Directions: solve the following five reasoning puzzles and post your answers and explain your reasoning in the discussion forum. Try to work slowing, analytically, and step by step. Determine the various possibilities and loop back to recheck the information.
Organizational hint: for the first puzzle restructure each statement in clear language (paraphrase) and list each statement under each suspect’s name. That way you can compare and contrast their statements to look for inconsistencies and consistencies.
- Daniel Kilraine was killed on a lonely road, two miles from Pontiac, Michigan, at 3:30 A.M. on March 17th of last year. Otto, Curly, Slim, Mickey and the Kid were arrested a week later in Detroit and questioned. Each of the five made four statements, three of which were true and one of which was false. One of these persons killed Kilraine. Their statements were:
Otto: I was in Chicago when Kilraine was murdered. I never killed anyone. The Kid is the guilty one. Mickey and I are pals.
Curly: I did not kill Kilraine. I never owned a revolver in my life. The Kid knows me. I was in Detroit the night of March 17th.
Slim: Curly lied when he said he never owned a revolver. The murder was committed on St. Patrick’s Day. Otto was in Chicago at this time. One of us is guilty.
Mickey: I did not kill Kilraine. The Kid has never been in Pontiac. I never saw Otto before. Curly was in Detroit with me on the night of March 17th.
The Kid: I did not kill Kilraine. I have never been in Pontiac. I never saw Curly before. Otto erred when he said I am guilty.
Whodunit?
- In a certain mythical community, politicians never tell the truth, and nonpoliticians always tell the truth. A stranger meets three natives and asks the first of them, “Are you a politician?” The first native answers the question. The second native then reports that the first native denied being a politician. The third native says that the first native is a politician.
How many of the three natives are politicians?
- In the same mythical community described above, a stranger meets three other natives and asks them, “How many of you are politicians?” The first native replies, “We are all politicians.” The second native says, “No, just two of us are politicians.” The third native then says, “That isn’t true either.”
Is the third native a politician?
- Mr. Short, his sister, his son and his daughter are fond of golf and often play together. The following statements are true of their four-some:
The best player’s twin and the worst player are of the opposite sex.
The best player and the worst player are the same age.
Which one of the foursome is the best player?
- Of three prisoners in a certain jail, one had normal vision, the second had only one eye, and the third was totally blind. The jailor told the prisoners that, from three white hats and two red hats, he would select three and put them on the prisoners’ heads. None could see what color hat he wore. The jailor offered freedom to the prisoner with normal vision if he could tell what color hat he wore. To prevent a lucky guess, the jailor threatened execution for any incorrect answer. The first prisoner could not tell what hat he wore. Next the jailor made the same offer to the one-eyed prisoner. The second prisoner could not tell what hat he wore either. The jailor did not bother making the offer to the blind prisoner, but he agreed to extend the same terms to that prisoner when he made the request. The blind prisoner said:
I do not need to have my sight;
From what my friends with eyes have said,
I clearly see my hat is _!
How did he know?