After the weight lifting event, the announcer said “Either Holland was better than Italy, or Greece won gold.”

An Italian reporter heard that, and commented that even knowing his own country’s final place, he wasn’t able to deduce the other places.

Curiously, a Dutch reporter who knew Holland’s final place, and who hadn’t heard the other reporter, made exactly the same remark.

Which were the final places?

Holland could not have come third. If it did, then Holland was not better than Italy, & so Greece must have gold. The Dutch reporter would then have deduced the order Greece, Italy, Holland (unless of course he wasn't all that bright).
Italy could not have won; because then Holland was not better than Italy, and so Greece must have won (I'm assuming there were no ties). If Italy was last, Holland was better than Italy, and so Greece did not win gold - this would allow the Italian reporter to deduce the order Holland, Greece, Italy. So Italy must have been second (the reporter then wouldn't know who was above and below).
If Holland is not last, & not second (because Italy is) it must have wone gold.
This gives the order: Holland, Italy, Greece.

Posted by DrBob on 2003-10-13 14:23:44