Logic Puzzles

3. The Islanders

There are two beautiful yet remote islands in the south pacific. The Islanders born on one island always tell the truth, and the Islanders from the other island always lie.

You are on one of the islands, and meet three Islanders. You ask the first which island they are from in the most appropriate Polynesian tongue, and he indicates that the other two Islanders are from the same Island. You ask the second Islander the same question, and he also indicates that the other two Islanders are from the same island.

You ask the third Islander whether the other two Islanders are from the same island as him. Can you guess what the third Islander will answer to the same question?

Added 1 January 2007 · Updated 5 July 2026

Solution:

Yes, the third Islander will say the other two Islanders are from the same island.


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Comments (6)

Anonymous 15 May 2011

In the Islanders problem, if one of the women was transgender and had changed her name, the police could make a mistake based on the name on the document.

Anonymous 30 August 2011

I think there is an error in the Islanders. The islander we asked the question first indicates that both the other islanders are from the same island. Now if he is telling the truth we get the answer that is posted, but if he is lying it does not mean that both the others are from the other island; one could be from the same island and the other from the other island.

Anonymous 30 August 2011

I believe there is an error in 'The Islanders'. The first islander indicates that both the other islanders are from the same island, but if he is lying, it doesn't mean both are from the other island. One could be from the same island and the other from the other island, making his statement still a lie.

Anonymous 27 May 2012

You should clarify that the islanders are from the same island in the question.

Anonymous 22 December 2012

The answer to the Islanders riddle is incorrect.

Anonymous 19 December 2015

Most, or all, of these questions are ambiguous, and therefore unsolvable by pure logic. For example, 'The Islanders'. Do your respondents lie about which island they come from, where the others come from, or both?

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