Another brain teaser

[MetalGrasshopper]

Alright here's another one:
Dave, Alexi, Scott, and Randy (I wonder where I got these names from) have been captured by the devil and placed in a room where Dave is separated from the rest by a solid brick wall. They may cannot move their body and may only look in the direction indicated by the arrows. There also are no mirrors or reflective surfaces. The devil has made a deal with them: if one person can figure out in 10 minutes which person has what color hat (white or black) then they all will live. They may not speak unless it is to provide the answer, and if the person who answers is incorrect, they all die. They do know that there are 2 white and 2 black hats distributed amongst the 4 of them, and they all are aware of the time. They do not know what hat they have on themselves, but can see the hats of the people in front of them. (sorry for the confusion). And also only 1 person may speak at a time...and if he's wrong they're all dead.

Someone manages to figure it out in 9 mins and 59 seconds and they all live. Who figures it out?

(I apologize for the craptastic illustration)

[MetalGrasshopper]

Re: Another brain teaser

This one may be really hard or really easy, depending on how you think about it. I asked a bunch of people and some never got it and other got it in less than a minute.

[Markus]

Re: Another brain teaser

Does Scott know he has a black hat on? And is he taller than Alexi and Randy?

-Mark

[AK47]

Re: Another brain teaser

Can they talk to each other. Would that be the way.
Edited to say can they call out the name of the color of hat they are wearing.

Edited again to say I need to shut up and read more sorry..

[MetalGrasshopper]

Re: Another brain teaser

edited: they don't know what hat they have on themselves, but they know what hat each person in front of them has. (thanks markus)

and no, they can't speak unless it is to solve the problem and they may not all call out at once.

[AK47]

Re: Another brain teaser

Dave shout s out the answers and by process of elimination he calls out the color of his hat.

[Markus]

Re: Another brain teaser

I think they're gonna die.

[MetalGrasshopper]

Re: Another brain teaser

No, the person who answers must identify which person has which hat. As soon as he says something wrong (ie: Randy has a white hat, they all die)

The person who answers doesn't guess at it. He knows for sure the answer to the problem.

[Markus]

Re: Another brain teaser

[ QUOTE ]
Dave shout s out the answers and by process of elimination he calls out the color of his hat.

[/ QUOTE ]

Dave can't see the others, can he?

-Mark

[AK47]

Re: Another brain teaser

Thats what I get for trying to smoke dope and answer this question at the same time, if you caught me while I was sober I would have gotten it. I quit.

[MetalGrasshopper]

Re: Another brain teaser

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Dave shout s out the answers and by process of elimination he calls out the color of his hat.

[/ QUOTE ]

Dave can't see the others, can he?


-Mark

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope. Hence the solid brick wall.

[followthereaper]

Re: Another brain teaser

Okay, I think Alexi answers because he can see Randy has a black hat, and knows Scott would have answered if he saw both of them wearing the same color hats because Scott would know what color hat he and Dave had if Alexi and Randy had the same hats, but they don't. So Alexi would know he has a white hat rather than a black hat too. Now if only they all played fiddle instead of guitar, they might have been able to make a deal instead of getting into that mess. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

EDIT: I think I screwed up some of the names, but I know it was Alexi who would answer. I'll rephrase with numbers. #4 sees the two in front of him don't have the same hats and #3 knows that #4 hasn't said anything because #2 and #3 have different colored hats. So #3 can see #2 has a black hat and he must then have a different colored hat which would be white.

[Bert]

Re: Another brain teaser

but how does alexi know if scott's hat is black or white? He knows Scott's hat must be different than Dave's, but I can't see how he can tell who has which hat. Crap!

[followthereaper]

Re: Another brain teaser

Alexi knows Scott would have answered to the devil if he saw Randy and Alexi with the same colored hats, but he didn't. And Alexi knows Randy has a black hat.

[Top Jimmy B]

Re: Another brain teaser

Ok,

Alexi calls out he is wearing a black hat. Scott can't answer, neither can Dave or Randy.

Scott can see Randy & Alexi. Randy can't see anyone or his own color. Dave is in the same situation as Randy where he can't see anyone else or his own color.

SO, since Dave, Randy and Scott are silent that leaves Alexi. Alexi knows he must be wearing black because if Scott saw that both Randy & Alexi are wearing white then he would have answered. Scott remain silent so Alexi knows that he is wearing black as he can see that Randy is wearing white.

I think. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

EDIT - I took too long typing this up.