Jump to content
BrainDen.com - Brain Teasers
  • 0


unreality
 Share

Question

Merlin has been the realm's strongest wizard and king's archmage for a very long time. Yesterday, however, Merlin predicted his own death in two weeks.

Because of the nature of the selecting process (see below), a contest to determine the next-strongest wizard (to take over when Merlin dies) was hurriedly arranged, and is occurring today.

A certain objective test is used to make a cutoff line (wizards must complete seven magical challenges). Then there is a second objective test that usually weeds out the best of the best. It is known factually that no two wizards are of equal strength... all wizards are at their own unique strength level.

From there, however, the most ancient art of strength comparison is used. In this case, two wizards - Nevo and Onyx - passed both tests and are the only ones left for the final comparison process.

---

Called a "mind duel", the two wizards being compared stand in opposite circles and just stand there, staring at each other. A wizard stronger than both of them stands in between them and compares the strength of their magical fields to determine the stronger of the two.

If the wizard doing the comparison is stronger than both of them, the comparer correctly determines the stronger of the two dueling wizards.

However if the comparer is weaker than one or both of the dueling wizards, then they get the opposite answer; that is, they think that the weaker of the two wizards is actually the stronger one.

---

Now, Merlin compares Nevo and Onyx, and concludes that Nevo is more powerful than Onyx. The king, although sad that his good friend Merlin will be dying in two weeks, declares Nevo the second-strongest mage of the realm, to take over the archmage position after Merlin dies.

But Nevo, drunk on victory and also badly needing the money from the archmage job, goes one step further, does the unthinkable, and claims that he, Nevo, is the strongest wizard of the realm right now, and that he is stronger than both Merlin and Onyx.

The king thinks about it for a few minutes, frowning in confusion. Glancing without much certainty at his logicians, who give him a shrug, the king turns back to Nevo. "I don't think that's possible," the king says.

---

Questions: you are the king's best logician, flown in on phoenixback from a distant realm to address this issue!

(1) Is the king's conclusion correct?

(2) Do you know the exact order of decreasing mage strength (for M, N and O), or is more information needed? If more is needed, how can that be obtained with as little work as possible?

(3) Enter Pyrin, a star wizard from a distant realm that flew in with you to compete. Pyrin enters the castle after the events described here and declares that he is very powerful. Pyrin compares Merlin and Nevo and says that Merlin is more powerful. A bit confounded, Onyx compares Pyrin vs. Nevo. What does Onyx get as a result?

---

Please post answers in spoilers! This is my first riddle in a while, so thanks for reading :D Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0
---

Questions: you are the king's best logician, flown in on phoenixback from a distant realm to address this issue!

(1) Is the king's conclusion correct?

(2) Do you know the exact order of decreasing mage strength (for M, N and O), or is more information needed? If more is needed, how can that be obtained with as little work as possible?

(3) Enter Pyrin, a star wizard from a distant realm that flew in with you to compete. Pyrin enters the castle after the events described here and declares that he is very powerful. Pyrin compares Merlin and Nevo and says that Merlin is more powerful. A bit confounded, Onyx compares Pyrin vs. Nevo. What does Onyx get as a result?

---

Please post answers in spoilers! This is my first riddle in a while, so thanks for reading :D Good luck!

1. Is the king's conclusion correct?

Yes, if Nevo were more powerful than Merlin, then Merlin would have chosen the weaker magician, Onyx, as the strongest. So, either Merlin is the strongest and correctly choose Nevo as the second strongest, or Onyx is the strongest, and Merlin and Nevo's strength is unknown.

2. Exact order? How can it be obtained?

No, more information is needed. (still working on what is needed)

3. What does Onyx get as a result?

Nevo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

If Merlin wasn't the strongest then maybe he didn't do the comparison correctly because one of the other wizards is stronger. But that would have to be the opposite of what he said which would be Onyx. So either MNO or OMN or ONM but Nevo can’t be the strongest so the king was right.

Now since we know Nevo isnt the strongest. He could do the comparison thing against Merlin and Onyx. He would get it wrong and so the person who he didn't say would be the strongest of the three. From that I think the order can be obtained. If he picks Onyx then the order is MNO. If he picks Merlin then Onyx would have to do the comparison to find whether Merlin or Nevo is the strongest.

Edited by psychic_mind
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
1. Is the king's conclusion correct?

Yes, if Nevo were more powerful than Merlin, then Merlin would have chosen the weaker magician, Onyx, as the strongest. So, either Merlin is the strongest and correctly choose Nevo as the second strongest, or Onyx is the strongest, and Merlin and Nevo's strength is unknown.

2. Exact order? How can it be obtained?

No, more information is needed. (still working on what is needed)

3. What does Onyx get as a result?

Nevo

2. Exact order? How can it be obtained?

Since it is known that N is not the strongest, N test M, O will definitely yield the opposite result. Therefore, if N finds O strongest, then the order is M, N, O. However, if he finds M the strongest another test is needed since O,M,N and O,N,M are both possible. Then O should test M, N and the answer will be correct

3. The possible orders are then:

PMNO

ONMP

ONPM

POMN

OPMN

In all cases, O test P,N results in N

Edited by voltage
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
you should avoid saying any of these problems are simple because invariably if you think its simple your wrong

just some advice plus if i skimmed your post right you forgot to omit 18 and similar numbers without 6 or 9 that are reversable any number with only 0's 1's 6's 8's and 9's (except as adiace said 1881 and numbers of similar synergy) are thrown out for example im pretty sure 26 doesnt flip over or 64 however 1698 and 1818 do

anyway thats how i understood it

Lovely one, getting on it right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
p_m and IDNE are correct on #1, voltage is correct on #2 and voltage & IDNE are correct on #3 :) Good job guys!

hehe either it was way easier than I thought or you guys are logic masters ;D (or both, more likely :P)

It is POSSIBLE. the possibility that would allow this would be that Merlin is weaker than both magicians, but that Onyx is stronger than Nevo.

In IDNE answer, he stated that Merlin correctly chose Nevo as the second strongest of nevo and Onyx, but Merlin chose Nevo as THE strongest of the two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
Questions: you are the king's best logician, flown in on phoenixback from a distant realm to address this issue!

(1) Is the king's conclusion correct?

(2) Do you know the exact order of decreasing mage strength (for M, N and O), or is more information needed? If more is needed, how can that be obtained with as little work as possible?

Got the answer to the first two, thought I'd throw it out there.

Assuming Nevo is stronger than Merlin, that would make Merlin make the wrong appreciation of the two, making Onyx in fact stronger than Nevo. But there's a problem, Nevo stated he is STRONGER than anyone in the realm currently. Well, even if he is stronger than Merlin, that would mean he is weaker than Onyx. Making his statement about being strongest, a FALSE claim.

King is right.

Starting from the previous informations, Nevo can not be the strongest (in either of the two discussed cases), so he would judge the power between Onyx and Merlin wrong. The order could be many, onyx or marlin taking the lead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Onyx finds nevo most powerful.

We have concluded, that Nevo can't under any circumstance be the strongest, but he can be stronger than Merlin (assuming he is weaker than Onyx). If Nevo is stronger than Merlin, than Pyrin is weaker than Nevo (giving the wrong asnwer). Whyen onyx matches them up, (being stronger than both), he concludes correctly, that Nevo is stronger.

Assuming the other option, that Merlin is stronger (making Onyx the weakest of the bunch), Pyrin giving the right answer, means he is stronger than both. When Onyx matches them up, he concludes falsely, that Nevo is stronger.

Either of the two cases, Onyx answers Nevo!

A very nice mind teaser mate! Make more, I love these!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
{question 1} It is POSSIBLE. the possibility that would allow this would be that Merlin is weaker than both magicians, but that Onyx is stronger than Nevo.

No, Nevo cannot be the strongest. In your possibility, you say that Onyx is stronger than Nevo - which would mean that Nevo isn't the strongest. Either Merlin is #1 and he picked Nevo correctly as #2, or Merlin is #2 or #3 picking Nevo as #3 or #2. Nevo cannot be the strongest :)

Edited by unreality
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
No, Nevo cannot be the strongest. In your possibility, you say that Onyx is stronger than Nevo - which would mean that Nevo isn't the strongest. Either Merlin is #1 and he picked Nevo correctly as #2, or Merlin is #2 or #3 picking Nevo as #3 or #2. Nevo cannot be the strongest :)

Where's the sequal! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

1) Merlin says: N>O

Here are 2 options:

a) If M>N&O Then he said the truth => M>N>O

b) If M< N or M<O then he said the opposite => O>N>M

> THE KING WAS CORRECT: Nevo was not the strongest wizard at that moment

- - -

2) The order could be MNO or ONM. Can't tell at this moment

- - -

3) Pyrin said M > N

a) If P > M & N then P>M>N>O

b) If P < M or <N then O>N>M>P

Onyx compared P & N

If P>M>N>O then O will lie saying N>P

If O>N>M>P then O will tell the truth saying N>P

Either way Onyx will say N>P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Merlin has been the realm's strongest wizard and king's archmage for a very long time. Yesterday, however, Merlin predicted his own death in two weeks.

Because of the nature of the selecting process (see below), a contest to determine the next-strongest wizard (to take over when Merlin dies) was hurriedly arranged, and is occurring today.

Isn't it implicitly given in the meat of the premise that Merlin is the current strongest wizard for the realm in question? It states he has been the realm's strongest wizard for a very long time, and that they intend to pick the next-strongest wizard to replace him which would make no sense if he wasn't #1 (e.g. why replace the dying 2nd strongest wizard with the 3rd strongest?). This would still follow though if the king and Merlin were merely under the (possibly false) impression that Merlin was still the current heavyweight wizard in the realm.

Regardless though, Nevo is indisputably the next-strongest of the realm (if one even exists) so if I were him I'd get me a crack team of medieval scribes. They'd be able to get a cease and desist injunction barring any further judging as Nevo has already been proven to fulfill the requirements of being next-strongest. It would reduce the burden of the tithe-payers and, more importantly, who would want to besmirch Merlin's fine reputation so close to his death? (Juries love Merlins...)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Answer this question...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...