTH computers" that makes it solvable because you can determine which computer is lying by asking both. I know I'm splitting hairs but there is a difference between asking one and asking BOTH and the riddle just said EITHER which means one computer or the other, not both.

    I don't know Nudgie, these riddles are puzzling.
    I'd rather try to crack the case of just why did the chicken cross the road?
    Good one
    ;-)
    -phil

    Phil asks: "So if you asked
    Phil asks: "So if you asked one computer, say the lying one, which is the safe door and it says door A, how do you know it's the liar computer based on asking only one of them?"

    You can't determine which computer is the liar. But you don't need to know that.

    --Greg
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #4
    PGLGreg said:

    Phil asks: "So if you asked
    Phil asks: "So if you asked one computer, say the lying one, which is the safe door and it says door A, how do you know it's the liar computer based on asking only one of them?"

    You can't determine which computer is the liar. But you don't need to know that.

    --Greg

    What... is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
    Why is this site not posting our responses the first time? Is this going to the naughty computer?
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #5
    PhillieG said:

    What... is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
    Why is this site not posting our responses the first time? Is this going to the naughty computer?

    Funny
    Guess we won't know until we post and it goes through. Yes I think we have the naughty server.

    Airspeed 5 mph (I just measured one outside my window). Was that a lie or not :)
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #6
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Funny
    Guess we won't know until we post and it goes through. Yes I think we have the naughty server.

    Airspeed 5 mph (I just measured one outside my window). Was that a lie or not :)

    Is it
    an African or European swallow?

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