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DeVore

if you can answer this problem....

A library has two index books which must contain ever book in the library.

The first book (lets call it index book A) contains a list of all books which refer to their titles somewhere within their main text. (and ONLY these books)

The second index book (lets call it index book has a list of all books which do NOT refer to their titles in their passages (and ONLY these books).

Together they should constitute a complete set of books in the library.

The two index books (A and need to be filed too (since they are, themselves, books in the library)

In which index book (A or are the index books indexed?

(ps there isnt a trick to this, you cant say they are indexed in a book outside the library, or that they are indexed on the cover of themselves to get around the way I've phrased this...)

Happy Headwrecking...

DeV

ps: if you know the answer (wink wink) dont post for 24 hrs....

[This message has been edited by DeVore (edited 15-04-99).]

[This message has been edited by DeVore (edited 15-04-99).]

DeVore

They can be indexed separately by the way. They dont have to be indexed in the same book together ...

DeV.

tHE vAGGABOND

I take it that fact that it seems really obvious what the answer is means that its not....

I reckon its 'book B' BTW

regi

Okay... I had the answer in my head (literally) , but now its gone ))

Dan



[This message has been edited by Regi (edited 15-04-99).]

LoLth

DON'T READ ANY MORE IF YOU ARE WORKING ON SOLVING THE PUZZLE.


Thought you were supposed to wait 24 hours, to give everyone a chance to solve it on their own.


Anyway, you're wrong (I think) 'cos if book B is indexed in itself, it HAS to be indexed in A, and after all, Book B ONLY indexes books NOT referenced in themselves. For B to be indexed in B would break this rule.

Personally I don't think there is an answer. But I'm brain dead at the mo' so I'm more than likely wrong. (I'm trying to use Set Theory for this )



Sorry if I've messed it up for others.

---

Don't Piss me off!

I'm running out of places to stash the bodies.

Shinji

Book A is easy - You have to index it in B, because it doesn't contain it's own title. That's just simple logic.

Book B, on the other hand, is a nasty endless recursive loop, which means that there is no right and no wrong answer. You first of all index it in itself, but that index must then be moved to A because it now references itself. However, it now no longer references itself (as the index has moved) and must be moved back to B. Repeat ad infinitum.

Mata ne!
Rob

btw this doesn't count as cheating by disobeying the 24 hour limit, because I never heard this puzzle before...

[This message has been edited by Shinji (edited 15-04-99).]

Slosh

Hokay -

Index Book A references Book B and Index Book B References A&B.

Once all the books are catalogued neither index books are referenced. That means A&B are automatically added to Index B, once thats done B is referenced by itself so it must be added to A.

Am I right ??? Huh, Huh, Huh ??

WhiteWashMan

stick em all on puter

Slosh

Wow all these replies already....

regi

aaah dev you cheatin bastid

Shinji

Yeah, I guess we're all puzzle freaks with _waaaay_ too much time on our hands

El_Presidente

The answer is both books are indexed under "A"

The reason for this is their titles...

You called them "A" and "B" both books MUST contain the letters A nad B at some point and are hence makeing reference to the titles.

Im SO clever somtimes I wish I could be wrong, just for the novelty.

El

adra

which came first......
the chicken or the egg?

Koopa

egg, DUH..

Koopa

unless it was a perverted chicken

Scarab

Bacteria came first which evolved into chickens which laid eggs, so there.

KinDreD

thats it scarab son....jold basteria ....arozobactor and the likes........muahhahaa

OSiriS

Don't talk to me about chickens, I'm still tryin to recover from the last time that th...no....get away...nooo...aaarrgghh.

The Chickens Rule.
Long Live the CKICKENS!!!!!!!

Shinji

Right, I think I've cracked it. This solution actually works, believe it or not. Whether it's the right one or not is immaterial, I'm rather proud of it anyway.

As described in my post about, the books are in a constant state of flux due to the index for Book B constantly moving to and forth between them. As a result, according to the Schrodingers principle, the books exist as a pair of probability waveforms that only resolve themselves when viewed.

As a result, the position of book B's index is entirely dependent on the viewer. Until the books are viewed, the index for book B is in neither book, but is in an indeterminate state of being, as it is in neither book and in both at the same time.

Once viewed, the waveforms resolve themselves, and you have a 50/50 chance of seeing the index in book A or in book B. As soon as you look away, the books probability fields mess up again.

All of which makes life very difficult for librarians, really.

mata ne!
Rob

pox

Book A must in itself contain a reference
to any book containing an index of any
nature, and is then by definition an index
of an index pertaining to the defenition
inferred by the use of the term index,
allusions to the contrary are implied
without reference to the index and indexed
contents of book B which, again by
interpolative definition, contains indexed
entries of books who's textual contents
refer to such topics implied by their
subjects. So in answer to your quesion
devore, it has to be immediately apparent
that in order for any logical and cognitive
order to be maintained, any and all books
who's subject matter pertains directly
and through no inference or other nebulous
or spurious logical connection, to the
subject as briefly laid out, and, we are
assuming, although such assumptions are
intrinsically contrary to such explicit
logical conundrums, but to which we must
accept a moderate degree of inference and
in doing so open ourselves to innumerate
inconsistencies, the nature and extent of
which reach far beyond the realms of
any quandries disclosed in such convivial
and lighthearted joviality, we are therefore
left with the sole forthright conclusion
that in all likelihood both book A and B
are indexed on the reverse side of the
imaginary isdn details sheet that you intend
to furnish the provider of an explanation
that you deem correct.

I shall now go and boil my head.
Thankyou.