The next day...

A guy is sentenced to be executed. The judge says "You will be executed some time during the next 7 days. The day you are to die your Executioner will arrive, completely unexpected, and will announce that you will die that day."
The guy's lawyer tells him he's safe, since:
* The Executioner can't turn up on day 7, since the Executioner would be expected (it's supposed to be unexpected)
* Likewise the Executioner can't turn up on day 6, since he can’t turn up on day 7 and therefore he'd be expected on day 6.
* So on, eliminating each day.
Therefore he won't die.
Except that the Executioner turned up on day 4, completely unexpected, and announced his execution.
Please explain

(For some reason this reminds me of the "$25 pizza that costs $27" problem from a while back)

listen to the judge not the lawyer?

Originally posted by David O'Meara:
* The Executioner can't turn up on day 7, since the Executioner would be expected (it's supposed to be unexpected)

I am not understanding the above sentence.is this really a puzzle or some verbal trick?

it seems that the executioner could appear on any of the first 4 days and be unexpected.

7th day - cannot appear because that is the last possibility

6th day - cannot appear because it would be expected since day 7 is out

5th day - cannot appear becuase it would be expected since days 6 and 7 are out

4th day - CAN appear because he could still appear on the 5th day (which is not completely out because days 6 and 7 follow)

1st - 3rd days - CAN appear because they would all be unexpected

[ July 01, 2003: Message edited by: Greg Harris ]

Originally posted by Capablanca Kepler:
I am not understanding the above sentence.is this really a puzzle or some verbal trick?

Possibly just poorly explained.

I threw the description together from something I partially remembered a while ago.

no, he can appear on day 5.
on day 5 he could turn up today, or tommorow. you are only sure he won't appear on day 7.

> no, he can appear on day 5
true, he can appear on day 5... but only if it is day 4. if he does not appear on day 4, then he has to appear on day 5 because he cannot appear on day 7 and therefore cannot appear on day 6 - which forces him to appear on day 5.
so, the only way he can appear on day 5 is if it is only day 4 and he has not appeared yet. in that case, you do not know if he will appear on day 5 or 6. but, we know that he cannot appear on day 6, and therefore must appear on day 5... which means that he cannot appear on day 5 - unless it is day 4.

true, he can appear on day 5... but only if it is day 4. if he does not appear on day 4, then he has to appear on day 5 because he cannot appear on day 7 and therefore cannot appear on day 6 - which forces him to appear on day 5.
so, the only way he can appear on day 5 is if it is only day 4 and he has not appeared yet. in that case, you do not know if he will appear on day 5 or 6. but, we know that he cannot appear on day 6, and therefore must appear on day 5... which means that he cannot appear on day 5 - unless it is day 4.

LOL

Originally posted by David O'Meara:
Therefore he won't die.
Except that the Executioner turned up on day 4, completely unexpected, and announced his execution.
Please explain

The judge knows that the lawyer will figure this out, and explain it to the prisoner. Therefore, the prisoner will expect to never see the executioner. Hence, the executioner can show up *any* day, completely unexpected, and announce the execution. QED.

Send him to Texas, the judge won't give him 7 days here.