Recycled Monty Hall Puzzler... Again

Okay, it is finally time for the new puzzler... But it is not a new puzzler. This is the recycled puzzler. In fact, since we gave everyone an extra week, this is the recycled, recycled puzzler. This one was extended by a week, due to the holiday and the amount of interest we have had in this very popular puzzler.

Here's a recap.

The famous Monty Hall, "Let's Make a Deal" Puzzler.

Monty Hall would present people with 3 doors. You get to pick door #1, door #2, or door #3. One of the doors had a wonderful prize behind it, like a car or a vacation or something. The other two had crummy prizes.

So, when you picked a door, you had a 1 in 3 chance of getting the great prize and a 2 in 3 chance of winning a crummy prize. A life supply of scotch tape, or 600 boxes of eskimo pies or something like that.

And here is the puzzle.

Monty Hall says, "Pick a door." And so you pick door #1. And he asks if you'd like to switch now. And you say no, because it wouldn't matter. Your chances are still 1 in 3, no matter what, at this point.

Then he says, "I'm going to show you one of the two doors that you did not pick." So he shows you what is behind door #2. And it is a crummy prize. All eskimo pies.

Then Monty says, "You picked door #1, but you don't know what's behind it. I've shown you what's behind door #2, and it is eskimo pies for days... Would you like to switch to door #3?"

So this is the puzzler that is worth two weeks of responses. Because now that you know what is behind door #2, your chances are better than 1 in 3. So, do you stay where you are, with door #1, or do you take the chance and switch to door #3?

What do you do, and why?

Answer the Puzzler »

Remember last week's puzzler?

Stolen Puzzler

The puzzler today is a recycled puzzler. My brother always said that this was the best puzzler we have. It's a good one, but I don't know that I agree that it's the best... Might have to run a contest at some point, to see which one is actually the best. But anyway! This one is pretty great.

This puzzler has been stolen from us a number of times because it is so good. But that's okay because we stole it, to begin with.

Okay, here you go.

Many years ago on television, back in the '60s and '70s, there was a show called, "Let's Make a Deal." The original. The host was a fellow named Monty Hall. And his assistant was the lovely Carol Merrill.

The show consisted of people trying to win prizes, and they would do so by picking one of three doors. The doors were closed. And Monty would come and offer you money, and then he'd say, "Would you like to switch the money for one of the doors? You can pick a door."

Then you'd pick door #1. Then he would ask you, "If I give you more money, would you like to switch and take door #2, or door #3?"

So everyone knows that there was only one prize, behind one of the doors. And not knowing what is behind any of the doors, your chances of winning a prize were 1 in 3. There is always one good prize behind one door, and the other doors had a bunch of Eskimo pies or twinkies or something. There was one great prize and two crummy prizes. Your chances were always 1 in 3.

So, you'd pick a door. And Monty would say, "Do you want what you've picked, or would you want to pick something behind one of the other doors?" And everyone knows your chances of winning don't really change at that point. A chance of 1 in 3, is 1 in 3. It's pretty good odds.

Then, Monty would say, "How about if I show you what is behind door #2?" So he does that. And it turns out, behind door #2 are the 600 boxes of Eskimo pies.

And then Monty says, "Would you now like to switch doors?"

And that is the question. Would you switch at this point? You chose door #1 to begin with. But you don't know what is behind door #1. Then, he shows you door #2, a bunch of yummy but worthless Eskimo pies. And he asks you if you want to switch to door #3.

Would you switch at this point? Should you switch from door #1 to door #3, or not?

As a side note, this puzzler is always very controversial. A lot of heated debates have popped up about this one.

We look forward to your answers!