[Guest]

Each king has three horses: one fast, one moderate, and one slow. Two kings want to see whose horses are faster. The winner of two or more of the three races will receive money. One of the kings trains his horses all day. As he training, one of his advisors walks up to him and says, "I know a way that you will surely win." The advisor whispers the way in the king's ear. And sure enough, when the race came, he won. Every horse race in the three horse format was won by him from then on. What did the advisor tell him?

Put the moderate horse up to race the other's slow horse, the fast horse up to race the other's moderate horse, and the slow horse up to race the other's fast horse. This way the king will win two of three and win the whole game.

[andromeda]

Nice simple logic puzzle

Welcome to the Den!

However the question is

how does he know which horse will his opponent use in the following race?

Edited January 25, 2009 by andromeda

[Guest]

Nice simple logic puzzle

Welcome to the Den!

However the question is

how does he know which horse will his opponent use in the following race?

Sorry, I should add that the slow horses race first. Then the moderate. Then the fast ones.

[Guest]

Sorry, I should add that the slow horses race first. Then the moderate. Then the fast ones.

I didn't see a rule about using the same horse multiple times, so only race your fast horse

[bonanova]

Sorry, I should add that the slow horses race first. Then the moderate. Then the fast ones.

If that's true, then the solution doesn't work.

[Guest]

If that's true, then the solution doesn't work.

the other king doesnt know which of your horses is the fastest or slowest so you can trick him

[Guest]

I didn't see a rule about using the same horse multiple times, so only race your fast horse

I'm quite sure the other king will notice that you have not changed your horse.

[bonanova]

the other king doesnt know which of your horses is the fastest or slowest so you can trick him

And he can trick you as well.

How would you know which of his horses is fastest?

More to the point, what good is the rule?

[Guest]

I'm quite sure the other king will notice that you have not changed your horse.

Point me to where that rule is stated?

[Guest]

Point me to where that rule is stated?

Ok fine but the horse would get tired so you may not win.

[bonanova]

I still don't see a puzzle here.

If rules are obeyed, the best of the slow, medium and fast horses win.

If rules are not obeyed, there is a random matching of horses in three races, with outcomes unpredictable.

The winner is either the one with the best horses or the one who guesses

correctly to get his slow horse matched against the opponents fast horse.

He gives up that race to win the other two.

But there is not strategy that makes that happen, only luck.

What am I missing?

[Guest]

I still don't see a puzzle here.

If rules are obeyed, the best of the slow, medium and fast horses win.

If rules are not obeyed, there is a random matching of horses in three races, with outcomes unpredictable.

The winner is either the one with the best horses or the one who guesses

correctly to get his slow horse matched against the opponents fast horse.

He gives up that race to win the other two.

But there is not strategy that makes that happen, only luck.

What am I missing?

I don't think you are missing anything. I think it is a poorly-formed puzzle (no offense to the author, it was a good try but it needs some work).

[Guest]

If OP added a known that the "other King" always runs his horses in the same pattern of slow, medium, fast. Then there is still a way to always win using his method.

[Guest]

If OP added a known that the "other King" always runs his horses in the same pattern of slow, medium, fast. Then there is still a way to always win using his method.

thank you that is what i meant

[Guest]

Ok, so the answer to this simple logic question is to lie/cheat? I like it. Far too many logic puzzles use hard and fast rules to dictate the structure of the answer.

Let's just hope the kings slow horse isn't actually faster than your moderate horse.

[Guest]

Ok, so the answer to this simple logic question is to lie/cheat? I like it. Far too many logic puzzles use hard and fast rules to dictate the structure of the answer.

Let's just hope the kings slow horse isn't actually faster than your moderate horse.

Yes, that is the only problem in this riddle. If the other king's slow horse is faster than your moderate horse (could also be his moderate horse faster than your fast horse), then you will lose.

[Guest]

Nice simple logic puzzle

Welcome to the Den!

However the question is

how does he know which horse will his opponent use in the following race?

ohhhh. you are so right. hmmm...

[Guest]

If both you and an opponent have three horses at respective speeds of slow, moderate, and fast, and if conditions are such that you don't know which horses your opponent will use and he does not know which you will use, then there can be no surefire way of winning. That is your answer!