After figuring out Deepak's puzzle, I told my cousin the puzzle. He came back a few days later with the following puzzle. This one is easier I think.
There are 100 prisoners in solitary cells. There's a central living room with one light bulb; this bulb is initially off. No prisoner can see the light bulb from his or her own cell. Everyday, the warden picks a prisoner equally at random, and that prisoner visits the living room. While there, the prisoner can toggle the bulb if he or she wishes. Also, the prisoner has the option of asserting that all 100 prisoners have been to the living room by now. If this assertion is false, all 100 prisoners are shot. However, if it is indeed true, all prisoners are set free. Thus, the assertion should only be made if the prisoner is 100% certain of its validity. The prisoners are allowed to get together one night in the courtyard, to discuss a plan. What plan should they agree on, so that eventually, someone will make a correct assertion?
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hey...thanks for posting another puzzle...i don't actually know that many so its had for me to post one every week.
ReplyDeletesome points for clarification:
-do the prisoners know how many days have passed at any given point?
-can the prisoners live infintely long lives assuming the warden doesnt kill them?
-Yeah, they can know how long they have been prisoners but it is possible that the same guy has gone to the shack 3000 days in a row.
ReplyDelete-Sure.
The suspense was killing me. I cheated and goggled the answer.
ReplyDeletenobody post the answer in the comments...i like thinking about it when im just sitting (shitting) around.
ReplyDelete