Camino de Santiago -- Part 14

On September 17, 2024, I found myself on day 15 of my Camino journey, just one day away from my final destination. With only about 60 miles remaining to reach Santiago, I could have easily completed the last stretch in a single day. Nevertheless, I wasn’t anxious to finish. In fact, I felt a bit melancholic knowing my adventure was nearing its conclusion, which made me eager to extend it by another day. Therefore, I set out with the intention of reaching Arzúa.

The trek to Arzúa was characterized by its flat terrain and swift pace. I remember it as mostly gentle hills that weren’t excessively steep. I chose back roads, which meant I didn't encounter many fellow Pilgrims. The ride was pleasant, albeit lacking any significant events. Sometimes, no news is indeed good news.

I reached Arzúa in the early afternoon and successfully secured a room at my second choice for Albergue, named Albergue del Peregrino. In Spanish, 'Peregrino' translates to 'pilgrim'. To pass the time, I took advantage of the Albergue's laundry facilities, washing and drying my clothes. Once that was done, I treated myself to a long solitary dinner and participated in a mass for pilgrims.

Unfortunately, I didn't engage with anyone that particular day. As I shared in part 13 of my story, many pilgrims, particularly those from America, initiated their journey from Sarria, which is just over 100 kilometers away from Santiago, the minimum distance needed to receive a certificate. I could sense that Arzúa was filled with pilgrims who appeared to already have formed their own little groups.

It’s worth mentioning that I received a message from a friend in Vegas, who was walking the Portuguese Camino, informing me about raging wildfires in Portugal. This situation forced many pilgrims along that route to make changes to their plans, with some likely moving ahead to avoid the smoke. I came across a headline in La Voz de Galacia that read, 'Horror y caosen Portugal con más de 200 incendios,' which straightforwardly translates to English.

After the mass, I meandered around, enjoyed a few drinks, and decided to call it an early night. While this chapter in my story may be brief, day 15 was arguably the least eventful of my entire trip.

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Puzzle from Jan. 30, 2025

A king seeks to marry off his daughter, and three suitors have come forward: a logician, a politician, and a lawyer. The king has the option to ask any two of these suitors a yes or no question. The logician is known for always telling the truth, the politician for always lying, and the lawyer for his random answers. All three men know each other, but the king’s only concern is to steer clear of choosing the lawyer for his daughter. What question would be most effective for him to ask the two suitors?

Solution

This puzzle is quite challenging. The crucial part of finding a solution is to involve all three suitors even though you can only ask two of them a question. One approach is to indicate one of them and ask the other two, 'Is he the logician?' Let’s dissect what the outcomes would be.

If you point to the logician, the politician will lie and respond with 'no.' The lawyer, on the other hand, could either answer 'yes' or 'no.'

If you point to the politician, the logician will truthfully say 'no.' Again, the lawyer might respond with either 'yes' or 'no.'

If you point to the lawyer, the politician will again lie and say 'yes,' while the logician will correctly say 'no.'

Notice that if you receive two 'no' answers, then you must be pointing to either the politician or the logician. You can choose the individual you were pointing to, as your goal is merely to avoid selecting the lawyer.

If you hear one 'no' and one 'yes', then the 'no' must be from either the politician or logician, while the 'yes' could come from either the lawyer or the politician. In this scenario, opt for the individual who answered 'no.' Although you won’t know whether this person is the politician or the logician, you will have successfully bypassed the troublesome lawyer.

An alternative solution would still allow you to point to anyone and ask, 'Is he the politician?' The strategy that follows, based on their responses, would remain the same.

Puzzle for Feb 6, 2025

You have two sand timers, one that measures 7 minutes and another that measures 11 minutes. The king wishes to prepare a perfect 15-minute egg. How can this be accomplished?