After-School Activities for Kids

Mind Stimulating Games and Activities for After School, Birthdays and Family

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After-School Activities for Kids

Mind Stimulating Games and Activities for After School, Birthdays and Family

Three White Hats

This world-class brain teaser is one where pure extraplorative and deductive logic will lead you to the answer. When you figure out the answer, you will know for sure you have the correct answer.

The Three White Hats:

An eccentric millionaire invited three famous philosophers to his mansion, and proposed this interesting challenge to them. He said:

I have 5 hats, three of them are white, and two are black. I will choose three hats at random, and place one hat on each of your heads. You will all sit facing each other, so that each of you will be able to see the color of the hats worn by the others, but you not be able to see the color of your own hat. You are not allowed to communicate with each other in any way, and you are not allowed to talk except to guess the color of your own hat.

The first person to guess the color of his or her own hat will win the challenge, and I will give you one million dollars! However, if you guess the color of your hat incorrectly, the penalty is death! So you must be certain your guess is correct, or don't risk guessing.

All three philosophers agreed to the challenge, because each wanted to prove that he or she was smarter than the other two, and also a million dollars is a lot of money.

In private, the eccentric millionaire selected the three white hats (not at random), and destroyed the two black hats. Each philosopher's got a white hat, and they sat far apart facing each other. Nobody knew the color or his or her own hat, and there was no way to see or feel which color it was. Each philosoper could see the white color of the other two philosopher's hats. As per the rules, they were not allowed to communicate with each other in any way.

And so, the challenge began. For twenty minutes nobody said anything. And then one of the philosophers confidently declared "I am wearing a white hat!" How did she know? - (I wonder if you can solve it quicker)

Clues you don't really need... (scroll down to see one clue at a time):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The famous philosopers all respected each other's intelligence and logic skills.

 

 

 

 

 

When she declared her hat was white, the philosopher was sure. It was not a guess.

 

 

 

 

 

It is not a play on words, or any trick question or answer.  The riddle is exactly like I described it.  Put yourself in the philosophers shoes and solve it.

 

 

 

 

 

It had nothing to do with relecting light, or the sun not warming her hat, or any other such clue.

 

 

 

 

 

Nobody communicated, and nobody gave off any telling gestures, expressions or other non-verbal communication.

 

 

 

 

 

It was 20 minutes before she declared 'I am wearing a white hat.' This is impprtant.

 

 

 

 

 

Keep trying.  Don't give up.  Take it with you (in your head.  Work on it from time to time until you solve it.  Ask someone for help.  Don't use Google or cheat.  You will solve it.  I know you will.  It does not require any special knowledge.