[Guest]

I have a story to tell.

One morning, three persons decided to fish. An old man, an old guy, and an old boy. They decided to fish not in the same ponds, so they look in different places. When the afternoon came, old guy and old man have seen each other. I heard their conversation and they said the following:

Old guy: So how many fish did you get?

Old man: I think this isn't the lucky day for me. That's why I got nothing. Not even a nibble.

Old guy: Really? May I see your basket?

Old man: I don't need to show it to you just to prove you that I'm not lying.

Old guy: O.K.! I won't insist.

Old man: So how about you?

Old guy: I got three fishes. One for me. One for my wife. And one for my kid.

Old man: I thought you are single?

Old guy: That's just what you thought. Lol.

Then the old boy came.

Old boy: Woohoo! I got twelve. I'm so happy!

Old man: Really? Then that's good!

Old boy: I'll give one-sixth for my friend. One-fourth for my grandparents. One-half for my parents.

Old guy: Wow! I never thought your grandparents are still alive.

Old boy: They are indeed.

----------------------

Out of the given information above, who do you think is lying in the story (who's not telling the truth?)? If you say so, prove that the person you have chosen is the one not telling the truth.

[(Number of Answers) x 5]/(Number of Correct Answers.)

[Guest]

I think the old boy is lying. He seems to care about his friend and family than himself. With the selfish nature of human being, I doubt he is speaking a truth.

1 for himself

2 for his friend

3 for his grandparents

6 for his parents

[Guest]

I think the old guy is lying (or maybe he's just senile ).

Actually the old guy is the father of the old man, who in turn is the father of the old boy.

The old guy's wife is dead. Thus the Old man mentions that he should be single.

Also, the old guy wonders about the old kids grandparents being alive, which indeed is true as the old boy says.

[Guest]

Any other convincing answers? I'll let this thread open for a couple of days. Or maybe one week before I post answer?

[bonanova]

The only suspicious part of the story is Old Boy.

[1] splitting up his 12 fish [2 to friend, 3 to grandparents, 6 to parents] leaves one fish not given out. But that just means he ate one fish himself.

[2] If all his grandparents are living, you could argue they would need 4, not 3, fish. But after they're cooked, 3 can feed 4 ok.

[Guest]

Assuming one must be lying - b/c of the way the question is phrased...

Either the Old Guy is lying and the other two are telling the truth (b/c old guy contradicts both of the other two) or vice versa - only the Old Guy is telling the truth (for same reasoning).

If we assume that the liar is perpetually a liar (not necessarily true but let's assume so) then the Old Guy must be the liar b/c the Old Man tells a truth (by stating that he doesn't need to show his basket to the old guy to prove he caught zero fish - b/c if he caught zero fish that would be true

Regardless of that again.. if we look at the question it is clear that only one person could be lying ("prove that the person" - singular) so again that leads to the Old Guy...

Needless to say it seems that the question may be poorly phrased/posed... but I'd go with the Old Guy being the liar.

[Guest]

Everyone is trying their best. But no one has convinced me

[Guest]

I think they're all lying. I think the old guy is lying about his wife and child, the old man is lying about not having any fish and i think that the old boy is lying about having 12 fish. That's why I think they're all lying.

Edited March 5, 2008 by Naruto Uzumaki

[Guest]

If we assume that the person who is lying always lies, and that there is indeed a liar, then the liar would have to be the old boy.

Old Man "Really? Then that's good!" would be a truth when referring to catching 12 fish.

Old Guy "O.K.! I won't insist" is a truth, since he didn't insist on seeing the basket.

So, if liar must always lie, since these two told a truth, they cannot be the liar.

Spoiler for equivalent points is a bit confusing. There are 5 questions answered out of 15 statements, which makes 5 questions, 5 answers, and 5 statements that are not questions or answers,

unless you count Really? as a question, and the statement about how many fishes will be given as an answer. This would give 6 questions, 6 answers; and I would assume you are saying there is one lying answer,and 5 true ones? This could also mean that the liar does not always have to lie, and that the lie has to be a response to a question.

In that case the old man cannot be the liar, as his two responses would either both be lies, or both be truth.

Also, the old guy cannot be the liar, as his two responses would either both be lies, or both be the truth.

That again makes the old boy the liar.

[Guest]

Don't all fisherman lie??

Old Guy is lying - he would say I caught three - enough for the family to have one each, well that's how i wld put it

Also he boasts he has more fish.

Old boy lies too. he has 12 fish and does'nt throw a BBQ. He too weakly explains his product distribution.

Old man lies too. Does'nt want to share his fish, has nothing to hide by showing empty net.

Don't give me points - a bag of chips will do, no vinegar, but a little salt pls!

[Guest]

Old guy: Really? May I see your basket?

Old man: I don't need to show it to you just to prove you that I'm not lying.

the OLD MAN is STRONGLY saying he is not lying but from the old guys statement it can never be implied that the OLD MAN is lying. He could want to see the basket for any reason.

So, the OLD MAN is lying. ( I did found no solution apart from this logical one)