Life is a Test: A Series of Pony Logic Puzzles

by Brony_of_Brody

The Answer 10

On the evening of the eightieth day, all the stallions got banished to Tartarus.

Let's simplify the situation to explain what's going on. If there was only one couple in the village and Flim and Flam leaked the secret, the mare knows by default it's her husband that they're talking about and thus banish them that day.

In the event there are two couples, Flim and Flam's leak surprises neither mare, as they both think that they are referring to the other wife's husband (they don't know their own is an offender too, remember). They both conclude that the other will work out their husband deals with Flim and Flam and banish him, since they needn't worry about their own. But a day passes...and nothing happens. And THIS is where it gets interesting.

Both mares then conclude the only reason that the other did nothing is because they know of at least one other lawbreaker in the village. And since the only possible candidate left is their own husband, both mares conclude that both their husbands are guilty and send them to Tartarus.

What if there were THREE couples? Well, as before, nothing happens on the first day as expected, but a second day passes and nothing happens either. All three mares originally thought the other mares only knew one offender each, so they expected banishments on the second day, but the lack of action on the second night means that they actually know more than two errant husbands. That therefore means there must be three villains total and thus on the third evening, the husbands are banished.

Continuing this train of logic, in the event of each wife knowing seventy-nine errant husbands, they expect banishments galore on the seventy-ninth day. But when that day passes without incident, to their dismay, they realise that all the stallions, including their husband, are sinners. And so, law abiding as they are, on the eightieth night all eighty stallions are sent for an appointment with Cerberus.

Comments

[Ri2]

Called it.

[Coyotek4]

[Andy Ray]

Um... I think, I didn't get it, when I first tried to solve it... Oh, well.