Good riddle, How do you get off the island?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a classic riddle involving two caves, one leading to safety and the other to certain death, and two individuals—one who always tells the truth and one who always lies. Participants explore various questions that could be asked to determine the correct cave to escape the island, focusing on logical reasoning and the implications of truth-telling and lying.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests asking, "Which cave will the other person tell me to take?" to determine the safe tunnel based on the responses of both individuals.
  • Another participant proposes asking how many tunnels lead to safety, reasoning that the truth-teller would say one while the liar would provide a different answer.
  • A different viewpoint criticizes previous suggestions, proposing instead to ask, "Which tunnel will the jerk standing beside you tell me to take?" to gain insight while also enjoying the spectacle of their interaction.
  • One participant humorously claims that the question could be about the language spoken on the island, suggesting a misunderstanding of the scenario.
  • Another participant discusses the double negative concept, implying it relates to the riddle's logic.
  • Some participants offer alternative solutions, such as asking if one of the individuals is standing in front of the questioner, or simply swimming back to shore or calling for help.
  • One participant confidently asserts they have solved the riddle correctly, urging others to stop trying to figure it out.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions and proposed questions, indicating that there is no consensus on the best approach to solve the riddle. Various interpretations and strategies are presented, leading to a contested discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some responses reflect misunderstandings or humorous takes on the riddle, while others delve into logical reasoning. The discussion includes speculative elements and playful banter, which may obscure the clarity of the proposed solutions.

ch_
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Okay, I'm sure you've heard some sort of variation of this, but it's still pretty good...

You're on an island and desperately need to get off alive. There are 2 caves in front of you. One cave tunnels under the ocean somehow and leads to safety, and the other cave leads to certain death. There are 2 people standing in front of you. You know that one always tells the truth, and one always lies, but you can't tell which person is which. Both people know which way leads to safety and which one to certain death. You have one question to ask one of them in order to figure out how to get off the island alive. What is the question?
 
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Yep, I think we've seen variations of this one before. But, just in case, my answer is in white so I don't spoil it for anyone who wants to give it a try themselves (highlight to view it).

Which cave will the other person tell me to take? The person telling the truth will tell you the wrong tunnel, because that's the one the liar will tell you. The liar will tell you the wrong tunnel because that's not the one the person telling the truth would tell you. So, no matter which one answers, they will tell you the wrong tunnel. You just take the other one.[/color]
 
"Ehua hdyyaiiplitiki sklitghi unii ?"

Oh, they speak English on this island ? Guess it's different from the one I've heard about, then. :confused:
 
Gokul43201 said:
"Ehua hdyyaiiplitiki sklitghi unii ?"

Oh, they speak English on this island ? Guess it's different from the one I've heard about, then. :confused:

hehe :-p
 
I would ask them how many tunnels lead to safety. The truth teller, would tell you one, where as the liar, would say some other number, or nothing, because he ALWAYS lies. SO therefore, you can figure out which one tells the truth, so you can ask them which tunnel to take.
 
You guys are hopelessly clueless.

Gokul wastes his one question asking "What language do you speak?" :redface: , F.A.T. wastes his one question asking "How many tunnels lead to safety?" (while muttering under his breath "I wish I would have listened a little closer." :confused: ), ch_ dazedly asks "What's the question?" :rolleyes:, and Jimmy P. just screams in frustration "What am I, flypaper for freaks?"

For crying out loud, don't you guys listen or read?!

Doh!

Darn, but this is what I would have asked (in white):


Which tunnel will the jerk standing beside you tell me to take? (that way I get my question answered and get to watch a fight, besides.)
[/color]
 
BobG said:
Gokul wastes his one question asking "What language do you speak?" :redface:

Don't pretend as though you understand that particular dialect of the intricate south ughnesian language of dijjawanabier

I've lived on this island and seen these caves, tunnels and locals...actually, I was raised by them after being swept ashore from a shipwreck, but that's a different story.

You, on the other hand make the crazy-@$$ assumption that these dudes speak English ! You wasted your one question, by asking it in the wrong language ! :rolleyes:

Strangely, some English words have very similarly pronounced words in dijjawanabier. For example, there's the phrase vi chtun el vylthah djuh erkstan ding bee cideyoot el mitoot ache which means "please crack open my skull and offer my brains to the Moon God".
 
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seriously though i think the idea is all about the double negative which is ALWAYS positive (or true), right?
 
piece of cake

"You're on an island and desperately need to get off alive. There are 2 caves in front of you. One cave tunnels under the ocean somehow and leads to safety, and the other cave leads to certain death. There are 2 people standing in front of you. You know that one always tells the truth, and one always lies, but you can't tell which person is which. Both people know which way leads to safety and which one to certain death. You have one question to ask one of them in order to figure out how to get off the island alive. What is the question?"



Okay, the riddle says that you can ask one "question" but it does not say how many "comments" or "commands" you can make (You have one question to ask one of them in order to figure out how to get off the island alive.). Ask one of the dudes if he is standing in front of you (There are 2 people standing in front of you). If he says no then he is obviously the liar . If this is the cause then you can command the truth teller to point to the right tunnel. This was eaaaasssssyyyy.
 
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  • #10
chauncey said:
Ask one of the dudes if he is standing in front of you (There are 2 people standing in front of you). If he says no then he is obviously the liar . If this is the cause then you can command the truth teller to point to the right tunnel. This was eaaaasssssyyyy.

Well, of course he's also standing behind you! :biggrin:
 
  • #11
I would just swim back to shore. Or use my mobile phone to call the coast guard or something.
 
  • #12
Easy one :)

lol this one I figured out in third grade
Ask one of the guys: "If I ask the guy next to you what way is the safe way, what would he answer?" then go the other way. :-p
 
  • #13
I got it right...

people, stop trying to figure it out. I got it right.
 

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