Riddle - "the Death Sentence"

[AltumAngel]

Three prisoners were given the death sentence, and were due to be executed today. The king, who happens to be very bored that day, wanted to play a little game with the three prisoners. So he brought them to the mountain.

The cliff is somewhat like a flight of stairs, and looking down, it is the sea. You would most likely die if you fall from there.

The king placed the three prisoners on each step, so the one on the highest step can see the other two, the middle one can see the lowest guy, and the last person overlooks the sea. (If you have problems visualizing, imagine yourself standing on the staircase).

The king has four small cloths on hand; two black, and two white. He then place one squared cloth on top of each of their head. The remaining fourth cloth kept away. The prisoners do not know what is the color of the cloth placed on their head, and they are not allowed to move an inch nor talk to one another. Do note, however, that the top guy can see the cloth on the middle and lowest guy, and the middle guy can only see the cloth on the lowest guy. The last guy, of course, cannot see any of them.

The king said to them, "I will give you THREE minutes. If ANY ONE of you is able to guess correctly the color of your own cloth (which is on top of your head), ALL of you will be set free. If, however, any one of you guessed wrongly at any point, or the time is up, all three of you will jump down from here, and that will complete your death sentence."

Eventually, the three of them were set free. The question is, Who guessed it correctly, and why?

[Kalavo]

Two possible solutions....

The first is the guy at the top who is able to see the other two would call out if he is able to see two black cloths or two white cloths, knowing that with two of the one colour gone, he must have the other colour on his head...

...if this didn't happen then the second solution must have happened...

...the middle guy not hearing the guy on the top step calling out, would know that the cloth on his head would be of opposite colour to the guy in front of him.

[zzdocxx]

Hey Kalavo that is pretty darn smart!

[AltumAngel]

The king is not so stupid to put the same color on the middle and lowest guy, allowing the top guy to answer without hesitation. so, he put different colors on the middle and lowest guy.

the middle guy is smart enough to realize that the top guy is not answering, and since this is the case, the former was able to deduce that he must have a different color with the lowest guy.

if the lowest guy has a white cloth, then obvious, he has the black. and vice versa.

the answer then will be: THE MIDDLE GUY.

[zzdocxx]

Yes but maybe the king realizes that um never mind. . .