27
$\begingroup$

I'm a European country, can you find me?

I share a border with France
I'm bigger than Belgium
I have red in my flag
I'm smaller than Poland
I'm south of Denmark
I have no cross in my flag
I have direct access to the Atlantic ocean
I have a "R" in my name
I'm not Portugal

And of course, I lied only once.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
5
  • $\begingroup$ Clarification: the North Sea is not considered to be "direct access to the Atlantic Ocean". I know there might be debates about that, but it was not intended as such. $\endgroup$
    – Keelhaul
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:05
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Clarification 2: a country is not considered to share a border with itself, to be bigger or smaller than itself or south of itlsef. $\endgroup$
    – Keelhaul
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:12
  • $\begingroup$ Possible entry for FTC? $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:41
  • $\begingroup$ If you think it's relevant, but this puzzle is not centered on flags, it's just a part of it $\endgroup$
    – Keelhaul
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:52
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Well, the brief only said puzzles which 'use the flags tag' - and (since I retagged it!) your puzzle certainly qualifies that way. If you feel it doesn't revolve around flags 'enough' then that's fine to keep it entirely separate. Your call :) (Just wanted to point out that was the theme for this fortnight in case you hadn't spotted it...) $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:55

6 Answers 6

Reset to default
24
$\begingroup$

You are:

SURINAME in South America!

I share a border with France

Suriname borders French Guiana, an overseas territory of France.
enter image description here

I'm bigger than Belgium
I have red in my flag
I'm smaller than Poland
I'm south of Denmark
I have no cross in my flag

Suriname is bigger than Belgium but smaller than Poland. The flag contains a red central stripe between white and green stripes, with a yellow star (no cross). Being situated only just north of the equator, it is much further south than Denmark.
enter image description here

I have direct access to the Atlantic ocean
I have a "R" in my name
I'm not Portugal

Being on the northern shores of South America, Suriname has direct access to the Atlantic (see the map at the top of this answer again). Its name contains an 'R' and (obviously) it is not Portugal!

So the lie was:

that you were looking for a European country!

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
6
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Nice find, being from Europe I never even considered this. $\endgroup$
    – DeNick
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:15
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Well done! The lie was indeed the very first line :D $\endgroup$
    – Keelhaul
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:16
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks @Keelhaul - a lovely quirk of geography, as its rare to find an rot13(birefrnf greevgbel) with a land border! $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:19
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I have some serious doubts about a country that clearly to the north of a place called "Ecuador" being in the southern hemisphere :-) $\endgroup$
    – Bass
    Commented Dec 19, 2020 at 3:02
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @Bass Oops! That's a silly mistake! Will fix it up, thanks... $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Commented Dec 19, 2020 at 7:17
7
$\begingroup$

You are

the Netherlands

I share a border with France

It does, via the Caribbean island of Saint Martin - the northern half is part of France and the southern half is part of the Netherlands

I'm bigger than Belgium

41,865 sq.km vs Belgium's 30,689 sq.km

I have red in my flag

enter image description here

I'm smaller than Poland

Again, 41,865 sq.km, vs. Poland's 312,696 sq.km

I'm south of Denmark

Lies between latitudes 50N and 54N, Denmark lies lies further north at 58N and 54 33' N (discounting Greenland)

I have no cross in my flag

Nope; refer back to the image under "I have red in my flag"

I have access to the Atlantic Ocean

As per OP's clarifications, this is the lie, as the Netherlands borders the North Sea, not the Atlantic

I have an "R" in my name

Netherlands (not Holland! That's only one province!)

I'm not Portugal

You sure ain't!

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
6
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ This fits pretty well but rot13(Treznal vf qverpgyl fbhgu bs Qraznex naq nyfb svgf nyy ohg bar pyhr) $\endgroup$
    – DeNick
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:03
  • $\begingroup$ Sorry, but I don't consider the North Sea as the same as the Atlantic ocean, I'll add a clarification $\endgroup$
    – Keelhaul
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:03
  • $\begingroup$ Realised there's still a way this country could be considered to meet the terms of the puzzle... one moment, please... $\endgroup$
    – F1Krazy
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:09
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I did not think of Saint Martin, indeed. A bit more of a stretch than the intended answer, but well played nonetheless. If I had a half-checkmark I would award it to you ;) $\endgroup$
    – Keelhaul
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:21
  • $\begingroup$ Does the Netherlands not have direct access to the Atlantic as soon as you take Saint Martin into account?! $\endgroup$
    – Retudin
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 16:30
3
$\begingroup$

I was thinking about

France

Technically this shares borders with France, all borders

The lie would be

I'm smaller than Poland -> France is bigger than Poland

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
4
  • $\begingroup$ But Germany has no access to the Atlantic Ocean ;) $\endgroup$
    – Keelhaul
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:01
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Sorry, I followed the same reasoning as @F1Krazy's answer $\endgroup$
    – DeNick
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:04
  • $\begingroup$ This is it, isn't it? $\endgroup$
    – DeNick
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:09
  • $\begingroup$ Not either, second clarification $\endgroup$
    – Keelhaul
    Commented Dec 18, 2020 at 10:11
2
$\begingroup$

Not as good as the accepted answer, but I thought of

West Germany
The sneaky part is that is is not a country anymore, but only the "I have direct access to the Atlantic ocean" is a lie.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
$\begingroup$

There's also

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Plenty of "R's. Definitely not Portugal.

Shares a border with France:

It's a water border, but still a border. And if you don't like that, consider the one in the Chunnel.

Has direct access to the Atlantic Ocean:

Cornwall, the Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland, and Rockall

Larger than Belgium and smaller than Poland

Belgium: 30,689 km2. UK: 244,820. Poland: 312,696.

South of Denmark:

The southernmost point of Denmark is 54°33´N near Gedser. The southernmost point of the UK are some rocks off the the Isles of Scilly at 49°51´, unless you count Jersey which is 49°8´

Finally the flag:

Union Jack Clearly has red in it, and the lie is the lack of a cross.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
0
$\begingroup$

Alternative answer:

Liberia

The lie being:

Shares a border with France

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Welcome to Puzzling! Could you provide more explanation for how Liberia fits the other clues? As you can see with the other answers, a line-by-line explanation is useful to see how your answer fits. $\endgroup$
    – bobble
    Commented Dec 20, 2020 at 19:29
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Oops, I missed the "I'm a European country"! Sorry. $\endgroup$
    – Mike
    Commented Dec 20, 2020 at 19:36

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.