[Guest]

There was a riddle I remember hearing, but can't remember the answer to or the logic behind the answer. It goes as follows:

There are 3 men.

One tells the truth, the other two lie.

The first man says: "I tell the truth."

The second man says: "The first man is lying."

The third man says: "They're both lying."

Which man is telling the truth?

No, this is not the infamous "One man tells truth, one man lies, one man does either" riddle. Just when I think I'm at a conclusion, my mind gets boggled. Also, if this is worded wrong and you know it for sure, then please let me know! I know I've heard this riddle before, but would like an answer! Thanks!

[flamebirde]

okay, i think what happens is...

if the third guy is telling the truth, then the first guy is lying and the second guy is saying the first guy is telling the truth. so that can't be right. but, if the third guy is lying,than the first two are telling the truth and that can't be right because only one person is telling the truth.

please tell me if this is really a paradox or what...

[Guest]

The second man is telling the truth.

The first man is lying, which is easy to understand.

The third man lying means that NOT BOTH of the above men are lying. That means that both could be telling the truth, OR only one could be telling the truth. If only one is telling the truth, then his statement about BOTH of them lying is false. Therefore, the third man's statement is a lie, since only one of the men above is telling the truth.

[Guest]

It works if the first man is telling the truth and the other two are lying. Obviously, the second man's declaration is a lie, as the first man was indeed speaking the truth. The third man's statement of both others being liars is also untrue, because only one of them (man #2) is a liar. Only PART of a liar's statement needs to be untrue for him to be lying.

[Guest]

The second man is telling the truth.

The first man is lying, which is easy to understand.

The third man lying means that NOT BOTH of the above men are lying. That means that both could be telling the truth, OR only one could be telling the truth. If only one is telling the truth, then his statement about BOTH of them lying is false. Therefore, the third man's statement is a lie, since only one of the men above is telling the truth.

this, of course... works as well. i suppose there are two correct answers, then.

whoopsie poopsie.

[Guest]

The third man must be lying because the first two can not both be liars. The first two can also not both be telling the truth. However, either of them may be the liar or the honest one. There is no way to determine which. If number one tells the truth, then his statement is obviously true, and number two's claim is a lie. If number one is a liar, then his claim to be telling the truth is a lie, and number two's statement is true. Both scenarios are equally possible.

[Guest]

The first man can be telling the truth, but then the other two are lying.

The second man can be telling the truth, and, again, the other two are lying.

The only thing that can be certain is that the third man is lying.

His statement that "They're both lying." can only be a true statement if and only if

both the first man and the second man are lying. It is a false statement, i.e., a lie,

if the first man is lying and the second man is telling the truth, or the first man

is telling the truth and the second man is lying, or if both the first man and

second man are telling the truth. As the second man called the first man a liar, who

himself had stated he was telling the truth, the two men must be polar opposites --

one lying the other telling the truth. Thus, the third man told a lie.

[flamebirde]

Oh... thanks for clearing that up.