Jul 30 2008
Riddle No. 10
Hi everybody!
Thanks to everybody who tried to solve the previous riddle. They were Sokeina, Anand, Naomi and Nadine. But in the end, Kesaia and Lilly got the right answer! The answer was that when Carol thought she was near the equator, she filled the sink and allowed the water to drain away. When the ship had crossed the equator, the water reversed direction! Here’s the next ridddle!
The three wisest sages in the land were brought before the king to see which of them were worthy to become the king’s advisor. After passing many tests of cunning and invention, they were pitted against each other in a final battle of the wits.
Led blind-folded into a small room, the sages were seated around a small wooden table as the king described the test for them.
“Upon each of your heads I have placed a hat. Now you are either wearing a blue hat or a white hat. All I will tell you is this- at least one of you is wearing a blue hat. There may be only one blue hat and two white hats, there may be two blue hats and one white hat, or there may be three blue hats. But you may be certain that there are not three white hats.”
“I will shortly remove your blind folds, and the test will begin. The first to correctly announce the colour of his hat shall be my advisor. Be warned however, he who guesses wrongly shall be beheaded. If not one of you answers within the hour, you will be sent home and I will seek elsewhere for wisdom.”
With that, the king uncovered the sages’ eyes and sat in the corner and waited. One sage looked around and saw that his competitors each were wearing blue hats. From the look in their eyes he could see their thoughts were the same as his, “What is the colour of my hat?”
For what seemed like hours no one spoke. Finally he stood up and said, “The colour of the hat I am wearing is . . .”
Hope it’s not too easy or not too hard!
Hi Natalie!
I think that this man is wearing a white hat.
Am i right ?
Plese Tell me!!!!
Thanks!
Momtahina
HI NATNAT,
He said his hat was blue!
This happened because it already says there were 2 blues so it was still possible for him to have either. But it was made clear he was wearing blue because if there were 2 blues and 1 white hat, 2 men would see 1 white and 1 blue, while another would see 2 blues. Then these 2 that see 1 white 1 blue would say blue because of the other one’s silence they would think that the other could see more than one blue therefore the other would take his time to wonder if there are 3 blues or 2 blues and a white. This would happen quickly. But because in this case it took long, it was clearly seen to be 3 blues.
Naomi
Hi everybody!
Congratulations Naomi who got the answer right! The answer was, well, the reason that Naomi gave us. Well, I will put up another riddle as soon as possible!
Natnat