This one came in as a suggestion from our own @manbearpig and it's something of a doozy! Have fun!
Note: If you could all please input your answers using the previously noted html code it will make your comment a button similar to the "Hint" buttons seen below, allowing others to answer without having a spoiler. Also, in your answer, do not include any ' or " or it will not work properly.
Question
In a mythical kingdom, there is a certain property whereby the only way to kill someone is via poison, and the only antidote to a poison is a stronger poison. If someone consumes a poison, a stronger poison needs to be consumed within 24 hours or the person will die.
The king decides that he wants to commission the strongest poison to protect himself so he devises the following experiment:
The most skilled master poison maker and his most seasoned apprentice are summoned to the palace on Monday at noon. They are each told that they have exactly 24 hours to concoct the strongest possible poison they can. On Tuesday at noon, both master and apprentice will drink the other's poison first and then their own immediately after. The king will take the poison created by the survivor and consider it the strongest poison in the land. Both master and apprentice will be confined to separate labs within the palace from Monday Onward except for when they are in the presence of the king to carry out the experiment.
When the king announces the experiment to both master and apprentice, both master and apprentice realize with absolute certainty that the apprentice cannot possibly concoct a stronger poison than the master's best work. However, the apprentice smirks and runs off to his lab within the palace. The master sees the apprentice's smirk, and thinks to himself "you fool, I know what it is you plan", and runs off to his own lab within the palace.
The next day, the experiment is carried out. Later on, it is discovered that the apprentice has died, the master has lived, but the king did not get what he was seeking.
What happened? What was the apprentice's idea and how did the master counter it?
Good luck!
Originally I thought this was it but it didn't work out, others could possibly use it for a hint
Figured it out after a bit more thought
I liked this one a lot, was pretty tough.
I love this riddle so much. Another version has a dragon vs. a knight.
You might have to clarify this (using "Hint" as a spoiler tag in case it gives something away):
Here's my answer though (assuming all the answers to my questions above are "yes"). Both can guarantee survival regardless of the other person's strategy, so I disagree to your ending of the story.
Problem with your answer is that both people must drink both poisons (their own and the other person's).
Yeah Right has the correct answer.
@Bobb - on the money!
@yeahright & @peyo212
@Gekko21
@mikesswimn
Here's one I got for an Investment Analyst interview at an elite-botique:
A worker is to perform work for you for seven straight days. In return for his work, you will pay him 1/7th of a bar of gold per day. The worker requires a daily payment of 1/7th of the bar of gold. You can only make two cuts to the gold bar, and you can't pay him more or less than 1/7th a day. Walk me through the process of paying him.
@HarveySpecter.
So, given a gold bar of 7/7s in size, cut a 1/7th sized piece and a 2/7th sized piece, leaving you with pieces of sizes 1/7th, 2/7ths and 4/7ths.
Day 1: Give him the 1/7th piece Day 2: Take back the 1/7th piece you gave him yesterday and give him the 2/7th piece Day 3: Give him the 1/7th piece Day 4: Take back the 1/7th piece and the 2/7th piece and give him the 4/7th piece Day 5: Give him the 1/7th piece Day 6: Take back the 1/7th piece and give him the 2/7th piece Day 7: Give him the 1/7th piece Day 8: Make a note to yourself to never hire such a retarded worker ever again.
Correct! Why is he retarded?
Accusamus sequi accusantium praesentium nam magnam sint nulla. Recusandae enim tenetur quos et voluptas mollitia.
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