A “curious paradox” presented by Raymond Smullyan at the first Gathering for Gardner: Consider two positive integers, x and y. One is twice as great as the other, but we’re not told which is which.

• If x is greater than y, then x = 2y and the excess of x over y is equal to y. On the other hand, if y is greater than x, then x = 0.5y and the excess of y over x is y – 0.5y = 0.5y. Since y is greater than 0.5y, then we can say generally that the excess of x over y, if x is greater than y, is greater than the excess of y over x, if y is greater than x.
• Let d be the difference between x and y. This is the same as saying that it’s equal to the lesser of the two. Generally, then, the excess of x over y, if x is greater than y, is equal to the excess of y over x, if y is greater than x.

The two conclusions contradict one another, so something is amiss. But what?