[Guest]

I searched forum and didn't find this, whihc makes me happy because friend and I came up with it in discussion the other day, and were hoping it was unique, but unsure...now I'm pretty sure it is.

HOnestants: only tell truth

Swindlecants: only lie

HOnest town: town where no swindlecant can enter/come from

Deceit town: town honestants can't enter/come from

Situation: Three paths to pick from. Two natives.

One path leads to an honest town, the other two

lead to Deceit towns. You know one of the natives

is an honestant and that the other is a swindlecant.

Problem:you get to ask each of the natives the same question.

what question do you ask to find the honest town?

ask "where couldn't he have come from"

honestant: points to honestant town cause Swindlecant couldn't have came from there.

Swindlecant: points to honestant town cause it's the only town the Honestant COULD have come from.

P.S.-Friend and I attempted to find various solutions and couldn't, so if you can find another, KUDOS!

[andromeda]

I found something similar!

+ I have found one more bit more similar!

You just have to punch in (truth +lie) in search and then read the topics to find out if any of them is similar or even identical to what you have written!

Edited September 24, 2008 by andromeda

[Guest]

yea...that is very much a different problem...

[Guest]

searched for another while now....I'm near dead positive this is truly unique.

Alos...I think I came up with a second solution, but want to run it by my friend before I post it....see if you can get it first.

Edited September 24, 2008 by Dimension_Rupture

[Guest]

searched for another while now....I'm near dead positive this is truly unique.

Alos...I think I came up with a second solution, but want to run it by my friend before I post it....see if you can get it first.

Ask: "Which town can you go to?

Honestant: Tells the truth and points to Honest Town

Swindlecant: Lies and points to Honest Town

Although the OP only says which towns they can't go to, not which towns they can go to. It could be some people can go to neither town.

[Guest]

unless stated in problem assume those are the only restrictions. So no there are no people, at least in the problem, that can go to neither. Also nice job at getting another solution, but it's really working with the concept of the first one. there is one other solution that is more unique of the first concept, though. *gets second pointing result, but also tells which town(yours is a good find of a second way to get same pointing.) (i think, haven't got friend to confirm it yet though)

Edited September 24, 2008 by Dimension_Rupture

[Guest]

where cant he come from

[Guest]

Tony check the answer in first post, is same thing.

The problem limits your questions, but it doesn't limit your ability to first make a statement. Figure this out and another solution or two become apparent

[bonanova]

Agree this is a new riddle on BrainDen.

As requested, here's a variant solution.

"If I were to ask you which two roads lead to DT1 and DT2 [the two Deceit towns] which two roads would you be able to point to?"

• H could point only to (the roads leading to) DT1 and DT2, and he would say so.
  
• S could point either to HT [the Honest town] and DT1 - or - to HT and DT2. But he would not be able to say so.
  He'd have to say to say he'd be able only to point to DT1 and DT2.
  

Either way, you learn where HT is.

[Guest]

very clever bonanova! that still isn't the second one I had in mind, however...

*see hint above for insight into what my second way was

[bonanova]

very clever bonanova! that still isn't the second one I had in mind, however...

*see hint above for insight into what my second way was

There are a number of ways to make a statement then ask a question which presumably references the statement.

I can't think of one, yet, that couldn't be incorporated into the question.

[bonanova]

there is one other solution that is more unique of the first concept, though. *gets second pointing result, but also tells which town(yours is a good find of a second way to get same pointing.) (i think, haven't got friend to confirm it yet though)

Go ahead and post it here. We'll confirm it or not.