A Mensa Problem: Answer
Jerry & Wendy Horn (horn2865@dpnet.net)
Mon, 27 Oct 1997 21:09:33 -0600 (CST)
This question was posed to me a few years ago by a Radiologist I worked
with. The question was supposedly from the Mensa society. If you heard
this before, please give others a chance.
You are in a room with two doors. There are two men, one each guarding a
door. One door leads to certain destruction. The other door leads to
freedom. One man is a liar, never telling the truth. The other man always
tell the truth.
What ONE question can you ask each man and find out which way to safety. The
same question is asked to both men.
Answer: (drum roll, please)
All of you have come up with good answers (those that participated, anyway.)
Bro. Joe Jarvis was the closest with his answer, but it was not complete.
The best question to ask also requires an action on your part once you
receive the answer.
The question to ask is:
"What will the other man tell me to do to get to freedom?"
If you try this between man "A" being the "Truth" and man "B" being "liar" and
"A" standing at destruction and "B" at freedom, you will get this scenario:
"A" will answer "He will tell you to use my door", and "B" will answer "He
will tell you to use his door". Remember now, they are telling you what the
other will say.
Based on their answers, you need to do something. That is, Do the OPPOSITE
of what they said.
You can switch the men around at the different doors, and it will still come
out the same. You need to do the opposite of the answers given.
Thank you for this opportunity to share this with you!
Sis. Wendy Horn