There were three men in a line (facing forward) so they can only see the man (or men) in front of them. There are also five hats, two black and three white. Each man is wearing one of the hats.

When the man at the back of the line was asked "Do you know your hat color?", he replied "No". When the man that was second in line was then asked "Do you know your hat color?" he replied "No". When the man at the front of the line was asked "Do you know your hat color?" he replied "Of course".

What color of hat was the man at the front of the line wearing?

I think the first man is wearing a white hat. Here's why:

The first man doesn't know... therefore both men infront of him are not wearing black hats. Because if they were, the third man has a white hat on, and he would know that.

Now the second man knows what the third man knows, and from this still cannot determine his own hat color.

Now if the man infront was wearing a black hat, and knowing that he and the second man cannot both have black hats, then the second man would determine his hat's color is white. But he can't determine this, therefore the first man is wearing a white hat.

Posted by Tom on 2002-05-09 12:23:39