NationStates Jolt Archive

OK, the emporer of China has 4 criminals placed around the great wall. One man is on one side of the wall and facing the wall, the other three are on the other side and are all facing the wall. All the men are chained up and so cannot turn around to look at the person behind them, the emporer places a white hat on two men and black hat on the other two, in the order of white, black, white, black. The men cannot communicate, nor can they see their hats, or indeed the hat of the man behind them, only the hat(s) of those in front of them. The emporer tells them that if one of the criminals can say for definate what colour hat they have on and how they know they will all be set free, if someone says incorrectly they will all die.

Which man tells the emporer what coloured hat he has on and how does he know it?

so confusled.....:cry:

White>Black>White>||<Black

Black>White>Black>||<White

Like this?

It helps to set up the order using a chess board or something, so you can visualise it, see.

Here's a diagram:

Criminal 1 White hat
Ciminal 2 Black hat
Criminal 3 White hat

___________
Wall
___________

Criminal 4 Black hat



The answer is Criminal 2...

Since he hasn't heard Criminal 1 (behind him) shout out the answer he knows that he does not have the same color as the criminal in front of him, and he knows he cannot be wearing a White hat, like Criminal 3 in front of him, he knows he must be wearing a Black hat, and can deduce the remainder.

Well done, it took me AAAAGGGEEESSS to get that.