Seven Puzzles You Think You Must Not Have Heard Correctly (2006) [pdf]

Re:Seven Puzzles You Think You Must Not Have Heard Correctly... by _archon_ on Monday August 29, 2016 @10:57AM (#12382244)

There's a discrepancy between the number of visible blues and the number given. Say the person is a blue and doesn't know it. They can count b-1 blues on everyone else. Hearing "r reds, b blues, 1 yellow," he knows he must be either blue or yellow. He doesn't know which. Everyone survives.

Edit: had a paren instead of opening quote.

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Re:Seven Puzzles You Think You Must Not Have Heard Correctly... by adium on Monday August 29, 2016 @11:15AM (#12382384)

I'm also thinking it would need to be at least a couple hundred people to be classified as a town. Which then the odds of someone subconsciously counting a number that high in their head is unlikely.

In a classroom with 30 people right now and I couldn't tell you how many of each gender there are unless I actively try. If that meant certain death, why would I count?

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Re:Seven Puzzles You Think You Must Not Have Heard Correctly... by czr80 on Monday August 29, 2016 @03:11PM (#12384391)

You're being downvoted, which is a bit harsh. However, you are thinking about this as a practical problem, when it is actually a mathematics exercise.

The distinction comes naturally to some people, it's a real struggle for others.

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