On a train, Smithe, Robins, and John are the fireman, conductor, and the engineer, but NOT respectively. Also aboard the train are three businessmen who have the same names: a Mr. Smithe, a Mr. Robins, and a Mr. John.

Mr. Robins Lives in New York. The conductor lives exactly halfway between Columbus and New York. Mr. John earns exactly $20,000 per year. The conductor's nearest neighbor, one of the passengers, earns exactly three times as much as the conductor. Smithe beats the fireman in billiards. The passenger whose name is the same as the conductor's lives in Columbus.

Who is the Engineer?

(In reply to Solution + Explination by Ben)

When you say someone makes 3 times as much money, you don't divide that sum, you multiply it.  Therefore it does not matter if 20,000 is divisible by 3.  Also, it does not state in the problem that the conductors neighbor earns 3x that of Mr. John, it says that he/she earns 3x that of the conductor.  I still think that the engineer is Robins.

Posted by Amy on 2004-05-31 16:20:52