A riddle

[khalid saad]

Pedro ran the jail in Veracruz, Mexico. It was Christmas Eve and he had only three prisoners. Feeling benevolent for the holiday season, Pedro decided to give each prisoner the opportunity to go free
"Boys, I want to give you a chance to go free. As you can see, I have in my hand three white hats and two black hats. I am going to blindfold each of you then put one of these hats on each of your heads. If you can tell me for sure what color hat you have on, you can go free and never return to my jail again."

Pedro blindfolded the men, placed one hat on each of their heads, put the two remaining hats out of sight in his office, then returned to the holding cell

Pedro entered the cell and removed their blindfolds. Each prisoner could see the other two prisoners and their hats, but they could not see their own hat or its color

Pedro then said, "OK, prisoner #1, can you tell me for sure what color is your hat?"

The first man looked at hat #2 then hat #3. He thought for a while then said, "No, I can not tell for sure the color of my hat."

"Well, unfortunately for you, prisoner #1, you must serve out your sentence in my jail. Now prisoner #2, can you tell me for sure what color is your hat?"

Prisoner #2 looked at the hat on Prisoner #1, then looked at the hat on prisoner #3. He thought for a long while then said, "I am sorry. I can not tell for sure the color of my hat"

Pedro then said, "This is sad. All three of you must stay in my jail and serve out your sentences."

Prisoner #3 interrupted and said, "But, Pedro, you did not ask me if I know the color of my hat."

Pedro said, "Because you are totally blind I did not ask you."

Prisoner #3 responded, "I may be totally blind, but I know FOR SURE the color of my hat"

What color was prisoner #3’s hat and how did he know for sure?

[NaughtY AngeL]

Q. Do we really have to think about it as a rational question and think about the numbers and colors of the hats, or is it one of those riddles that have silly answers at the end?

[khalid saad]

Of course , it is a rational ridddle and it has a really nice solution

[TRY NO RACE]

its very easy
just give me 10 minutes
i hope i can find out the answer
sure i can :icon6:
lets wait

[NaughtY AngeL]

I think that the 3rd prisoner is wearing a white hat

and I think he can't be sure unless both prisoners #1+ #2 wore black hats

and because he was blind and couldn't see their hats colors

===============================================

he thoguth that: if prisoner #1 didn't know his hat color then at least one of 2 or 3 had a black hat or both wore white hats

lenaftare'9 that one had a balck hat

prisoner #2 also didn't know which means that one is wearing a black one or both are wearing white ones

lenaftare'9 one with a black hat

if two had been wearing black hats, this means that none is left for him but a white hat

===============================================

he thoguth that: if prisoner #1 didn't know his hat color then at least one of 2 or 3 had a black hat or both wore white hats

lenaftare'9 that both wore white hats

prisoner #2 also didn't know which means that one is wearing a black one or both are wearing white ones

lenaftare'9 both wore white hats

which means that three of them are wearing white hats

===============================================

he thoguth that: if prisoner #1 didn't know his hat color then at least one of them had a black hat or both wore white hats

lenaftare'9 that both wore white hats

prisoner #2 also didn't know whick means that one is wearing a black one or both were wearing white ones

lenaftare'9 one had a black hat and the other white

which means that prisoner #3 who both prisoners 1+2 saw has a white hat

I think I got it, but I'm not sure if I explained it correctly

Did that make any sense to you guys?

by the way I solved it exactly between this time and the time i posted my question for this riddle

and the mathematics in on you

=

الحساب عليكم

[TRY NO RACE]

just like the uneatable japanese food your riddle is unsolvable
BTW does the word unsolvable even exist in english anyway

naughty angel
i thought exactly the way you did but at the end you can`t judge for sure what color of hat he wore was

it needs time more than i thought and i might come back later
thanX
but plz don`t post the answer til at least the day after tomorrow
im afraid the answer is suprising

c u then

[NaughtY AngeL]

its very easy
just give me 10 minutes
i hope i can find out the answer
sure i can :icon6:
lets wait

ONE WORD
SEA

and I don't think that there is such thing as solvable but mashi 7alak and invent as you desire


you know,,, I think I'm close to the answer,,, I'm sure,, I can smell it

[khalid saad]

I will write the solution tonight or tomorrow
ok

[TRY NO RACE]

I will write the solution tonight or tomorrow
ok

Mr
its been already tomorrow and the day after and after you still didn`t post anything

where are you what is the answer
i started to believe that you don`t know for sure
lol
still waiting.....

[khalid saad]

Sorry for delayness , but for somedays I couldn't reach the forum

Here is the solution


If Prisoner #1 saw that both Prisoner #2 and Prisoner #3 both had a black hat on, there being only two black hats, he would know for certain that he had a white hat. That is not the case, so either Prisoner #2 or Prisoner #3, or both, did not have a black hat.

If Prisoner #2 saw that both Prisoner #1 and Prisoner #3 both ahd a black hat on, there being only two black hats, he would know for certain that he had a white hat. That is not the case, etc etc.

However, Prisoner #2 would know the color of his hat for sure if Prisoner #3 wore a black hat. Why? He heard Prisoner #1 says that he couldn't know for sure, so either they both have white hats, or one has a black hat. If #3 had a black hat, he'd beable to see it, and know for certain that he had a white hat on. On the other hand, if #3 had a white hat on, he couldn't know if he was the one with the black hat, or if they both had white hats on. So he doesnt' know for sure.

Therefore, prisoner #3 knows that he is wearing a white hat

[NaughtY AngeL]

Welcome back Khalid
I don't know is it me, or is it actually confusing :shock22:
and weren't I at least a bit close to the answer?