Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site bbncca.ARPA
Path: utzoo!linus!bbncca!keesan
From: keesan@bbncca.ARPA (Morris Keesan)
Newsgroups: net.puzzle
Subject: *SPOILER* Re: A puzzle with two answers?!?(tall and short cannibals)
Message-ID: <1136@bbncca.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 13-Nov-84 11:02:09 EST
Article-I.D.: bbncca.1136
Posted: Tue Nov 13 11:02:09 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 14-Nov-84 00:39:43 EST
References: <4@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma.
Lines: 23

-------------
The key to the problem, and the source of the hidden assumption, is that no
cannibal can ever claim to be tall.  Short cannibals (truth-tellers) will
always say they are short, and tall cannibals (liars) will also say they are
short, IF THEY ARE MAKING STATEMENTS ABOUT THEIR HEIGHT.

The two possible scenarios are:

1) Short, Short, Tall.  First cannibal said, "I am short," but was drowned out
    by the sound of the waves.

2) Tall, Tall, Short.  First cannibal said, "My mother wears army shoes," or
    some other false statement irrelevant to the problem.  Second cannibal
    (tall liar) said, "He said he is short.  He is short.  I am short."  All
    three statements are lies.  Third cannibal (short truth-teller) exposes
    these lies, and correctly claims to be short.

The fallacy in the obviously intended first answer is in assuming that the
first cannibal said something about his height.
-- 
			    Morris M. Keesan
			    {decvax,linus,ihnp4,wivax,wjh12,ima}!bbncca!keesan
			    keesan @ BBN-UNIX.ARPA