This famous lateral thinking puzzle, brought to light by a puzzle enthusiast and originating from computer scientist Michael Rabin in the late 1980s, challenges us to think beyond the obvious. Two participants are caught in a deadly game of wits where basic game theory dictates their actions. Here’s the setup:
In a fictional kingdom with unique rules, everyone knows that drinking poison will kill you within an hour – unless, that is, you have something stronger to counteract it. Think of it like a real-life ‘antidote’ system where poisons are ranked by strength, and the strongest one wins. Smith and Jones, the sole poison makers in this realm, each create several different types of poison. The catch? They don’t know which maker has the strongest concoction.
One day, the Queen decides to settle this once and for all. She summons Smith and Jones to her palace and proposes a chilling contest: within one week, both men must return with a vial of their most potent poison. On the appointed day, a public ceremony will take place where each man will first drink from the other’s vial, then from their own. If anyone survives for an hour, they’ve won – their stronger poison acted as the antidote to their opponent’s. Simple enough, right? Except there’s a twist…
The Queen’s words hang heavy: “It is in your own interests to bring your strongest poison,” she states confidently. “The person who brings it will obviously survive, while the other clearly dies.”
Smith and Jones are deeply disturbed by this proposition. Neither wants to risk their life based on a gamble – they have no way of knowing what the other has brewed up or if theirs is truly the strongest. They spend a week in anxious contemplation, desperate to find a way out of this lethal game. The day arrives, and the Queen’s bizarre ceremony unfolds precisely as planned. Smith and Jones drink from each other’s vials, followed by their own. The crowd watches intently for any sign of recovery – but what they witness is shocking: both men collapse within an hour, succumbing to the poison.
**What deadly logic led to this double demise? **
This puzzle isn’t about tricky wording or hidden clues; it’s a test of your ability to think outside conventional scenarios. The solution relies on understanding how Smith and Jones would logically approach the Queen’s challenge.
