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James K. Polk Trivia

This week we pay tribute to 11th president of the United States, James K. Polk. He served one full term from 1845 to 1849. As usual, we salute him with a trivia challenge. However, before we get to that, I present our weekly logic puzzle.

James_K
Image source: Wikipedia

Logic Puzzle

You are alone with two chests. One chest will open if you make a true statement. The other will open if you make a false statement. You do not know which chest is which. Inside one chest are many gold bars. Inside the other is a poison gas. You may make one true/false statement. If you make a paradoxical statement, only the chest with the poison gas will open. What statement should you make?

James K Polk Trivia

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Image source: Smithsonian
  1. • Polk was the only person to serve both as Speaker of the House of Representatives and President.
  2. • Polk was the youngest person to be elected president, at 49, up to that time.
  3. • Polk and his wife, Sarah Polk, are the only presidential couple to not have children.
  4. • Dancing, card games, and hard liquor were banned from the White House, per the wishes of first lady Sarah Polk.
  5. • Polk had the shortest retirement after leaving office at just three months.
  6. • After Polk’s death, his wife lived another 42 years, making her the longest-widowed First Lady.
  7. • Polk owned slaves his entire adult life. During his presidency, he purchased 19 more in addition to 26 he already owned.
  8. • The first surviving photo of a president in office is of Polk. One was taken of William Henry Harrison, but remains lost.
  9. • More land was added to the United States under Polk than any other president. Under his presidency the US added all or parts of Texas, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
  10. • Polk’s body has been buried three times.
 

Logic Puzzle Answer

I’m sure there are many possible answers, the shortest and simplest I’m aware of is “The poisonous gas is in the false chest.”