here's a puzzle for ya.

[THEEVILSPERKY]

"Hey congressman, i'm going right to the capital, how's that sound?"

If he says yes, he is lying and I go left. If he is a normal citizen, he will say he isn't a congressman and correct me if i'm going the wrong way.

Why would he admit to being who he is?

If you address him as such, he would probably correct you in a lie saying he isn't the congressman.

Address either of 'em as congressman, neither will admit it and both will correct you, though of course one is lying.

Congressman: No, I'm not the congressman.  Capital is that way.
Citizen: No, I'm not the congressman.  Capital is that way.

You gotta do this.

Ask one of them the following (let's assume left is correct):

You: What would that man tell me about left being the way to the capitol?

If you asked the citizen, he would answer telling you that the other man would send you left.

If you asked the congressman would answer telling you that the other man would send you left.

Both would say left would be the other's answer, but one of them would be lying about that.  One of them would have to be honest about it.  I win?

[HTA!]

"Hey congressman, i'm going right to the capital, how's that sound?"

If he says yes, he is lying and I go left. If he is a normal citizen, he will say he isn't a congressman and correct me if i'm going the wrong way.

Why would he admit to being who he is?

If you address him as such, he would probably correct you in a lie saying he isn't the congressman.

Address either of 'em as congressman, neither will admit it and both will correct you, though of course one is lying.

Congressman: No, I'm not the congressman.  Capital is that way.
Citizen: No, I'm not the congressman.  Capital is that way.

You gotta do this.

Ask one of them the following (let's assume left is correct):

You: What would that man tell me about left being the way to the capitol?

If you asked the citizen, he would answer telling you that the other man would send you left.

If you asked the congressman would answer telling you that the other man would send you left.

Both would say left would be the other's answer, but one of them would be lying about that.  One of them would have to be honest about it.  I win?

The citizen would tell you that the congressman would tell you to go right since the congressman would lie.
And even then, the congressman could lie and tell you the other man would send you back the way you came.

[THEEVILSPERKY]

"Hey congressman, i'm going right to the capital, how's that sound?"

If he says yes, he is lying and I go left. If he is a normal citizen, he will say he isn't a congressman and correct me if i'm going the wrong way.

Why would he admit to being who he is?

If you address him as such, he would probably correct you in a lie saying he isn't the congressman.

Address either of 'em as congressman, neither will admit it and both will correct you, though of course one is lying.

Congressman: No, I'm not the congressman.  Capital is that way.
Citizen: No, I'm not the congressman.  Capital is that way.

You gotta do this.

Ask one of them the following (let's assume left is correct):

You: What would that man tell me if he were to lie about left being the way to the capitol?

If you asked the citizen, he would answer telling you that the other man would send you left.

If you asked the congressman would answer telling you that the other man would send you left.

Both would say left would be the other's answer, but one of them would be lying about that.  One of them would have to be honest about it.  I win?

The citizen would tell you that the congressman would tell you to go right since the congressman would lie.
And even then, the congressman could lie and tell you the other man would send you back the way you came.

Mm.. fixed?

[HTA!]

"Hey congressman, i'm going right to the capital, how's that sound?"

If he says yes, he is lying and I go left. If he is a normal citizen, he will say he isn't a congressman and correct me if i'm going the wrong way.

Why would he admit to being who he is?

If you address him as such, he would probably correct you in a lie saying he isn't the congressman.

Address either of 'em as congressman, neither will admit it and both will correct you, though of course one is lying.

Congressman: No, I'm not the congressman.  Capital is that way.
Citizen: No, I'm not the congressman.  Capital is that way.

You gotta do this.

Ask one of them the following (let's assume left is correct):

You: What would that man tell me if he were to lie about left being the way to the capitol?

If you asked the citizen, he would answer telling you that the other man would send you left.

If you asked the congressman would answer telling you that the other man would send you left.

Both would say left would be the other's answer, but one of them would be lying about that.  One of them would have to be honest about it.  I win?

The citizen would tell you that the congressman would tell you to go right since the congressman would lie.
And even then, the congressman could lie and tell you the other man would send you back the way you came.

Mm.. fixed?

I think so.

[darkmario]

Okay I have a question for you,what would you ask?

[Jono2]

who would you be asking this hypothetical question to?  there is only the one man, and he may or may not be a congressman.

i don't know the answer to this question.  some guy who is in philosophy (who also didn't know the answer) posed this question to me yesterday.

[Zovistograt]

I would point out another man that looks a lot different to him and ask him if that man is a liar.  If he says yes, you go to your first choice.  If he says no, you go to the second man.

[Jono2]

I would point out another man that looks a lot different to him and ask him if that man is a liar.  If he says yes, you go to your first choice.  If he says no, you go to the second man.

thats not the point, the point is to find the road to the capital.

that, and the fact that there are no other people.

[darkmario]

(Assuming left is the answer.)


Me:Lets play a game.Nod once if left is the way to the capitol,nod twice if right is the way to the capitol(after he nods)
What color is the grass?

Congressman:(nods twice)Purple.
Normal:(Nods once)Green.

See we tell them to nod as part of a game,if he nods once left is the way to the capitol,if he nods twice right is the way to the capitol.After they nod,I ask a simple question.If they get it wrong its obviously a congressman and I go the opposite way to which they nod.If they answer it right I go where they say.

[darkmario]

I think I did it.

[Zies]

...What if he nods twice and means that you have to go left twice?...

[HTA!]

(Assuming left is the answer.)


Me:Lets play a game.Nod once if left is the way to the capitol,nod twice if right is the way to the capitol(after he nods)
What color is the grass?

Congressman:(nods twice)Purple.
Normal:(Nods once)Green.

See we tell them to nod as part of a game,if he nods once left is the way to the capitol,if he nods twice right is the way to the capitol.After they nod,I ask a simple question.If they get it wrong its obviously a congressman and I go the opposite way to which they nod.If they answer it right I go where they say.

That's 2 questions.

[Spam]

Ask him what's with the fork...

think about it...

[darkmario]

(Assuming left is the answer.)


Me:Lets play a game.Nod once if left is the way to the capitol,nod twice if right is the way to the capitol(after he nods)
What color is the grass?

Congressman:(nods twice)Purple.
Normal:(Nods once)Green.

See we tell them to nod as part of a game,if he nods once left is the way to the capitol,if he nods twice right is the way to the capitol.After they nod,I ask a simple question.If they get it wrong its obviously a congressman and I go the opposite way to which they nod.If they answer it right I go where they say.

That's 2 questions.

No its not.I said "Lets play a game." Then I told him "Nod once if left is the way to the capitol,nod twice if right is the way to the capitol." That isnt a question its a comand.



Also.

...What if he nods twice and means that you have to go left twice?...

Read carefuly.Nod once if you turn left.And nod twice to turn right.

[HTA!]

(Assuming left is the answer.)


Me:Lets play a game.Nod once if left is the way to the capitol,nod twice if right is the way to the capitol(after he nods)
What color is the grass?

Congressman:(nods twice)Purple.
Normal:(Nods once)Green.

See we tell them to nod as part of a game,if he nods once left is the way to the capitol,if he nods twice right is the way to the capitol.After they nod,I ask a simple question.If they get it wrong its obviously a congressman and I go the opposite way to which they nod.If they answer it right I go where they say.

That's 2 questions.

No its not.I said "Lets play a game." Then I told him "Nod once if left is the way to the capitol,nod twice if right is the way to the capitol." That isnt a question its a comand.



Also.

...What if he nods twice and means that you have to go left twice?...

Read carefuly.Nod once if you turn left.And nod twice to turn right.

Alright listen, the point of the riddle is to ask a single question, and nothing more, to get the answer you need.
He can flat out refuse to play the game.

I could have just said, "Take me to the capital or I'll kill you" but that isn't how its supposed to work.