Can You Solve the Temple Riddle and Escape the Curse?

The Ancient Temple Riddle: Can You Escape the Curse?

You've navigated treacherous paths, outsmarted cunning traps, and finally reached the heart of an ancient temple. But as you decipher the inscriptions, a malevolent force awakens, threatening to seal your fate within its crumbling walls. Can you use logic and strategy to escape before time runs out?

The Premise

Imagine this: You're an explorer leading a group of eight graduate students through the Lost City. Inside a temple, an accident triggers an ancient curse. Two students become possessed by spirits known for their deception. With the temple collapsing and time running out, you must navigate a maze of hallways, relying on potentially unreliable information to find the exit.

The Challenge

The temple has five hallways, one leading back to the altar and one leading to the exit. You estimate it will take 20 minutes to reach the exit. The curse causes the possessed students to lie, sometimes. You need to determine the correct path to the exit, but you can't be sure who to trust.

The Solution

Here's how to solve this ancient riddle and ensure everyone's escape:

• Self-Reliance: Since you know you're not cursed, explore one hallway alone. This leaves eight students for the remaining three paths.
• Group Dynamics: Divide the remaining students into one group of two and two groups of three.
• Truth vs. Deception: The key is that even though the possessed students might lie, there are only two of them. The other six will always tell the truth.

Decoding the Reports

When the groups return, analyze their reports:

• Unanimous Agreement: If a trio returns in complete agreement about a path, you can trust that path is either safe or leads to doom.
• The Pair's Dilemma: You can't be certain about the pair's report, but you only need reliable information about three of the four paths.
• Process of Elimination: Use the reliable information to deduce the correct path by eliminating the others.

Analyzing the Scenarios

Consider these possibilities:

• Scenario 1: Full Agreement: If all groups give consistent answers, either everyone is telling the truth, or the two possessed students are paired together. In either case, ignore the duo's report.
• Scenario 2: One Conflict: If only one group is arguing, the other two groups must be telling the truth.
• Scenario 3: Two Conflicts: If there are two conflicts, the possessed students are in separate groups. Trust the majority in both trios, as at least two people in each will be truthful.

Escape!

By following this strategy, you can decipher the truth from the lies, choose the correct path, and escape the collapsing temple just as the greenish vapors of the curse dissipate from the possessed students. You've saved your expedition from certain doom!

This logic puzzle highlights the power of deduction and strategic thinking in the face of uncertainty. It's a reminder that even when surrounded by deception, careful analysis can lead to the truth and, ultimately, to survival.