T h e M i n e r \mathbf{{\color{#624F41} The \ Miner}} a n d \mathbf{and} T h e K e y \mathbf{{\color{grey} The \ Key}}

Logic Level 1

Suppose you are in a mine where there are/may be D w a r v e s \mathcal{{\color{olive} Dwarves}} who always tell the truth, G o b l i n s \mathcal{{\color{#302B94} Goblins}} who always lie, and F a e r i e s \mathcal{{\color{teal} Faeries}} who may do either, however you cannot distinguish them apart for they have all assumed the same forms. \\

You meet three miners in this mine, and they make the following statements: \\

M i n e r A : {\color{#20A900} Miner \ A:} "One of us is a F a e r y \mathcal{{\color{teal} Faery}} " \\ M i n e r B : {\color{coral} Miner \ B:} " M i n e r C {\color{maroon} Miner \ C} is not a F a e r y \mathcal{{\color{teal} Faery}} " \\ M i n e r C : {\color{maroon} Miner \ C:} "I am a G o b l i n \mathcal{{\color{#302B94} Goblin}} " \\

You know that exactly one of the miners is a D w a r f \mathcal{{\color{olive} Dwarf}} , who possesses a key to a vault of gold in the mine, and will give it to you if you ask them, however if you ask a G o b l i n \mathcal{{\color{#302B94} Goblin}} or F a e r y \mathcal{{\color{teal} Faery}} for the key, they may deceive you, and you want to avoid any possibility of danger. Who should you ask for the key so that you can get into the vault? \\

Bonus: Figure out what type of creature each miner is

M i n e r A {\color{#20A900} Miner \ A} M i n e r B {\color{coral} Miner \ B} M i n e r C {\color{maroon} Miner \ C} Impossible to tell

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8 solutions

Either M i n e r A {\color{#20A900} Miner \ A} , M i n e r B {\color{coral} Miner \ B} , or M i n e r C {\color{maroon} Miner \ C} is a D w a r f \mathcal{{\color{olive} Dwarf}} , and the others may be G o b l i n s \mathcal{{\color{#302B94} Goblins}} , F a e r i e s \mathcal{{\color{teal} Faeries}} , or both. We can determine who the D w a r f \mathcal{{\color{olive} Dwarf}} is through elimination: \\

  • M i n e r C {\color{maroon} Miner \ C} , if a D w a r f \mathcal{{\color{olive} Dwarf}} , would be lying, and if a G o b l i n \mathcal{{\color{#302B94} Goblin}} , they would be telling the truth, both of which are impossible, therefore M i n e r C {\color{maroon} Miner \ C} could only be a F a e r y \mathcal{{\color{teal} Faery}}

  • M i n e r B {\color{coral} Miner \ B} would then need to be a G o b l i n \mathcal{{\color{#302B94} Goblin}} or F a e r y \mathcal{{\color{teal} Faery}} as their statement is untrue seeing M i n e r C {\color{maroon} Miner \ C} is a F a e r y \mathcal{{\color{teal} Faery}}

  • As they are the only miner remaining, M i n e r A {\color{#20A900} Miner \ A} would be the D w a r f \mathcal{{\color{olive} Dwarf}} , and to make their statement true, M i n e r B {\color{coral} Miner \ B} would have to be a G o b l i n \mathcal{{\color{#302B94} Goblin}}

You should ask M i n e r A {\color{#20A900} Miner \ A} for the key to the vault of gold

Exactly my deduction!

Katie P - 2 months, 1 week ago

I agree except for the last point. We can't say if Miner B is a Faery or Goblin. The Dwarf (A) says "One of us is a Faery", not "Exactly one of us". So there could be two Faeries (B and C) and no Goblins and A would still be telling the truth.

Jonas Lippuner - 2 months, 1 week ago

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It is assumed that 'one of us is a Faery' means that there is only one Faery out of the three miners as the question states that it is possible to determine the species of each miner (stated in the 'Bonus' section).

§martie On Brilliant - 2 months, 1 week ago
Saya Suka
Mar 24, 2021

Only faeries may admit to be a goblin (else a dwarf would have to lie and a goblin would have to tell the truth doing that), so Miner C must be a faery. Since we're already told that one of them is a dwarf, and obviously the statements by Miner C and Miner B are both lies, then Miner A must be the dwarf. The key is with Miner A. Miner B could be a goblin or another faery, but by the true statement of Miner A, Miner B must be a goblin.

Danny Lai
Mar 24, 2021

Starting from Miner C (none of the previous miners say any statements, so we can't say anything about them): lets consider the possibilities. If Miner C was a Goblin, he would be telling the truth, which isn't possible. If Miner C was a Dwarf, he would be lying, which also isn't possible, which leaves the only option as Miner C is a Faery.

Then, going back to Miner B with that new information, we now know that Miner B is lying, so he is a Goblin. Finally, Miner A, since we know that Miner C is a Faery, we can say that Miner A is telling the truth, and he is the Dwarf.

David Herman
May 5, 2021

A dwarf cannot claim to be a goblin because it would be a lie and a goblin cannot claim to be a goblin because it would be true. That means Miner C must be a faery.

Miner B is telling a lie so must be a faery or a goblin.

That leaves Miner A as the only person who can be a dwarf.

Best answer to me. Most of others miss that B can also be a faery, not only a goblin.

David Foo - 5 days, 15 hours ago
Ayaan Siddiqui
Apr 27, 2021

If miner a is dwarf .he will say truth that one of is fairy which might be from miner c and miner b . Miner b here is goblin who said false that miner c is not fairy. So if we took like that miner c is fairy who lied that she was goblin

Daenerys Spellman
Apr 13, 2021

-Take the statement I am a goblin said by Miner C, a goblin won't say true at all that they are goblins ..either MinerC might lying /telling truth . A dwarf can't lie that they are goblin So 🎉 the MINER C is a faery - Here it solves , we already know MinerC is a faery But Miner B is provocating that C is not a faery , BECAUSE he is GOBLIN -Last but not Least , I wanna thank me for revealing the Dwarf .. U may ask him the key and F**k off. #@- POORNIMA TARGERYAN

Please remove the profanity from your solution

§martie On Brilliant - 1 month, 4 weeks ago
Cubing Op
Apr 2, 2021

Miner C can’t be a dwarf because then he would lie about being a goblin. He also can’t be a goblin as goblins always lie. So miner C is a fairy. Now this means that the statement of Miner B about Miner C not being a fairy becomes false so Miner B is a goblin. So Miner A is the dwarf as atleast one of the three is a dwarf.

Alex C
Mar 28, 2021

Miner C is a Faery since if he is a dwarf or a goblin his statement wouldn't make sense. From this we can conclude that miner B is not the dwarf as his statement is false. So miner A is the dwarf.

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