After the second formal dance the friends had attended, they got ready for this dance, which was based on an article called "Miraculous Melons".

The four friends looked in their closet and decided that they wanted to mix things up. They each picked out one shirt, tie and suspenders from what the four had accumulated. (They had accumulated red, blue, green and white of each.)

When the four friends decided to meet at the dance, they all arrived at slightly different times, and as a result some people got to the dance earlier than others.

After the dance, the old fifth friend (called A) came to visit and asked someone who went (called B) about the dance. Based on the conversation, can you figure out what shirt, tie and suspenders were worn by each person, and in what order they came in?


A: When did everyone arrive at the dance?

B: Well, I know that the only person that came in between the person with the red shirt and the person with the green suspenders (in no particular order) was wearing a white tie.

A: What else did you notice about the time people came in?

B: Well, I know that the person wearing the green shirt came in just before the person wearing the red suspenders, and he came in just before the person wearing the red tie.

A: What did they do do when you were at the dance?

B: We took a picture of all four of us. It showed three of us standing: the person with the blue shirt on the left, the person with the blue tie in the middle, and the person with the white suspenders on the right. The other person was sitting down in the middle because he arrived last of all four of us.

A: I have one more question. I heard that you took off your green tie and gave it to a girl you liked. Did anything happen?

B: I am planning on taking her and I hope to wear the same shirt as I did this year. It was a red or blue shirt, I don't remember which.

A: I have to go now, bye!

I got the same solution as many people here, and I'm inclined to think it's correct. Here's what I did:
Based on clue 2, we know that "white tie" came between "green suspenders" and "red shirt." If the order is:
red shirt
white tie
green suspenders

then it doesn't fit with clue 3, which gives the order:
green shirt,
red suspenders
red tie.
(if green shirt #1, red suspenders and red shirt #2, then the two ties clash; green shirt and red shirt can't be together; and if red shirt #1, then green shirt and white tie #2, then the two suspenders clash.)

So from this, we know the order is:
green suspenders
white tie
red shirt

Then, the only way to combine these three with the other group of three (green shirt, red suspenders, and red tie) is:

#1 - green suspenders
#2 - white tie, green shirt
#3 - red shirt, red suspenders
#4 - red tie

Any other way it's impossible to fulfill the clue about person B (green tie + red or blue shirt)

Then, filling in:
Only two shirts are left: blue and white. Blue shirt can't be last, so blue shirt is #1, and white shirt is #2.
Therefore, blue tie and white suspenders are #'s 2 and 3 (not necessarily respectively). #3 is already wearing suspenders, so #3 has a blue tie, and #2 has white suspenders.

That leaves us with:
#1 - green suspenders, blue shirt
#2 - white tie, green shirt, and white suspenders
#3 - red shirt, red suspenders, and blue tie
#4 - red tie, white shirt

#1 needs a tie--only color left is green; and
#4 needs suspenders--only color left is blue.

Final answer:
#1 - green suspenders, blue shirt, and green tie
#2 - white tie, green shirt, and white suspenders
#3 - red shirt, red suspenders, and blue tie
#4 - red tie, white shirt, and blue suspenders

Posted by Eliza on 2004-02-02 12:32:24