Solve the Monty Hall Problem with simple math—if its psychology doesn’t trip you up
Monty Hall hosted about 4,500 episodes of the TV game show Let's Make a Deal over two decades. (Brian Klutch/)We know you are bored at home right now—we are too. Here are some puzzles and brainteasers to challenge your family and friends with, either in person or over video chat. From the 1960s to the ’80s, Monty Hall, host of Let’s Make a Deal, presented this puzzle: Players had to choose among three doors. Two hid a gag gift (like a goat); the third, a prize (say, a car). Simple, but the game preys on how we handle predictions and outcomes.After the contestant chooses a door—say, door one—the all-knowing host would often open a remaining door. Say he picks two: a goat. Then he asks: Would you like to switch?What most folks don’t realize is that Hall’s meddling swayed the odds: You now have a better chance of victory...