The town with two barbers

Question

You arrive in a small town that has exactly two barbers, each with his own shop. You visit both. The first barber's shop is spotless and his own hair is immaculately cut. The second barber's shop is untidy and his own hair is a mess. Which barber should you choose, and why?

Accepted Answer

The barber with the messy hair. The inference. A barber cannot cut his own hair well (try it), so in a town with exactly two barbers, each must cut the other's hair. The barber with the immaculate haircut had it cut by the messy-haired barber, so the messy-haired barber is the one who does good work. The barber with the messy hair had it cut by the immaculate one, who is therefore the poor barber. Why the shop is a red herring. Tidiness of the shop is a signal about the barber's habits, not about his skill with scissors, and the puzzle includes it to lure you towards the wrong answer. Also, a…

The town with two barbers

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