The Merchant’s Debt
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A merchant owed money to a moneylender, but he couldn’t repay it. The moneylender proposed a deal in front of the merchant’s daughter. He would forgive the debt if he could marry her. He put two pebbles in a bag, one black and one white. If she picked the white one, she would be free from the debt; if black, she would marry him. But the moneylender put two black pebbles in the bag.
How did the merchant’s daughter outsmart the moneylender? 
She took one of the pebbles and threw it away WITHOUT revealing what colour it was. The remaining pebble was obviously black. As per the promise by the lender, he was supposed to put one white and one black pebble in the bag. Being so, AND as the pebble that remained in the bag was black, it must imply that the pebble that the girl picked was white, forcing the lender to forego the money. (Otherwise, he will have to admit to cheating, which he can’t afford.)
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