Tamerlano's Trap (D5)
"Now be careful!" Tamerlano warned his prisoner. "You can see
that in this room, there are two doors guarded by two soldiers. You can tell
by their clothes that they come from two different clans. One of the doors leads
to a pool of crocodiles; the other one leads to a healthy horse and a sack of
gold. To determine which door leads to certain death and which leads to freedom
and wealth, you may ask a single question to one of these soldiers. From that
answer, you must make your decision. One more warning; one of these soldiers
always tells the truth, and the other one always lies."
The prisoner, an intelligent Greek merchant, meditated for a while, bowed to
the great conqueror, and with a grin on his face, approached one of the soldiers.
What question would open the door of freedom?
[Solution]
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