A Riddle on Murder: (and an exercise in logic)

(edited, to make it easier, on 18 March, 2008… thanks Adam/anon for suggesting a simpler story) 

There are two twins. One of them ALWAYS tells a lie. While the other could tell the truth or tell a lie.
One of them, whose name is Santosh (he’s the guy who ALWAYS lies), commits a murder.
The twins stand before the judge, knowing that Santosh committed the murder, asks the first fellow, “Are you Santosh?”
The guy says, “Yes I am.”
With this information, the judge was able to figure out which of the two was the murderer.

Can you?

4 Responses to “A Riddle on Murder: (and an exercise in logic)”


  1. 1 adsad May 31, 2007 at 4:30 am

    hey hey hey i’ve been spending a few hours on this riddle. . .
    but i cant seem to figure it out. . so pease if you can send the answer to my email or post it plz. !!1

  2. 2 NAyK June 4, 2007 at 10:34 pm

    To adsad:

    Sorry about this, adsad, but this is a riddle I heard many years ago and I remember it had a solution. However, when I recovered my old files, all I had was the riddle, and no solution. So I put it up here, partly to open this question to the “world wide web” so that others can maybe find the solution.

    I must admit that I too spent a long long time trying to figure it out… but couldn’t.

    All I can say is that the question IS authentic. And I do remember it had a solution. But I’ve forgotten it.

    Perhaps… for all time!

  3. 3 Adam March 17, 2008 at 12:10 am

    the one who always lies has to lie when asked….”Are You Sanotsh” the only possible lie is “No” if he is Santosh…so the second twin is santosh

  4. 4 Anon March 17, 2008 at 3:07 am

    Santosh always has to lie no matter what. SO if he is asked are you santosh, he will say no i am not.

    The other guy lied, cos he can decide to tell the truth or lie, or whatever he wants

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