Redemption available - A Harder Fork...

In the Road. (A bit of an oldie - but a goodie)

Upon your death you find yourself walking along a road in search of heaven. You come to a fork in the road and instinctively know that one road leads to heaven and the other leads to hell, but you do not know which is which.

At the fork are a devout truth teller (resident of heaven), a devout liar (resident of hell), and a resident of limbo who randomly tells the truth (sometimes he lies, sometimes he tells the truth, but with no regularity for either).

Although you know these characteristics of the individuals, you do not know who is which. You are allow two questions (non-compound type without 'and', 'or', 'but', etc.) and may direct these two questions to any individual (either both questions to one individual or one question to one individual and the other question to a different individual).

What two questions would you ask so that you would positively find heaven? NOTE: A question cannot be asked which will cause the respondent to reply 'I do not know'.

Wasn't this in the movie Labyrinth?

This 'resident of limbo who randomly tells the truth' seems a new twist to me and I think it's redundant.

You only need ask 1 question too.

Ask one of the people "what would the other one say is heaven?" then take the opposite.

If it was the liar you asked, he would point to hell, because the honest one would say heaven.
If it was the honest one, he would point to hell too because the liar would point to hell.

Hi csteele

For me, I like "thought experiments" or ways of explaining quite complex ideas in ways that 'bring it home' - even for the recalcitrant.

While not quite in the same league as some of the riddles already presented, I'm sure even high-schoolers can get a buzz out of these, particularly if they can stir moral reasoning - assuming they have them of course.

See these:

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-thought-experiments.php

Have to say one of my favourites is Einstein's light beam - but, it's all relative :)

.

Confession:
Lexi, it only took me 5 seconds - I struggled with that one years ago when then, maybe an hour or so ! Chaos in motion, with spaghetti diagrams and charts strewn accross the floor !!

Dear Bonmot,

My next door neighbour is still working on it.
I gave it to him this afternoon.
Anyway for those of you who want to know the solution
here it is:

http://www.brain-fun.com/Brain-Teasers/EinsteinsRiddleAns.php

Dear Lexi,

I had done your puzzle years before but thought to get a time. Couldn't nail the sucker, tried three times. Finally back tracked and I had written down the Green house owner as drinking Tea! It is a good puzzle and I have given a similar one to the kids usually allowing the whole group to work on it together. I generally keep it for rainy days.

There are 5 ships in a port:

1. The Greek ship leaves at six and carries coffee.
2. The Ship in the middle has a black chimney.
3. The English ship leaves at nine.
4. The French ship with blue chimney is to the left of a ship that carries coffee.
5. To the right of the ship carrying cocoa is a ship going to Marseille.
6. The Brazilian ship is heading for Manila.
7. Next to the ship carrying rice is a ship with a green chimney.
8. A ship going to Genoa leaves at five.
9. The Spanish ship leaves at seven and is to the right of the ship going to Marseille.
10. The ship with a red chimney goes to Hamburg.
11. Next to the ship leaving at seven is a ship with a white chimney.
12. The ship on the border carries corn.
13. The ship with a black chimney leaves at eight.
14. The ship carrying corn is anchored next to the ship carrying rice.
15. The ship to Hamburg leaves at six.

Which ship goes to Port Said? Which ship carries tea?

My time on that is 23 minutes.

Thanks for the link bonmot. My phone refuses to open it so will check it out once I'm in front of a computer.

Dear Houllebecq,

The liar and the truth teller is one I have given numerous times but WmTrevor's example extends it nicely. 

Dear WmTrevor,
Why am I getting 'Subnecto ferrum ut?'. In any case you are correct.

Dear csteele,

Thank You for the 5 ships puzzle. I also must confess
that I've done it previously. My son used to love the
Einstein puzzles - so we've covered quite a few.

I'll try to find something different for you.