hardlogic

A man was to be sentenced and the judge told him you may make a statement. If you tell the truth I'll sentence you to 4 years, however, if you lie then I'll sentence you to 6 years. After the man's statement the judge decides to let him go. What did the man say?

"You will sentence me to six years." If that statement was a lie the man would get 6 years which would really make his statement true. If it was true he would only get 4 years rendering the statement false. Refusing to go against his own word the judge decides to let him go.

Why this works

This riddle plays with the concepts of truth and contradiction. When the man says, "You will sentence me to six years," he creates a paradox: if the judge sentences him to six years, then the statement becomes true, which means he should only get four years for telling the truth. Conversely, if the judge sentences him to four years, the statement would be false, thus requiring a six-year sentence for lying. Faced with this logical loop where any sentence contradicts the initial statement, the judge ultimately has no choice but to let him go to resolve the paradox. This clever twist highlights how language and logic can intertwine in unexpected ways!

Common Wrong Answers

“I will tell the truth.”

If the man simply stated he would tell the truth, it does not create a paradox that would prevent the judge from sentencing him. The judge would interpret it as a truthful statement, leading to a 4-year sentence.

“I will lie.”

If the man says he will lie, and this is interpreted as truthful, the judge would sentence him to 4 years. Conversely, if he is lying about lying, he would be sentenced to 6 years, which does not create a paradox to let him go.

“You will let me go.”

If the man claims he will be let go, this does not create a self-referential scenario that would challenge the judge's sentencing options. The judge could simply impose a sentence based on the truth or lie of that statement.

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