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Which Alice?

Which Alice?

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Tweedledum or Tweedledee?<br />

"Now, the next game," said Tweedledum, "is much more interesting!<br />

It also has six rounds. Before each round, we go into the house<br />

where we have another pack of playing cards. These cards are<br />

colored orange and purple, rather than the usual red and black."<br />

"Where did you ever get such cards?" asked <strong>Alice</strong>.<br />

"We made them ourselves," he replied. "We made them specially<br />

for this occasion."<br />

<strong>Alice</strong> thought it quite touching that they went to so much trouble<br />

for the sake of one occasion.<br />

"Besides, they're very pretty cards, and they were fun to make,"<br />

he added.<br />

"Now," he continued, "one or both of us will come out of the<br />

house, and he (we) will make statements. Then you are to figure out<br />

who is who."<br />

"Just a minute," said <strong>Alice</strong>, "you have not told me the significance<br />

of the colors orange and purple. Does one of them signify lying and<br />

the other truth-telling? And if so, which color means which?"<br />

"Ah, that's the most interesting part of the game!" said<br />

Tweedledum. "You see, when I carry an orange card, it means<br />

that I am telling the truth, and when I carry a purple card, it means<br />

I am lying!"<br />

"Contrariwise," said Tweedledee, "when I carry an orange card, it<br />

means I am lying, and when I carry a purple card, it means I am<br />

telling the truth!"<br />

"Oh, that sounds very complicated!" remarked <strong>Alice</strong>.<br />

"Not really," said Tweedledum, "not when you get used to it.<br />

Shall we try?"<br />

"Ye-es," said <strong>Alice</strong>, a bit doubtfully.<br />

ROUND ONE Both brothers went into the house. Shortly<br />

after, just one emerged and said, "My card is purple."<br />

<strong>Alice</strong> had less trouble solving this than she had anticipated. Who<br />

was the speaker?<br />

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