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Not a clear cut (Posted on 2012-11-18) Difficulty: 3 of 5
I have slightly rephrased a problem found on the web (Steve Miller's page):

begin **

The police rounded up Jim, Bud and Sam yesterday, following the robbery of the local bank.
The three suspects made the following statements under intensive questioning:

• Jim: I'm innocent.
• Bud: I'm innocent.
• Sam: Bud is guilty.

If only one of these statements turns out to be true, who robbed the bank?

Communicated by G. Mejia.
**end

Apparently, there are several solutions.
Find them.

No Solution Yet Submitted by Ady TZIDON    
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Solution possible solutions | Comment 1 of 4

If only Jim is guilty, then only Bud's statement is true, and the conditions are fulfilled, so this is one solution.

Any other single individual being guilty would result in two true statements.

But the theft may have been a collaboration.

If Jim and Bud were the only two guilty among the three, then only Sam's statement would be true, again fulfilling the condition.

If Jim and Sam were the only two guilty, then only Bud's statement would be true.

Bud and Sam's dual guilt would make two statements true: Jim's and Sam's, and so is not a solution.

If all three participated in the heist, then again only Sam's statement is true, and this is the final solution.

So Jim is guilty along with either or both of the other two.


  Posted by Charlie on 2012-11-18 11:22:52
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