There are hundred statements.
Statement 1: At least one of these statements is false.
Statement 2: At least two of these statements are false.
Statement 3: At least three of these statements are false.
Statement 4: At least four of these statements are false.
…
Statement 100: At least a hundred of these statements are false.
What is the maximum number of statements that can be true?
Riddle AnswerOnce upon a time there existed a temple in India which housed three identical idols which spoke to the devotees.
The idols were of – God of Truth, which always spoke the truth; God of Falsehood, which always lied; and God of Diplomacy which sometimes spoke the truth and at other times lied.
The pilgrims come from all parts of the world to get their questions answered by the Gods. But there was a problem. As the idols were indistinguishable, devotees were not sure from which idol to ask their questions and in turn they did not know which God has answered and whether to believe it or not.
Once a wise man visited the temple. He asked the question: “Which God is seated at the centre?” to all the three idols. The idol on the left, centre and right replied God of Truth, God of Diplomacy and God of Falsehood respectively. The wise man at once proclaimed that he had solved the mystery of the temple.
How?
Riddle AnswerLucretia Borgia invited a prospective victim to lunch. They ate a hearty meal of roast venison, with a selection of fresh vegetables, all washed down with the finest wine imported from Bordeaux in France.
After the meal they finished off with figs and grapes freshly picked.
“Just one apple left”, said Lucretia, “I insist you have that. “No”, said the guest, “I couldn’t”. “Tell you what”, said Lucretia, “we will share it”, and promptly sliced it neatly in two with her sharpest knife. The guest and Lucretia started to eat their respective halves when suddenly the guest’s eyes rolled towards the ceiling and he keeled over backwards stone dead.
“Another victim successfully despatched,” thought Lucretia.
Why was Lucretia not poisoned after eating the apple?
Riddle AnswerBruce is an inmate at a large prison, and like most of the other prisoners, he smokes cigarettes. During his time in the prison, Bruce finds that if he has 3 cigarette butts, he can cram them together and turn them into 1 full cigarette. Whenever he smokes a cigarette, it turns into a cigarette butt.
One day, Bruce is in his cell talking to one of his cellmates, Steve.
“I really want to smoke 5 cigarettes today, but all I have are these 10 cigarette butts,” Bruce tells Steve. “I’m not sure that will be enough.”
“Why don’t you borrow some of Tom’s cigarette butts?” asks Steve, pointing over to a small pile of cigarette butts on the bed of their third cellmate, Tom, who is out for the day on a community service project.
“I can’t,” Bruce says. “Tom always counts exactly how many cigarette butts are in his pile, and he’d probably kill me if he noticed that I had taken any.”
However, after thinking for a while, Bruce figures out a way that he can smoke 5 cigarettes without angering Tom. What is his plan?
Riddle AnswerThe emperor’s troops have captured you, the leader, and your 8 soldiers. He says he will execute you all but has given you the chance to take his challenge.
The emperor says that you and your platoon will be free if you survive his challenge, else, you will all die.
The emperor says that he will drug you and your 8 soldiers and put you all in the middle of a dry desert at a crossroads. There are 4 paths – one North, one East, one South, and one West, each which takes 8 hours to walk. One of the paths leads to a village that, if you find, ensures your freedom. When you all wake up, you may lead your soldiers to freedom.
You accept the challenge.
Before the emperor drugs you and your soldiers, he offers his advice. One should not wander off the paths, for if they do, they will surely get lost and die and furthermore you and your soldiers only have a day, 24 hours, to find the correct path to the village. Any more time in the desert and you all will die from thirst and hunger.
When you wake up in the desert you find a note in your pocket from the emperor. It reads: “I forgot to mention – two of your soldiers are my spies. They may or may not lie to you, but it is in their best interest to prevent you from reaching the village. The spies are peaceful, so they will not hurt you or your soldiers.”
As you fold the note up and tuck it away, your soldiers begin to wake up and the challenge begins.
Reaching the village in 24 hours is possible without trickery (digging for water, finding and oasis, having the spies tell you where the village is) and without anyone dying. The emperor has not tried to trick you in anyway either.
You must depend on your logic and reasoning. What is your solution?
Riddle Answer