Eight cards are placed in the diagram shown below, one in each numbered cell. These are the facts:

a) There are 2 Aces, 2 Kings, 2 Queens and 2 Jacks.
b) Every Ace borders a King.
c) Every King borders a Queen.
d) Every Queen borders a Jack.
e) No Queen borders an Ace.
f) No two cards of the same kind border each other.

        +---+
        | 1 |
+---+---+---+
| 2 | 3 | 4 |
+---+---+---+---+
    | 5 | 6 | 7 |
    +---+---+---+
        | 8 |
        +---+

In what cells could you identify the card in it ?

(In reply to Full Solution by Lisa)

There has to be at least one full chain of AKQJ; No chain has to commence with an A, meaning that the single 'end' cells do not all have to be either A's or J's.

This solution has a full chain 5643, and adding either and A  to either  7 or 8 creates another full chain.  It only takes a few moments then to add the remaining cards to make smaller chains; the last J forms a chain of its own, and it does not have to border anything.

Lisa, I had the concept of a full chain from 1 round to 2 and back, and 1 to 8, I saw the concept of a circular chain, by I went clockwise.

Well done!

Posted by brianjn on 2005-06-15 00:54:58