jfgw wrote:SteelCamel wrote:Ask A: "If I asked you whether the figure on throne B is P, would you say yes?"
If they say yes, address your next question to C, if they say no address your next question to B.
Ask your choice of B or C: "If I asked you whether the left gate leads to heaven, would you say yes?"
If they say yes, take the left gate. If they say no, take the right one.
Admittedly, that answer does look a bit simpler than mine
Julian F. G. W.
It's better than mine, too, if we allow the ascribing of identities (and I think I was being rather ungracious in quibbling with it).
OK, with that solution posted, time for mine. The second question is exactly as posted. The first question to A serves the same purpose - namely, ensuring that the second is addressed to someone other than P:
"If I ask a question to B, am I more likely to get a true answer than asking the same question to C?"
If A is P the the answer is of course immaterial.
If A is S he'll answer truthfully, that whichever of B and C is P is more likely to tell the truth.
If A is Q, he'll answer falsely that whichever of B and C is P is more likely to tell the truth.
So now you address the second question to the one you're told is less likely to answer truthfully.