I'm not sure that "critical thinking" and "logical thinking" are quite the same thing. This problem, while fun, requires logical thinking.

Critical thinking might involve (for example) wondering who is claiming that two of the boxes are lying and one is telling the truth, and why.

But I agree with you overall; we do need more of both tyoes of thinking. :)
-- OneTahiti

Let's see who else will post the answer in the comments?

But Critical thinking has several orders. The answer is only the first order and your question would involve the second or third, depending on how you look at it. For the purposes of developing a critical thinking mentality, the question should serve as it is. I think it's the scientific method applied to life that we're trying to develop.

Only one statement can be true, so the gold is in either box 1 or box 2. If it were in box 2, statement 1 and statement 3 would be true, so the gold is in box 1.

And OneT, to answer your questions...It is I who states (not claims) that only one statement is true. I did so to try to get folks to think.

Not only that, but there is actually no gold whatsoever in any of these mythical boxes...I lied, just like all the teachers who write text books and make up word problems.

;>)

Now...This one is a bit trickier:

A Race track is one mile long, if a driver goes around once at 30 miles per hour, how fast must he drive in the second lap to average sixty miles per hour over both laps?

Well WC,

Because you pre-empted the question with a reference to the "political season" and "politics", I just assumed no statements were true, all three boxes had lied, and all three boxes had gold...hee.

But seriously, I also figured Box 1. It's more a process of elimination. But maybe it is hard for people to imagine the gold would be in a box that lied when emotions interfere.