Complex Riddle

[sarutobi]

I dont even know if theres a right answer here (it was inspired by this comic http://www.partiallyclips.com/storage/paradox_lg.png)

Anyway, you see a three headed dragon, you already know that

One head always lies
One head always tells the truth
One head always alternates between the two

They guard 2 doors, one leads to death the other dosnt

If you could only ask one head one question what would/could it be?

is there even a right answer?

(Im thinking if you asked any head what any of the others would say you'd still get the right answer?)

 

[sarutobi]

isnt that out of a movie? i have a vague memory of something similar

but i would keep asking questions that i know the answer to and see which ones agree

read my post closer, only one question for one head

Something along the lines of 'what would the other head say'.

i know that would work if it was only the truth and lying head, but would it work if we introduced the third alternating head?

 

[sarutobi]

well the most common version of it is

You come across two guards guarding one door each. One door is right one is wrong. You know that one guard tells the truth and one lies. You can ask one guard one question. What do you ask?

The answer is "What would the other one say is the right door?"

No matter which guard answers his answer will be the wrong door. This is because the truth teller will tell you the wrong door because the the lier would tell you the wrong door if you asked for the wrong one. And the lier would tell you the opposite of the truths answer, which would mean he would say the wrong door also. So go for the opposite of the answer your given.

But how would it be affected by a third alternating guard?

 

[sarutobi]

but u dont know which head is which

 

[sarutobi]

ok then, they do

it is a given that they know

 

[sarutobi]

but if u asked it to a open a door -

the lying head would say ok then not open the door
the truth one would say no then not open the door
the alternating would say one of the above