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[Scalemail Ted]

Three's a Crowd
(Clayton Lewis)

Three scoundrels claim to be the smartest in the country. So you decide to give them a challenge. Suspecting that the thing they care about most is money, you give them $100 and tell them they are to divide this money observing the following rule: they are to discuss offers and counter-offers from each other and then take a vote. Majority vote wins.
Sounds easy enough... now the question is, assuming each person is motivated to take the largest amount possible, what will the outcome be?

Note: careful... if the answer were that they split it 50% / 50% / 0%, or 1/3 / 1/3 / 1/3, it wouldn't be a riddle!

Note: careful... 96.6523544 % of people who send answers to this have not thought about it for even 1 minute. I guarantee you won't solve it in a minute. (96.6523544% of the time this guarantee is correct.)

 

[AntoneM]

one of 'em kills the other 2 and takes all the loot for himself (under 1 minute)

 

[effzee]

put the answer in spoiler mode so we can check answers.

 

[BigJonsson]

well
it's majority rules so 2 can outvote the 1

so the easy answer would be 50,50,0

 

[mashoutposse]

I guess if you assume that each guy suggests a 100/0/0 deal (taking all the money for himself), it's possible that each person gets outvoted and no one gets the money.

 

[Traumahound]

well
it's majority rules so 2 can outvote the 1

so the easy answer would be 50,50,0

Except that the 1 guy and turn around and say to one of the other two, "Let's split it 60/40." 60's better than 50, and 40's better than 0, so again majority rules.

Still thinking about it, but I'm sure it's not 50/50/0...

 

[BigJonsson]

so 51/49/0 is the answer?

 

[BigJonsson]

35/35/30 is the answer

 

[BlackMage]

35/35/30 is the answer

care to explain?

 

[slayn]

perason A suggests to person B to vote on a rule that, "person C is not allowed to end up with any money." rule passes.

person C, pissed off at person A, suggests to person B a similar rule.

person B ends up with all the money.

persons A and C kill B.

Persons A and C then agree to have a dual to the death where A will be an undead pirate and C a robot ninja. C, however, mistakenly fights as an undead ninja. Which is a confliction of the natural order of coolness. Person A wins. Person A then takes the money and buries it on an island before being killed, or banished as it were, in a mutiny. The money is lost forever.

all 3 scoudrels area dead and have no money.

There, I thought about it for more than 1 minute. 3 minutes to be exact.

 

[BigJonsson]

care to explain?

Well

actually, i dont think thats it anymore

damn give us the fucking anwer

 

[mashoutposse]

A couple of thoughts:

The other two will not vote "Yes" if the third guy receives a higher amount.

The winning proposal only has to benefit two out of the three, with the third receiving as little as $0.

 

[BigJonsson]

yea but the 3rd guy can offer one of them a higher amount so he gets something
maybe 33/33/34 would work?

 

[Matlock]

Wait, they're all the smartest criminals in the world...and it takes them more than a minute to figure out how to screw the other two guys?

 

[mashoutposse]

yea but the 3rd guy can offer one of them a higher amount so he gets something
maybe 33/33/34 would work?

I'd think that there isn't a better deal than 50/50/0 for the other two

 

[BigJonsson]

Where the hell is the answer

 

[Pochacco]

Answer: Riddles without answers aren't fucking riddles - they're annoying and nonsense!!

Anyone could make a "riddle", not provide an answer, and pretend to be all smart and philosophical. Just look at The Matrix and Square RPGs!!

 

[BigJonsson]

I googled this riddle and there was no answer

 

[Catapult Beetle]

each person is motivated to take the largest amount possible

Well, the largest amount possible is 100%. So if you take this line literally, then none of the scoundrels would be satisfied with anything less than that (the creator of the riddle saying that 50%/50%/0% is not the answer seems to support this). So perhaps mashoutposse's first post is the correct answer.

 

[Mama Smurf]

This isn't a fucking riddle.

Alright, it doesn't seem like a fucking riddle, but when we get the answer, it better make us all go "Oooooh of course, I see now" and not have room for other answers.

 

[ohamsie]

Damn it you should post these in the morning so that we have all day to think about it. I was about to go to bed, this is going to drive me nuts.

 

[Megafoo Chavez]

they buy 2 copies of halo 2 instead

 

[SickBoy]

I think this is purely lame, but here's what I think the end result is:

51-49-0 ...or any slightly lopsided calculation with one side getting zero. I think it's either that or 34-33-33, but I doubt that.

Reason:
You'd figure that with every guy out to make top dollar, two of these guys would hit on a proposal to make a 50-50 split. Since all they care about is money and getting as much of it as possible, Mr. Zero isn't going to like that too much and propose a better deal with one of the two 50s.

Which means 51-49 to sweeten the pot by that one dollar. But the problem is that this seems to me a circular question. Once 51-49-0 is proposed, the new 0 will propose a deal that will keep him in the game. Which means: they'll negotiate to 51-49, or a higher lopsided figure, they'll end up with an inclusive 34-33-33 to break deadlock, or if they're brainless, they'll move to 99-1. Or they'll somehow stop at 51-49 and run that deal.

As far as I'm concerned, the riddle doesn't give you enough information (or ground rules, IMO) to determine what they'll do other than to tell you it's not equal shares of 1/3 or 50-50-0.

EDIT: People who know how to solve this sort of stuff? http://www.brainj.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=248&sid=100a683506153e994afc91b6d6fc2b6b

 

[fart]

it turns out they care the most about hot sex, so an orgy ensues. everybody's a winner in the game of libido

 

[iapetus]

99-1-0, surely?

A says to B "Let's split it 50-50-0, and fuck C up."
C says to B "Screw A. I'll split it 51-49-0, giving you the 51 and him nothing." This offer, worse though it is for C, gives him 49 more than he'd be getting otherwise.
A says to B "Fair enough. I'll make it 52-48-0."
C says to B "Screw you, bitch. 53-47-0."

Eventually that's going to hit 99-1-0, at which point a 'better' deal can't be made that allows A or C any money.

 

[Jak140]

99-1-0, surely?

A says to B "Let's split it 50-50-0, and fuck C up."
C says to B "Screw A. I'll split it 51-49-0, giving you the 51 and him nothing." This offer, worse though it is for C, gives him 49 more than he'd be getting otherwise.
A says to B "Fair enough. I'll make it 52-48-0."
C says to B "Screw you, bitch. 53-47-0."

Eventually that's going to hit 99-1-0, at which point a 'better' deal can't be made that allows A or C any money.

But that's where A and B realize they'd be better off if they colluded against C instead of giving him 99 of the dollars, and the cycle begins anew.

 

[fart]

this is an irrational application of simple recursion. real, rational people would just kill each other.

 

[Seth C]

99-1-0, surely?

A says to B "Let's split it 50-50-0, and fuck C up."
C says to B "Screw A. I'll split it 51-49-0, giving you the 51 and him nothing." This offer, worse though it is for C, gives him 49 more than he'd be getting otherwise.
A says to B "Fair enough. I'll make it 52-48-0."
C says to B "Screw you, bitch. 53-47-0."

Eventually that's going to hit 99-1-0, at which point a 'better' deal can't be made that allows A or C any money.

The problem is that's circular.

A = 99
B = 1
C = 0

C immediately offers B the 99 and he'll take 1, then A has nothing, so he offers C 99 and he'll take 1, and this continues in a circle, forever. I have a sneaking feeling that this riddle wasn't very well thought out, and the "solution" is going to leave everyone very disappointed. If not, I'll be impressed.

 

[mashoutposse]

99-1-0, surely?

A says to B "Let's split it 50-50-0, and fuck C up."
C says to B "Screw A. I'll split it 51-49-0, giving you the 51 and him nothing." This offer, worse though it is for C, gives him 49 more than he'd be getting otherwise.
A says to B "Fair enough. I'll make it 52-48-0."
C says to B "Screw you, bitch. 53-47-0."

Eventually that's going to hit 99-1-0, at which point a 'better' deal can't be made that allows A or C any money.

After C offers the 51-0-49 split, nothing stops B from trying to forge a 0-50-50 with C, which would better both of their positions.

 

[Ferrio]

They die of starvation.

 

[psycho_snake]

Since this is a riddle thread, I might as well put one that I found a while ago. It was made by Einstein and he says that only 2% of the world can do it, so I'm hasppy. I managed to solve it ages ago.

ALBERT EINSTEIN'S RIDDLE

ARE YOU IN THE TOP 2% OF INTELLIGENT PEOPLE IN THE WORLD?
SOLVE THE RIDDLE AND FIND OUT.

There are no tricks, just pure logic, so good luck and don't give up.

1. In a street there are five houses, painted five different colours.
2. In each house lives a person of different nationality
3. These five homeowners each drink a different kind of beverage, smoke
different brand of cigar and keep a different pet.

THE QUESTION: WHO OWNS THE FISH?

HINTS

1. The Brit lives in a red house.
2. The Swede keeps dogs as pets.
3. The Dane drinks tea.
4. The Green house is on the left of the White house.
5. The owner of the Green house drinks coffee.
6. The person who smokes Pall Mall rears birds.
7. The owner of the Yellow house smokes Dunhill.
8. The man living in the centre house drinks milk.
9. The Norwegian lives in the first house.
10. The man who smokes Blends lives next to the one who keeps cats.
11. The man who keeps horses lives next to the man who smokes Dunhill.
12. The man who smokes Blue Master drinks beer.
13. The German smokes Prince.
14. The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.
15. The man who smokes Blends has a neighbour who drinks water.

ALBERT EINSTEIN WROTE THIS RIDDLE EARLY DURING THE 19th CENTURY. HE
SAID THAT 98% OF THE WORLD POPULATION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SOLVE IT.



I would post the answer, but I don't know how to put spoiler tags

 

[DCharlie]

the answer is :

Spoiler

Imoteph is invisible.

 

[Miguel]

Time to break my brain to try to figure it out...thanks psycho...:O

 

[psycho_snake]

Time to break my brain to try to figure it out...thanks psycho...:O

i really don't think its a good idea to thank me, you'll come back with a knife in yopur hands attempting to kill me, it gets very, very fustrating.

 

[Ghost]

Ill post the answer to the einstien one

Spoiler

The Germans own the fish

 

[Miguel]

"rears birds"?

 

[RevenantKioku]

"rears birds"?

Raises/takes care of.

 

[Miguel]

Yeah, after an hour of playing Frequency/trying to solve it...I gave up and looked at the answer.

Is there a listing of who has what so I can at least see if I was on the right track?

 

[pops619]

Here's who has what, at least from what I was able to figure out...

Spoiler

Norwegian: Yellow house, drinks water, smokes Dunhill, and keeps cats.
Dane: Blue house, drinks tea, smokes Blends, and keeps horses.
Brit: Red house, drinks milk, smokes Pall Malls, and rears birds.
German: Green house, drinks coffee, smokes Prince, and has the fish.
Swede: White house, drinks beer, smokes Blue Master, and keeps dogs.

I messed it up the first time but I was able to figure it out pretty easily the second time around.

 

[gblues]

You guys are missing the obvious. These guys are scoundrels. One of them is going to switch the $100 with a fake, then agree to a 50/50/0 split (where the guy who did the switch agrees to be the "0"). The one who did the switch actually gets 100%, and the other two get 0wned with a counterfeit bill.

Nathan

 

[RevenantKioku]

Before I check, I say its the

Spoiler

It is the GERMAN!

 

[Dilbert]

Three's a Crowd
(Clayton Lewis)

Three scoundrels claim to be the smartest in the country. So you decide to give them a challenge. Suspecting that the thing they care about most is money, you give them $100 and tell them they are to divide this money observing the following rule: they are to discuss offers and counter-offers from each other and then take a vote. Majority vote wins.
Sounds easy enough... now the question is, assuming each person is motivated to take the largest amount possible, what will the outcome be?

Note: careful... if the answer were that they split it 50% / 50% / 0%, or 1/3 / 1/3 / 1/3, it wouldn't be a riddle!

Note: careful... 96.6523544 % of people who send answers to this have not thought about it for even 1 minute. I guarantee you won't solve it in a minute. (96.6523544% of the time this guarantee is correct.)

This post is stolen VERBATIM from another site, and aside from the reference to "Clayton Lewis," there is no attribution about its original source. I've studied a bunch of game theory-related riddles, and this one sounds like a fake.

If you don't have the real answer to this riddle, or more information about where it comes from...prepare to be banned. Feel free to PM me the information.

 

[MetatronM]

ALBERT EINSTEIN WROTE THIS RIDDLE EARLY DURING THE 19th CENTURY. HE
SAID THAT 98% OF THE WORLD POPULATION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SOLVE IT.

Are we sure about this?

 

[MetatronM]

And as for the Einstein one

Spoiler

the German owns the fish.

Took a bit of note-taking, but it wasn't too hard.

 

[Firest0rm]

Infact a thing called tautology.

 

[Bog]

If you don't have the real answer to this riddle, or more information about where it comes from...prepare to be banned.

I second this.

 

[Stuggernaut]

Did any of you REALLY solve it or did you just Google the answer?

It's hard to really challenge people with a riddle anymore with the internet around and we are a society of cheaters

 

[Dilbert]

Did any of you REALLY solve it or did you just Google the answer?

It's hard to really challenge people with a riddle anymore with the internet around and we are a society of cheaters

A "riddle" has a definite answer. I strongly suspect that this one DOESN'T have an answer, due to the way it's constructed. The wording is absolute shit, for one thing -- are the offers/counteroffers known to EVERYONE in the group, or only to the two people involved in the conversation? That would totally change the problem. Since the problem sounded almost like something from game theory, it gave me the idea to look on Google to see if I could find the correct wording.

However, since I could only find the one site which contained the problem -- and no link to an answer -- I'm pretty sure that this is a "riddle" which was thrown out without an answer in mind...if it even HAS an answer. Posing a riddle without knowing the answer is bullshit, in my opinion...and I'm also NOT a fan of people who quote without attribution.

 

[Ghost]

I solved the einstien one years ago. As people have said its easy with a piece of paper.

 

[WHOAguitarninja]

I'm getting 2/3, 1/3, and 0. Assuming nobody kills anybody or anything stupid like that. I only thought about for about 2 minutes though.

EDIT- Actually no, that's not it. Nevermind.