Seek the truth: The Wknd Puzzle by Dilip D’Souza
Can you spot the lies masquerading as clues in this otherworldly tale? And can you untangle the twist at the end?
Purva has stumbled into that mythical land beloved of puzzle-setters everywhere, Trulia. You know, the country whose citizens are all either liars or truth-tellers. But not, of course, both.
One evening, she sits down to dinner with three silent Trulians: Edmond, Luboš and Yuji. Conversation is non-existent, until Purva asks: “Dudes, please tell me something about yourselves!” That perks up the trio.
Edmond says: “Exactly one of us is a liar.”
Luboš says: “Exactly two of us are liars.”
Yuji says: “Exactly three of us are liars.”
Question 1: Can you help Purva find out who’s lying?
Hint: Clearly only one of the three can be telling the truth.
Question 2: Replace “Exactly” with “At least” in all three cases. Can you help Purva find out who’s lying?
Hint: Let’s say Edmond is a liar. For “At least one of us is a liar” to be a lie, all three have to be telling the truth. Impossible. So Edmond is a truth-teller. Go on from there.
Bonus: What links those three names? (Not Purva).
Scroll down for the answers.
.
.
.
.
.
Answer 1: Edmond and Yuji are lying.
Answer 2: It’s impossible to tell who’s lying; the three statements are logically inconsistent.
Bonus: The first names of three men who have comets named after them: Edmond Halley, Luboš Kohoutek, Yuji Hyakutake.
Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.
Continue reading with HT Premium Subscription
