- Joined
- Feb 23, 2019
This is a random problem I found online on an old website's archive. I got nothing to do with it except for the curiosity I now have on the "true solution" and what Kiwis can do to solve it.
My answer is on the spoiler at the bottom, but I have no clue if it truly is the "correct" one they want. I believe it's valid, but the hints they give at the end makes me think they're expecting something else.
Can you figure out what would that be? Let's break this puzzling enigma!
My answer is on the spoiler at the bottom, but I have no clue if it truly is the "correct" one they want. I believe it's valid, but the hints they give at the end makes me think they're expecting something else.
Can you figure out what would that be? Let's break this puzzling enigma!
Anyone, who gives a "good" answer to this question, would have a 98% chance in joining our team. It is one of my all time favorite logic question. It has to do more with Computer Science then you first thought as you read the question.
Imagine yourself in the European Middle Ages [or in Asia before China's First Emperor - Qin Shi Huang, or in Central America during the late post-classic period of Mesoamerica, or in Africa before Shaka kaSenzangakhona united the Zulu Kingdom].
The land and the people are ravaged by war but your small kingdom has enjoyed relative peace and prosperity for the past 4 years.
A young king [or emperor or chieftain] recently inherented the kingdom from his father. He is eager to establish his legacy and desperate to be loved by his people. Unfortunately, he is neither brave nor wise.
In this kingdom, there is a beautiful, graceful, virgin maiden. She grew up with the young king, but she doesn't particularly like him. She loves her simple life of working at her family restaurant and the freedom and independence it affords her.
>>>The situation.
The king [or lord or chieftain] would love to take the lovely maiden as his queen. As the king, he has the right to take any subject to be his wife or concubine, but he wants to be known as a fair king. So, he devised a plan to make her his queen and establish his legacy as the greatest and fairest king of all time. His plan is as follow:
(1) The king taxed the maiden's father's restaurant to the point where they could no longer pay. The king's guards then threw the father into jail for not paying these taxes. The fair maiden beseeched the king to hear her grievances and he agreed to meet her in the town market.
(2) The king and the maiden meet at the large open market space. The king and the maiden are surrounded by guards, town merchants, and peasants as they begin to speak. Every word and gesture is watched by hundreds of eyes.
(3) After hearing the maiden's passionate plea, the king walks in silence for a moment; he then turns to the maiden and proclaims loudly, "We shall pray to god [or heaven or the spirits of the elder council] for guidance for I am a fair king."
(4) The people cheer at how they are blessed to have such a fair and wise king.
(5) Walking over to one of the nearby market stalls, the king picks up two seeds, turns to the people and says, "In my hand are a red seed and a green seed. My fair maiden, pick one and show it to the people, and if you choose the red seed, I will forgive your father's debt and free him from jail, and if you choose the green seed, you willingly become my queen."
(6) The people cheer even louder than before. How great and fair a king to offer "freedom" or "queen"! Both are great choices.
(7) The king holds out his closed fists. Beside the king, only the maiden saw that he had picked up two green seeds.
>>>What should the maiden do?
Hint: Remember time period and the setting where they meet. How she "say it" and what she does are just as important as what she said.
Imagine yourself in the European Middle Ages [or in Asia before China's First Emperor - Qin Shi Huang, or in Central America during the late post-classic period of Mesoamerica, or in Africa before Shaka kaSenzangakhona united the Zulu Kingdom].
The land and the people are ravaged by war but your small kingdom has enjoyed relative peace and prosperity for the past 4 years.
A young king [or emperor or chieftain] recently inherented the kingdom from his father. He is eager to establish his legacy and desperate to be loved by his people. Unfortunately, he is neither brave nor wise.
In this kingdom, there is a beautiful, graceful, virgin maiden. She grew up with the young king, but she doesn't particularly like him. She loves her simple life of working at her family restaurant and the freedom and independence it affords her.
>>>The situation.
The king [or lord or chieftain] would love to take the lovely maiden as his queen. As the king, he has the right to take any subject to be his wife or concubine, but he wants to be known as a fair king. So, he devised a plan to make her his queen and establish his legacy as the greatest and fairest king of all time. His plan is as follow:
(1) The king taxed the maiden's father's restaurant to the point where they could no longer pay. The king's guards then threw the father into jail for not paying these taxes. The fair maiden beseeched the king to hear her grievances and he agreed to meet her in the town market.
(2) The king and the maiden meet at the large open market space. The king and the maiden are surrounded by guards, town merchants, and peasants as they begin to speak. Every word and gesture is watched by hundreds of eyes.
(3) After hearing the maiden's passionate plea, the king walks in silence for a moment; he then turns to the maiden and proclaims loudly, "We shall pray to god [or heaven or the spirits of the elder council] for guidance for I am a fair king."
(4) The people cheer at how they are blessed to have such a fair and wise king.
(5) Walking over to one of the nearby market stalls, the king picks up two seeds, turns to the people and says, "In my hand are a red seed and a green seed. My fair maiden, pick one and show it to the people, and if you choose the red seed, I will forgive your father's debt and free him from jail, and if you choose the green seed, you willingly become my queen."
(6) The people cheer even louder than before. How great and fair a king to offer "freedom" or "queen"! Both are great choices.
(7) The king holds out his closed fists. Beside the king, only the maiden saw that he had picked up two green seeds.
>>>What should the maiden do?
Hint: Remember time period and the setting where they meet. How she "say it" and what she does are just as important as what she said.
The maiden would reply: Because you're a fair king, I accept the offer with the condition that once I choose, you're the one who shows the people which seed you have. If it's red, it would mean that I have the green one and I will become your queen; if it's green, it would mean that I have the red one, and you'll forgive my father's debt and free him from jail.
