On the one hand, usual formulation is you only get one question, finding out which is the liar alone is easy but useless as then you’re out of questions to actually get through the gate. On the other hand, unless you get the information about the behavior of the guards from a trusted source that isn’t them you have no reason to believe them, and in fact they cannot relay the setup to you accurately without giving it away if you assume they’re always like that as many do.
The full setup is that they can both tell you about the setup, but for the One Question, they follow the rules stipulated. Neither is actually bound to always lie and always tell the truth outside of the One Question.
Well yeah you can make anything work when the rules change on a whim
When you are literally making the rules yes. It’s a riddle. There’s no “real world application” here.
deleted by creator
Yes, the exact same thing said by the person you accused of changing the rules on a whim.
deleted by creator
The “real” ones. I guess those are the rules “real” guards use in real life?
It’s a riddle. The rules are whatever suits the riddle being presented.
Sadistic DM Take - Both guards are liars and they came up with this rouse to fuck with people because they were bored.
Removed by mod
Both guards told the truth in their first lines
Not if they were both lying. Both guards are liars.
Which would mean guard 2 is telling the truth and not a liar
The way guard 2’s first line is worded could be interpreted as him saying “the other (guard says) nothing but lies”, meaning he’s saying guard 1 is the liar which is a lie.
Guard 2 says: “The other one nothing but lies”, which is assumed to be true. From the guard that lies. Was that a lie?
I never liked this riddle. “Am I standing in front of you?” would tell you immediately
To actually make it a puzzle, the trick is that you get only one question. Ever.
The third guard stabs people who ask tricky questions.
Pedantic correction: you only get one answer from a single guard. You can’t ask both for an answer, even if they’re both within earshot.
The object isn’t to identify the liar, it’s to find out which path is safe. And you only get one question.
Removed by mod
the guard: [sobbing] yes…
What if… they both only tell lies? No “one of us” about it, and it would totally mess with players’ heads.
Ah, the Yu-Gi-Oh approach.
Barbarian street smarts ain’t by the book (or all that smart), but damn are they effective
Everytime I see the only truth and only lier situation, I gotta repost this clip:
https://youtu.be/i99jMtnE4vw?t=03m27s
