Solution to old riddle?

A

ArcticEidolon

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I could probably get it if I thought it out, but I don't even really remember the premise that well.

Anyhow, two requests:
1. Can somebody please give me a detailed version of it.
2. What is the solution supposed to be?

The riddle in question involves a Truth teller and a liar. Something to do with a fork in the road or a gate and you need to ask only one question to determine who's who. What do you say?
 
Q
you are walking through the forest and come to a fork in the path. you know that one of the 'forks' leads to happiness and riches, and the other leads to eternal despair. you do not know which is which-the paths look the same, so you have no clues to go on
the fork is guarded by 2 identical gnomes. you know that one gnome always lies, and the other always tells the truth. you do not know which is which. you also know that both gnomes know which path is good and which path is bad
you are allowed to ask 1 gnome 1 question, and then you must chose a path to go on. once you choose that path, there is no turning back...
what is the question that you ask?
.............................................................................................................................................
A : go up to one of the gnomes and say "If I ask the other gnome which path leads to happiness, what will he tell me?"
then you go the opposite way

explanation: you do not know which gnome you are talking to, but it doesnt matter
if you ask the truth telling gnome, then the 'other' gnome is a liar. the other gnome would tell you that the 'bad' path led to happiness because he is a liar. the other gnome (the one you are asking) knows this and will truthfully tell you so. now you know which path is bad, and you take the other path

if you are talking to the liar gnome, then he knows that the other gnome would point you to the good path. he will lie and say that the other gnome will point you down the bad path. again, you now know which path is bad, and take the opposite one
 
Here's something similar to what you're asking:

You are walking down a path when you come to two doors. Opening one of the doors will lead you to a life of prosperity and happiness, while opening the other door will lead to a life of misery and sorrow. You don't know which door leads to which life.
In front of the doors are two twin brothers who know which door leads where. One of the brothers always lies, and the other always tells the truth. You don't know which brother is the liar and which is the truth-teller.
You are allowed to ask one single question to one of the brothers (not both) to figure out which door to open.
What question should you ask?

Answer: ask which road the other one would say to take.

The truth teller would say the liar would say the death road and the liar will say that the truth teller will say the death road too. So you take the road which neither said.
 
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