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        riddles >> easy >> Native Execution
        
(Message started by: Puzzled on Sep 17^th, 2004, 11:44am)

Title: Native Execution
Post by Puzzled on Sep 17^th, 2004, 11:44am

A man is captured by some natives. The natives tell the man "You may make a statement. If the statement is a lie, you will be burnt at the stake. If it is true, you will be boiled in oil." The man thinks a moment, then says something to them and they set him free. What does he say? I'm usually good with these puzzles, but this one has got me! Thanks!

Title: Re: Here's a Tough One Asked to Me By the Boss!
Post by Padzok on Sep 17^th, 2004, 12:40pm

"You will burn me at the stake"

Title: Re: Here's a Tough One Asked to Me By the Boss!
Post by Puzzled on Sep 17^th, 2004, 1:13pm

Amazing! Thanks!

Title: Re: Native Execution
Post by Three Hands on Sep 21^st, 2004, 8:59am

Either that or nothing - after all, there appears to be no outcome if he refuses to make a statement...

Title: Re: Native Execution
Post by Speaker on Sep 23^rd, 2004, 10:09pm

The little known, but equally deadly third alternative, "We will boil you at the stake with burning oil!" :P

Title: Re: Native Execution
Post by Avrom Roy-Faderman on Oct 8^th, 2004, 2:14pm

I've never understood why this would make the natives let the man go free. Letting him go free requires them to violate their promise ("If it is a lie, you will be burnt at the stake") just as much as boiling him in oil does.

Basically, the man has made liars out of the natives. There's nothing they can do (including releasing him) to prevent this; they might as well kill him anyway.

Title: Re: Native Execution
Post by Grimbal on Oct 8^th, 2004, 3:39pm

Speaker is right. They just can do both.

"If A then B" is always true when B is true. So, if they boil the guy in oil and burn him at the stake afterwards, they told the truth, whether the statement was true, false of somewhere in the gray.

It also helps with questions like: "The number of prime numbers smaller than one gogolplex is odd". Is it true?

Maybe that is what they planned to do anyway. ;D