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Meaning of unexpected hanging paradox | Babel Free

Noun CEFR C1

Definitions

A paradox about a person's expectations about the timing of a future event which they are told will occur at an unexpected time. It is based on the idea that a prisoner, told that he will be hanged on a day unknown to him, concludes that "I cannot be hanged on Friday because if I haven't been hanged by the end of Thursday then it would no longer be a surprise", and so on backwards through the week.

CEFR level

C1
Advanced
This word is part of the CEFR C1 vocabulary — advanced level.
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