Puzzle

Tricky one this. I received this on email yesterday: I've got an answer to this, but I've had to make certain assumptions which I'm not altogether comfortable with. Unfortunately, the question above didn't come with any further elucidation, so I'm posting it here to see if anyone can do it without having to resort to the same assumptions I did.Oh, and obviously I'm not going to say what those assumptions were, -it might taint the solutions you guys come up with.PEadded by edit: sorry wrong forum - can this be moved to "Coffee House" please?[This message has been edited by Primordial Egg, 03-04-2004]

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Mrs Hardy: "And how is Mrs Laurel?"
Stanley: "Oh, fine thank you."
Mrs Hardy: "I'd love to meet her some time."
Stanley: "Neither do I, too."

I think I see how to do it - the only assumption I use is that you have exactly one native from each tribe. That's pretty common to this sort of puzzle.

So common, in fact, that I didn't even realise I was making that assumption!Qu for PaulK only (and no peeking, anyone else): Did you have to make any assumptions about the random answers you would get? e.g Could the random person have answered "yes" to the question "are you lying?"

PE

I make no other assumptions, so the answer to your e.g. is "yes".On the other hand I've just discovered a problem so I have to think some more. The random answers can be "yes" or "no" whatever the question. There are no questions for which the random tribe must answer "yes" and none for which they must answer "no"
[This message has been edited by PaulK, 03-04-2004]

I'm impressed!Back to the drawing board for me then....PEPaulK: what, not even the assumption that each native knows the designation of the other two?

Oh yes, I assume that the natives know who is who.
Oh and read the edit.

Does this mean you're still working on it?Your confidence has given me renewed vigour - there is a fiendish solution I can think of, but it involves bending the rules a little. i.e using the fact that you can ask a yes-no question that the natives might not be able to answer, and then asking them a different question instead. Not really in the spirit of the question though.PE

Thread moved here from the Welcome, Visitors! forum.

I now have a solution I am more confident of. It took a rather disciplined analysis to work out what was needed but I am confident that it can be done with only 3 questions. And the real key is the first question - get that right and the rest is easy.

...and all the natives answer their questions with either a 'yes' or a no' (and not a look of bemusement)?I had to stop thinking about this for a few hours because it was hurting my brain. I'm ripped and ready for the next round now tho'If I don't get this in the next few days, would you be so kind as to post your answer (to stop me from doing myself an injury)?Cheers
PE

Assuming that the natives understand the questions :-) they give "yes" or "no" answers. Allowing anything more makes it too easy.I'll make a note of my answer and post it when you feel the need.

I've worked it out now. See what you mean about the first question being the killer one.Don't think I'd have been able to do it unless I knew there was a solution for sure - big up yourself.PE

I get 3 yes/no questions to a native of my choice.
Does this mean that i know from what tribe the native i ask come from?
Or cant i tell any of the three from each other from the beginning ?
So I dont know which one im asking...
What does "native of my choice" else mean ? (little choice it seems

All it means is that you can decide to ask three different natives, one native two questions and one only one or even ask all three questions of the same native. (In this case the last is not a good idea for reasons that should be fairly obvious).