Riddle game.
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A good baseline solution (and not far off my initial try when I first encountered this one), but it's possible to do much better.
It should be obvious that at least one person has a 50% death chance - since no-one has information on the last person't hat, there's no way for him to improve his odds (poor sap). However, it's possible for everyone else to be guaranteed survival - meaning the optimal solution gives a 50% chance of one total death, and a 50% chance of 0 total deaths. That information might make it a bit easier to work out how. | |
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Having each other tell the next one's colour, everyone would be put in a stuck situation.
If the second one hears the first one tell his colour, comes a quite dilema situation. He has to either tell his colour or next one's colour. Which one would be depends on how much each wants to survive. I would use "cough" one or two, much easier, although very suspicious when every one starts to cough after each one. PS: I don't want to make a riddle in case I'm correct. =/ Last edited by Arindel#2602 on Jul 16, 2012, 3:12:44 AM
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"Audible coughing would count as communication and get them killed on the spot. The only information they get from others is hearing which colour each person before them calls out, and hearing whether they get shot or not. | |
" this is obviously not the solution, but I don't see reaching up and grabbing the hat off your head as cheating considering the rules here |
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"...I have no idea how I managed to leave that off. You are correct - I didn't say that would be against the rules. However, in the spirit of finding the 'correct' solution, I think we can assume such. | |
" " the first person would poke the next if there hat was red. If no poke then its not red. " only the first would have a 50% chance of death and the rest would live That right? "Bullshit, you get the game for free." - Qarl 2014
"The 5x Diamond Supporter" |
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While I admit that both square0 and XvXReaperXvX have solutions that technically work based on the way I presented the problem, it is in fact possible to save all but the guy at the back of the line (who has 50% chance of dying) without the people communicating any information at all other than their own guess at their hat colour.
Up to you guys if you want to count that I guess - if no-one can (or wants to) think of the 'real' solution than one of you guys can do the next one and I'll post it for any interested parties to see. | |
" The 57th guy says green if there is an odd number of green hats in front of him, and red if there is an even number of green hats (zero counts as even). 56th guy can now count and work out what colour his hat is. 55th until 1st can do the same, knowing the answers from all before them. Still sane exile? Last edited by Skizo#3308 on Jul 16, 2012, 5:11:01 AM
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I suppose that they could just use a different tone of voice when voicing their guesses. So, if the first guy sees that the man in front of him has a red hat, he would say "red!" or "green!" whereas if the man in front of him had a green hat he would ask "red?" or "green?".
Probably not the answer you had in mind though. I assume that the fact that the logicians can't lie have something to do with the actual solution, but I haven't figured it out yet. Does the fact that they can't lie mean that they have to tell the truth of whatever they're asked or can they simply refrain from answering the question? |
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"Correct! Well done. I guess you're next then. @majinrevan666: the part about them not lying was more jsut to make it clear they were definitly going t behave in the way they said they would, and wouldn't cheat by shooting someone who got it right or adding a yellow hat or anything, so people didn't spend time wondering if it was a trick question in that way. |
