Answer to Problem of the Week for 3/08/99

Answer to March 8, 1999 Problem

The Sherandomen and the Handleymen
In a certain country lived two and only two groups of people, SHERANDOMEN and HANDLEYMEN. The Sherandomen were incurable liars who never told the truth. The Handleymen were incapable of telling a lie. A stranger, visiting in this land, asked 3 natives of the country to which groups they belonged. The first man said something the visitor did not hear. The second said, "He said he is a Handleyman." The third man immediately retorted, "The first man is a liar because he is a Sherandoman." How many Sherandomen and how many Handleymen are there among the three natives? Can you tell which ones are Handelymen and which ones are Sherandomen? Explain.

The Sherandomen and the Handleymen

In a certain country lived two and only two groups of people, SHERANDOMEN and HANDLEYMEN. The Sherandomen were incurable liars who never told the truth. The Handleymen were incapable of telling a lie.

A stranger, visiting in this land, asked 3 natives of the country to which groups they belonged.
The first man said something the visitor did not hear.
The second said, "He said he is a Handleyman."
The third man immediately retorted, "The first man is a liar because he is a Sherandoman."

How many Sherandomen and how many Handleymen are there among the three natives? Can you tell which ones are Handelymen and which ones are Sherandomen? Explain.

Solution:

There were two HANDLEYMEN and one SHERANDOMAN.

The first had to say, "I am a Handleyman," whether he was or not.
The second man told the truth and is a Handleyman.
If the first man lied, the third man told the truth; if the first man told the truth, the third man lied.

Correctly solved by:

No One

Answer to March 8, 1999 Problem

Correctly solved by: