The Spotting Contest

During a recent plane and train spotting contest, five eager entrants were lined up ready to be tested on their spotting ability. 

They had each spotted a number of planes (26, 86, 123, 174, 250) and a number of trains (5, 42, 45, 98, 105). From the clues below, can you determine what colour shirt each was wearing, their position, their age (21, 23, 31, 36, 40) and the number of trains and planes spotted?

1. Bob spotted 44 less trains than planes. 

2. Tom was 36 years old. 

3. The person on the far right was 8 years younger than Bob, and spotted 174 planes. 

4. Josh was wearing a yellow shirt and spotted 37 trains fewer than Bob. 

5. The person who was wearing a green shirt, was 19 years younger than the person to his left. 

6. Steven spotted 105 trains and 250 planes.

7. The person in the center was 31 years old, was wearing a blue shirt and spotted 42 trains.

8. Doug, who was on the far left, spotted 26 planes, and spotted 72 trains more than planes. 

9. The person who was wearing a red shirt was 4 years older than Tom and was not next to the person wearing a blue shirt. 

10.The person who was next to the 31 year old, but not next to the person who spotted 26 planes, was wearing a orange shirt, and spotted 45 trains. 

Here are final STATS of the contest! 

Final Stats of The Spotting Contest

What was the contest?

Five participants having ages (21, 23, 31, 36, 40) had each spotted a number of planes (26, 86, 123, 174, 250) and a number of trains (5, 42, 45, 98, 105). 

Below are the clues given - 


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1. Bob spotted 44 less trains than planes. 

2. Tom was 36 years old. 

3. The person on the far right was 8 years younger than Bob, and spotted 174 planes. 

4. Josh was wearing a yellow shirt and spotted 37 trains fewer than Bob. 

5. The person who was wearing a green shirt, was 19 years younger than the person to his left. 

6. Steven spotted 105 trains and 250 planes. 

7. The person in the center was 31 years old, was wearing a blue shirt and spotted 42 trains. 

8. Doug, who was on the far left, spotted 26 planes, and spotted 72 trains more than planes. 

9. The person who was wearing a red shirt was 4 years older than Tom and was not next to the person wearing a blue shirt. 

10. The person who was next to the 31 year old, but not next to the person who spotted 26 planes, was wearing a orange shirt, and spotted 45 trains. 

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STEPS : 

Let's make at table like below and fill the data one by one.

 
STEP 1 : 

As per (3), the person on the far right that is at position 5 had spotted 174 planes & he must be 23 years old so that Bob aged 31 years (only pair of ages having 8 years difference.

 
STEP 2 : 

As per (7), the person at position 3 who is wearing blue shirt and is 31 year old. He has spotted 42 trains.

STEP 3 : 

For (5) to be true, the ages of those participants occupying consecutive positions must be 40 and 21 respectively. Only, positions lefts for (5) to be true are 1 & 2.

STEP 4 : 

And as per (8), the person at position 1 must be Dough who spotted 26 planes and spotted 72  trains more than planes i.e. 26 + 72 = 98 trains.

STEP 5 : 

As per (10), the person at position 4 must be wearing orange shirt and must have spotted 45 trains. His age must be 36 years (only number in ages list left).

STEP 6 :

As per (9) suggests, Tom must be 36 years old positioned at 4 and Dough must be the person wearing red shirt. With that, Josh in (4) must be wearing yellow shirt and positioned at no.5. 

STEP 7 : 

The hint (4), also suggests that Josh must had spotted 5 trains out of 42-5 possible spotted trains pair shared with Bob. Hence, the person at 2nd position must had spotted 105 trains (only number left in list of number of trains spotted).
 

STEP 8 : 

As per (3), the person having age 31 must be Bob. Hence, at no.2, Steven must be there. 

STEP 9 : 

As per (6), Steven have spotted 250 planes. As per (1), Bob must have spotted 42 + 44 = 86 planes. And the only number left as number of planes spotted for Tom is 123.

STEP 10 :

Final Stats look like as - 

Crossing The Stone Bridge : Puzzle

Three people, Ann, Ben and Jen want to cross a river from left bank to right bank. Another three people, Tim, Jim and Kim want to cross the same river from right bank to left bank.

However, there is no boat but only 1 stone bridge consisting of just 7 big stones(not tied to each other), each of which can hold only 1 person at a time. All these people have a limited jumping capacity, so that they can only jump to the stone immediately next to them if it is empty.
 
Now, all of these people are quite arrogant and so will never turn back once they have begun their journey. That is, they can only move forward in the direction of their destination. They are also quite selfish and will not help anybody traveling in the same direction as themselves.

But they are also practical and know that they will not be able to cross without helping each other. Each of them is willing to help a person coming from opposite direction so that they can get a path for their own journey ahead. With this help, a person can jump two stones at a time, such that if, say, Ann and Tim are occupying two adjacent stones and the stone next to Tim on the other side is empty, then Tim will help Ann in directly jumping to that stone, and vice versa.

Now initially the 6 people are lined up on the 7 stones from left to right as follows:

Ann Ben Jen emp Tim Jim Kim
(where emp stands for empty stone).

Your job is to find how they will cross over the stones such that they are finally lined up as follows:

Tim Jim Kim emp Ann Ben Jen

Now, find out the shortest step-wise procedure, assuming that Tim moves first.

THIS is the shortest way! 

Crossing The Stone Bridge Puzzle : Solution

What was the puzzle?

Initially the 6 people are lined up on the 7 stones from left to right as follows:
Ann Ben Jen EMP Tim Jim Kim
(where EMP stands for empty stone).

Step 1: Tim jumps to occupy the empty stone.

Ann Ben Jen Tim EMP Jim Kim

Step 2: Tim helps Jen in occupying the newly emptied stone between him and Jim. 

Ann Ben EMP Tim Jen Jim Kim
 
Step 3: Ben occupies the stone emptied by Jen.

Ann EMP Ben Tim Jen Jim Kim

Step 4: Ben helps Tim in occupying the newly emptied stone. 

Ann Tim Ben EMP Jen Jim Kim

Step 5: Jen helps Jim in occupying the empty stone. 

Ann Tim Ben Jim Jen EMP Kim

Step 6: Kim occupies the stone emptied by Jim. 

Ann Tim Ben Jim Jen Kim EMP

Step 7: Kim helps Jen in occupying the stone vacated by her. 

Ann Tim Ben Jim EMP Kim Jen
  
Step 8: Jim helps Ben in occupying the stone vacated by Jen. 

Ann Tim EMP Jim Ben Kim Jen

Step 9: Tim helps Ann in occupying the empty stone.

EMP Tim Ann Jim Ben Kim Jen

Step 10: Tim jumps to the stone emptied by Ann.

Tim EMP Ann Jim Ben Kim Jen

Step 11: Ann helps Jim in occupying the stone vacated by Tim.

Tim Jim Ann EMP Ben Kim Jen

Step 12: Ben helps Kim in occupying the stone vacated by Jim. 

Tim Jim Ann Kim Ben EMP Jen

Step 13: Ben occupies the empty stone.

Tim Jim Ann Kim EMP Ben Jen

Step 14: Kim helps Ann in occupying the stone emptied by Ben. 

Tim Jim EMP Kim Ann Ben Jen

Step 15: Kim jumps to the stone emptied by Ann.

Tim Jim Kim EMP Ann Ben Jen

This is exactly what we wanted!

 

Story of Four High School Friends

Four high school friends, one named Cathy, were about to go to college. Their last names were Williams, Burbank, Collins, and Gunderson. Each enrolled in a different college, one of them being a state college. 

From the clues below determine each person's full name, and the college he or she attended.

1. No student's first name begins with the first letter as her or his last name, and no students first name's last letter is the same as his last name's last letter.

2. Neither Hank or Williams went to the community college.

3. Alan, Collins, and the student who went to the university all lived on the same street. The other student lived two blocks away.

4. Gladys and Hank lived next door to each other.

5. The private college accepted Hank's application, but he decided he could not afford to go there.

Here is ANALYSIS of the story! 

Analysing The Story of Four High School Friends

What was the story?

GIVEN DATA : 

First Name : Hank, Gladys, Cathy, Alan 
Last Name : Collins, Burbank, Gunderson, Williams 
College       :  State College, University, Community College, Private College 

HINTS : 

1. No student's first name begins with the first letter as her or his last name, and no students first name's last letter is the same as his last name's last letter.

2. Neither Hank or Williams went to the community college.

3. Alan, Collins, and the student who went to the university all lived on the same street. The other student lived two blocks away.

4. Gladys and Hank lived next door to each other.

5. The private college accepted Hank's application, but he decided he could not afford to go there.   

STEPS :  

1] Let's make a table like below and fill it as per hints.

  
2] As per Hint (3), we have, Alan, Collins and student going to the university as 3 different students.

3] As per (1), Collins can't be Cathy & as per (4), Cathy can't be at no.3 as in that case no blocks will be left for (4) to be true. Hence Cathy must be at no.4.

4] As per (2), Hank and Williams are two different students. And as per (4), Gladys and Hank must be at 2 & 3 (and anyhow these are only blocks left for them) but order yet to be known. So, Williams is certainly not at 3 or 2. And as per (1), Gladys can't be Gunderson or Collins or Williams & Hank can't be Burbank.  Therefore, Hank must be Collins at 2 and Gladys must be Burbank at 3.

5] Now, as per (1), Alan can't be Gunderson hence must be Williams and Cathy must be Gunderson. 

6] As per (2), neither Hank nor Williams went to community college, hence Cathy Gunderson must be. And as per (5), Hank didn't choose private college hence must have chosen state college while Alan Williams must be in private college.

7] Therefore, the final table looks like as below.

 

Who is the President of Logitopia?

Larry, Matt, and Nick live in the strange country of Logitopia. 

This country is inhabited by three races of people: the type A people who always tell the truth, the type B people who always lie, and the type C people who alternately tell the truth and lie. One of the three is the president of Logitopia.

Larry makes these two statements:

1. "The president is of a different race from the other two."
2. "Matt is not the president."

Matt makes these two statements:

1. "The president is a type B person."
2. "Larry is not the president."

Nick makes these two statements:

1. "Exactly two of us are of the same race."
2. "I am not the president."

Who is the president?

Know the NAME of the President!
 

Larry is the President of Logitopia

What was the puzzle?

First thing to note that it's not mentioned any where that three people are three different types; there may be 2 who are the same type.

Let's have a look at the statements made by 3.

Larry makes these two statements:

1. "The president is of a different race from the other two."
2. "Matt is not the president."

Matt makes these two statements:

1. "The president is a type B person."
2. "Larry is not the president."

Nick makes these two statements:

1. "Exactly two of us are of the same race."
2. "I am not the president."
  
We'll refer Larry's statements as L1 & L2, Matt's as M1 & M2 and those of Nick's as N1 & N2.

ANALYSIS : 

1] Suppose Matt's first statement M1 is TRUE. So, he is not a TYPE B person for sure & hence not the president. Therefore, L2 must be TRUE making sure Larry is not TYPE B person nor a president. So, Nick must be the president & TYPE B person whose both statements are FALSE. Since, N1 is turning out to be FALSE, neither Matt nor Larry can be TYPE B or both of them can't be of the same type i.e. TYPE A or TYPE C. 

However, since M2 turns out to be TRUE, Matt must be TYPE A person and hence leaving Larry as a TYPE C person. In that case, since L2 is TRUE, L1 must be FALSE. But in the case the president (TYPE B) is really different from the other two (TYPE A and TYPE C) making L1 TRUE. So, the assumption that M1 is TRUE goes wrong here in the case.

2] Now, let's suppose that Matt himself is the president. Then, L2 must be FALSE and M2, N2 would be TRUE. Since, M2 is TRUE, Matt (the president) can't be TYPE B & we know M1 is FALSE,  Matt must be TYPE C person & president.

Anyhow, Larry's first statement L1 can't be TRUE as in that case, he too will be TYPE C person as president Matt which is against the statement L1 itself. Since, his other statement L2 is FALSE, he must be TYPE B person.

Now, with N2 to be TRUE, if N1 is assumed to be TRUE then Nick would be TYPE A person. So, all three would belong to 3 different races which contradicts statement N1 itself. Hence, N1 must be FALSE. 

And if N1 FALSE and N2 TRUE, Nick would be TYPE C person as president Matt while Larry being TYPE B person. But this makes statement N1 TRUE which again contradicts our conclusion above. 

Therefore, Matt too can't be the president.

3] Suppose Nick is the president. That would make N2 FALSE and L2, M2 TRUE.
As concluded in STEP 1 above, we know M1 has to be FALSE. Then the President Nick can't be TYPE B person. With one of his false statement N2, Nick must be TYPE C person. Therefore, N1 must be TRUE. So, both Matt and Nick are TYPE C persons. 

That indicates president isn't of a different race than other two. That is L1 turns out to be FALSE. With L2 proved TRUE already, Larry would be TYPE C person. So all three would be TYPE C which contradicts TRUE statement N1.

4] Therefore, Larry must be the president.

That is L2, N2 must be TRUE and M2 must be FALSE. With M1 proved FALSE already in [1] above, Matt must be TYPE B person. Nick can't be TYPE B person with TRUE N2. 

If N1 is TRUE (i.e. Nick is TYPE A person) then Larry must be the other person with TYPE A (since Matt is TYPE B person) along with Nick for N1 to be TRUE. So, L1 too has to be TRUE. But, the president Larry is of the same race as that of Nick which is against L1 itself.

Hence, N1 must be FALSE and Nick must be TYPE C person. And therefore, L1 has to be TRUE making president Larry as a TYPE A person.

CONCLUSION : 

The President of Logitopia is Larry who is TYPE A person. Matt is TYPE B person and Nick is TYPE C person. 

'Morning Melange' - Puzzle

This morning, the popular Bay area cable access TV show, "Morning Melange", featured six guests (including Francine and Evan). Each guest lives in a different town in the region (including Corte Madera), and each has a different talent or interest that was the focus of his or her segment. The segments began at 6:45, 7:00, 7:15, 7:30, 7:45 and 8:00. 

Discover, for each time, the full name of the featured guest, where he or she lives and his or her special interest.
 
1. The first three guests were, in some order: the person surnamed Ivens, the person from Berkeley and the antique car collector.

2. Damien's segment was sometime before Lautremont's segment.

3. Krieger's segment began at 7:45.

4. Alice appeared after the person from Oakland and before the person surnamed Morley.

5. The people from Berkeley and Daly City aren't of the same sex.

6. The six guests were: Cathy, the person whose first name is Damien, the person whose last name is Novak, the person from Daly City, the person from Palo Alto and the bungee jumper.

7. The last name of the financial adviser is either Lautremont or Novak.

8. Jaspersen's segment began exactly 45 minutes after the beekeeper's segment.

9. The crepe chef went on sometime before the person from Sausalito and sometime after Brandon.

10. The hypnotherapist's segment began at 7:15.

HERE is SOLUTION! 

'Morning Melgane' Puzzle - Solution

What was the puzzle?

Rewriting all the given clues once again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

1. The first three guests were, in some order: the person surnamed Ivens, the person from Berkeley and the antique car collector.

2. Damien's segment was sometime before Lautremont's segment.

3. Krieger's segment began at 7:45.

4. Alice appeared after the person from Oakland and before the person surnamed Morley.

5. The people from Berkeley and Daly City aren't of the same sex.

6. The six guests were: Cathy, the person whose first name is Damien, the person whose last name is Novak, the person from Daly City, the person from Palo Alto and the bungee jumper.

7. The last name of the financial adviser is either Lautremont or Novak.

8. Jaspersen's segment began exactly 45 minutes after the beekeeper's segment.

9. The crepe chef went on sometime before the person from Sausalito and sometime after Brandon.

10. The hypnotherapist's segment began at 7:15.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


STEPS :

1] Let's make table like below for simplicity & easy understanding.

   
2] As per (10), hypnotherapist took segment starting at 7:15 & (3) suggest that Krieger started at 7:45.

3] As per (8), Jaspersen must be either at 7:30, 7:45 or 8:00 (i.e. in second half) while beekeeper must be at 6:45 or 7:00 or 7:15. But 7:15 segment is already occupied by hypnotherapist and Krieger is there already at 7:45.
So, Jaspersen can't be at 7:45. Hence, Jaspersen must be at 7:30 and beekeeper at 6:15 for (8) to be true.

With that, the antique car collector pointed by (1) must be at 6:45.

4] Since, as per (7), the financial adviser isn't Jaspersen or Kreiger ,therefore is on during the 8:00 segment. As per (4), Morley can't be in first 2 segments & as per (7) Morely is not a financial adviser. Thus, Morley needs to be at 7:15.

5] With that as (4) suggests, Alice must be on during segment started at 7:00 & person from Oakland took 6:45.

6] Now, as (1) suggests person having surname Ivans has to be at 6:45 & the person at Berkeley must be at 7:15.

7] The two guests appeared in the 6:45 and 7:15 segments can't be Novak, from Daly City or Palo Alto, or interested in bungee jumping (Hint 6). Therefore, these guests must be Cathy and Damien.

8] So for (9) to be Brandon must be at 7:30,  the chef must be at 7:45, and the guest from Sausalito at 8:00.

9] There are 6 different guest pointed by Hint (6). So, the bungee jumper who has to at 7:30 can't be from Daly City or Palo Alto. Hence, he must be from Corte Madera. 

10] Now, Alice has to be from Daly City or Palo Alto & hence can't have surname Novak as (6) points 6 different guests. Therefore, Novak must be at 8:00 and Alice at 7:00 must be Lautremont.

 11] With that, the hint (2) suggests that Damien must be at 6:45 and hence Cathy at 7:15.

12] Now it's clear that, Cathy is from Berkeley & hence as (5) suggests Alice can't be from Dale City and is therefore from Palo Alto. So Krieger must be from Dale City.

13] In the last, as per (5) itself, Kreiger, who is from Daly City, cannot be Francine, and must be named Evan. This leaves Francine at 8:00.