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Paradoxes and Riddles too... for those who want to be pedantic


leXX

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My signature inspired me to make this thread. Try and get your head round these:

 

1. The following sentence is true. The previous sentence is false.

 

2. This statement is false.

 

3. Two boxes are labelled "A" and "B". A sign on box A says "The sign on box B is true and the gold is in box A". A sign on box B says "The sign on box A is false and the gold is in box A". Assuming there is gold in one of the boxes, which box contains the gold?

 

4. Study this paragraph and all things in it. What is vitally wrong with it? Actually, nothing in it is wrong, but you must admit that it is most unusual. Don't just zip through it quickly, but study it scrupulously. With luck you should spot what is so particular about it and all words found in it. Can you say what it is? Tax your brains and try again. Don't miss a word or a symbol. It isn't all that difficult...?

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Originally posted by leXX

Two boxes are labelled "A" and "B". A sign on box A says "The sign on box B is true and the gold is in box A". A sign on box B says "The sign on box A is false and the gold is in box A". Assuming there is gold in one of the boxes, which box contains the gold?

A says: B is true ; gold is in A

B says: A is false ; gold is in A

 

gold is in ... :confused:

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"3. Two boxes are labelled "A" and "B". A sign on box A says "The sign on box B is true and the gold is in box A". A sign on box B says "The sign on box A is false and the gold is in box A". Assuming there is gold in one of the boxes, which box contains the gold?"

 

.....the gold is in Box B, im positive. because if box b says that box a's sign is false (which says that the gold is in box A and that box b's sign is true). therefore, the box b's sign is false (because box a's sign isnt true) which means that it is not in box A, it is in Box B.

 

Box B is the definite answer.

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The answers:

 

1. This puzzle is a classic paradox. You can wrangle with the logic for hours and never reach an absolute conclusion.

 

2. You can wrangle with the logic for hours and never reach an absolute conclusion.

 

3. You are lead through a sequence of seemingly valid arguments which lead to a conclusion, which quite clearly cannot be true.

 

4. The paragraph does not contain an E, it does contain all of the other letters though.

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Originally posted by Boba Rhett

Please ignore this notice.

 

 

 

If this sentance is true then Santa Claus exists.

 

 

 

I hotel with an infinite number of rooms that are all accupied by an infinite number of guests is never full.

 

you are made to read the notice before it can be ignored.

 

a classic paradox

 

because infinate is neverending, therefore can never reach full capacity. ;)

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A man is taken hostage by a cannibal tribe.... but they dont intend on eating him. I'm not sure why, as he'd probably be pretty damn tasty... but anyway, they are going to kill him, and for some reason they give him the option of which way he'd like to die.

 

They say to him (somehow these natives speak english) "You may speak 1 last sentence. If it is true, you will be burnt at the stake. If it is false, you will have elephant dung shoved down your throat until you die"

 

The man said his sentence, and walked free. What did he say.

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Originally posted by cjais

About the "letter-riddle":

 

I can't see it as a paradox at all, just a riddle. And there's nothing "vitally wrong with it" at all.

 

Well, a paradox is a seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true, and seeing as the sentence said 'Actually, nothing in it is wrong, but you must admit that it is most unusual', then it just fits the bill. Actually, I would class it as both a riddle and a paradox.

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Originally posted by leXX

4. Study this paragraph and all things in it. What is vitally wrong with it? Actually, nothing in it is wrong, but you must admit that it is most unusual. Don't just zip through it quickly, but study it scrupulously. With luck you should spot what is so particular about it and all words found in it. Can you say what it is? Tax your brains and try again. Don't miss a word or a symbol. It isn't all that difficult...?

 

 

"both the boxes seem to agree that the gold is in box A, therefore the gold must be in box B because whoever put the gold there doesn't want anyone else to have it. there's probably something really nasty in box A..."

 

see. a simple answer for a real situation.;)

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Originally posted by GonkH8er

A man is taken hostage by a cannibal tribe.... but they dont intend on eating him. I'm not sure why, as he'd probably be pretty damn tasty... but anyway, they are going to kill him, and for some reason they give him the option of which way he'd like to die.

 

They say to him (somehow these natives speak english) "You may speak 1 last sentence. If it is true, you will be burnt at the stake. If it is false, you will have elephant dung shoved down your throat until you die"

 

The man said his sentence, and walked free. What did he say.

 

:confused:

 

--------------------------

 

Three people check into a hotel. They pay £30 to the manager and go to their room. The manager suddenly remembers that the room rate is £25 and gives £5 to the bellboy to return to the people. On the way to the room the bellboy reasons that £5 would be difficult to share among three people so he pockets £2 and gives £1 to each person. Now each person paid £10 and got back £1. So they paid £9 each, totalling £27. The bellboy has £2, totalling £29. Where is the missing £1?

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Originally posted by GonkH8er

A man is taken hostage by a cannibal tribe.... but they dont intend on eating him. I'm not sure why, as he'd probably be pretty damn tasty... but anyway, they are going to kill him, and for some reason they give him the option of which way he'd like to die.

 

They say to him (somehow these natives speak english) "You may speak 1 last sentence. If it is true, you will be burnt at the stake. If it is false, you will have elephant dung shoved down your throat until you die"

 

The man said his sentence, and walked free. What did he say.

 

are we supposed to give the answers, because I figured this one out... oh wait, a perfect time to use the spoiler thingy

 

 

the man says "I will die by getting dung shoved down my throat". if they made him eat the dung he would have been telling the truth and therefor they would have to burn him. but then he would be lying... I think the tribe guys would have just killed him anyway though.

 

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Originally posted by leXX

 

Well, a paradox is a seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true, and seeing as the sentence said 'Actually, nothing in it is wrong, but you must admit that it is most unusual', then it just fits the bill. Actually, I would class it as both a riddle and a paradox.

 

But it's only contradictory in that it first states there's something wrong with it, then pulls back and says there's nothing wrong with it after all..... how can that be a paradox? :confused:

 

That's like me saying (pointing at a car): There's something wrong with that car over there. Oh, there isn't anyway - but you must admit it's strange!!! Study it carefully....

 

Answer: the car is strange because it has every accessory that a car needs, but no wheels! :D

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Originally posted by cjais

 

But it's only contradictory in that it first states there's something wrong with it, then pulls back and says there's nothing wrong with it after all..... how can that be a paradox? :confused:

 

That's like me saying (pointing at a car): There's something wrong with that car over there. Oh, there isn't anyway - but you must admit it's strange!!! Study it carefully....

 

Answer: the car is strange because it has every accessory that a car needs, but no wheels! :D

 

hmmm, you could be right, but then again, you might not be! lol.

 

Mods = Can you please change the title of this thread to 'Paradoxes and Riddles'. Thank You. :D

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Originally posted by GonkH8er

good work greedo.... it also works the other way.... with the other one.... saying the opposite..

 

oh, and lexx, theres no missing money. its just how its worded. :)

 

That's right. Originally, they paid £30, they each received back £1, thus they now have only paid £27. Of this £27, £25 went to the manager for the room and £2 went to the bellboy.

 

:thumbsup:

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