The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 3 (of 5)

Some logic puzzles

I seriously doubt knowing the answers to these will ever get you a job, but you may enjoy solving them for the sheer pleasure of finding things out:

http://www.braithwaite-lee.com/opinions/smullyan.txt

...and I suspect the answers are at least as useful as having a plan for moving Mount Fuji :-)

Reginald Braithwaite-Lee
Tuesday, December 9, 2003

We all know the one about the man who always told the truth and the man who always lied stainding at the fork to the oasis or the endless desert, and only one question allowed.

The standard question is "If I asked the other guy the way which way would he say" and you then go the oppposite way.

A long time ago somebody suggested that it would be much easier simply to ask the question "Do you know they are serving free beer in town tonight?" and then follow the two of them at a more sedate pace.

Stephen Jones
Tuesday, December 9, 2003

Stephen - Sheer genius!

Mike Swieton
Tuesday, December 9, 2003

How to move Mt. Fuji is easy.

Just wait, it will move in time. (Earth's rotation about the sun, continental drift, the fact it is moving through time...)

SG
Tuesday, December 9, 2003

"Are you Reginald Braithwaite-Lee?" Clearly if the answer is yes, they belong in the asylum.

Of course, to Stephen's question "Did you know they are serving free beer in town tonight?" The sane person would say "no" and the insane person would say "yes" (unless they really were serving free beer in town that night).

What would you do if each one started walking down a different path?

www.MarkTAW.com
Tuesday, December 9, 2003

The sudden, gut wrenching realization that Joel on Software is the asylum washed over Reg like a torrent of water...

Reginald Braithwaite-Lee
Tuesday, December 9, 2003

Ah, I see then, you're an insane doctor....

www.MarkTAW.com
Tuesday, December 9, 2003

So are you saying that jos is a cyber hangout for mentally challanged, suicidal, badly burned, extremely paronoid, immensely pessimistic and incredibly depresses IT professionals?

WOW SUCH A GREAT PLACE TO BE EH?

Utopia is a place where no moron exists
Tuesday, December 9, 2003

depresses should read depressed.

Utopia is a place where no moron exists
Tuesday, December 9, 2003

Well everyone's had a chancce to give their input so I'll give it a go. This is when those Karnaugh maps are quite helpful. Someone who can solve these problems is probably fair at digital design.

First you make a set of likely statements to evaluate:

1 I am an insane patient
2 I am an insane doctor
3 I am a sane doctor
4 I am a sane patient
5 I am not a sane doctor
6 I am not a sane patient
7 I am not an insane patient
8 I am not an insane doctor

Then you evaluate each statement against each posssible character using a 2x2 grid.

Result:

Statement #1 will only be said by an insane doctor - trouble!
Statement #2 will only be said be an insane patient - fine.
Statement #5 will only be said by a sane patient - release the poor fellow!
Statement #6 will only be said by a sane doctor - all is well.

Dennis Atkins
Tuesday, December 9, 2003

I think you'd have to be crazy to take a job as an asylum inspector- think of all the travel... :)

Is It Friday Yet?
Wednesday, December 10, 2003