THE RIDDLE: 100 prisoners in solitary cells. There's a central living room with one light bulb; the bulb is initially off. No prisoner can see the light bulb from his or her own cell. Everyday, the warden picks a prisoner at random, and that prisoner goes to the central living room. While there, the prisoner can toggle the bulb if he or she wishes. Also, the prisoner has the option of asserting the claim that all 100 prisoners have been to the living room. If this assertion is false (that is, some prisoners still haven't been to the living room), all 100 prisoners will be shot for their stupidity. However, if it is indeed true, all prisoners are set free. Thus, the assertion should only be made if the prisoner is 100% certain of its validity. The prisoners are allowed to get together one night, to discuss a plan. What plan should they agree on, so that eventually, someone will make a correct assertion? This is a gorgeous riddle. THE SUN-COMPREHENDING LASS: I caught self-consciousness from Erica MacArthur, you know. Andrew Churchman would approve. THE NERVE.COM PERSONAL AD: Goes like this - "Because I'll be the private-school eye-candy that you think you want. Because I'll tell you pretty lies, and refuse to slow-dance. Later on, we'll have realised that it was never going to work, but the letters we'll send will embarass your future boyfriends." No-one replies. THE QUOTE: "Yeah. Yeah, that. It's quite saucy! Superb..." - Ken Chu, asleep on Marianna's sofa. THE BIG IDEA: August 10th - Official Boy G leaving picnic. 2pm, Primrose Hill or Spread Eagle if raining. Bring presents, the answer to the riddle, or just bring yourselves, yo. Strange Fruit will follow, the beginning of everything else. August 11th - All new Archel-confirmed rearranged Brighton shebang! It's a one-day festival of piers, poets and pebble beaches. You really ought to go. August 13th - G flees from shame of humiliating picnic behaviour, gets on plane. Arrives Charlotte, meets the Llew, collapses and dies at tragically young age having acheived all remaining ambitions. THE BLOG: Will not be linked here. I have my pride. +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail sinister@missprint.org. To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to majordomo@missprint.org. WWW: http://www.missprint.org/sinister +-+ "sinsietr is a bit freaky" - stuart david, looper +-+ +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "peculiarly deranged fanbase" +-+ +-+ "pasty-faced vegan geeks... and we LOST!" - NME April 2000 +-+ +-+ "frighteningly named Sinister List organisation" - NME May 2000 +-+ +-+ "sick posse of f**ked in the head psycho-fans" - NME June 2001 +-+ +-+ Nee, nee mun pish, chan pai dee kwa +-+ +-+ Snipp snapp snut, sa var sagan slut! +-+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+