Arlene(A), Brenda(B), Cheryl(C), Daniel(D), Emmett(E) and Farley(F) stayed in a hotel.

1) Each stayed in a different one of six rooms as shown here, identified by his initials :

         +----+----+----+----+
         |    | C  |    | E  |
         | B  +----+ D  +----+
         |    |    |    |    |
         +----+    +----+    +
         |      A  |      F  |
         +---------+---------+

2) One of the six murdered one of the other five.

3) If the murderer and the victim stayed in rooms that did not border on each other, then Arlene or Farley was the victim.

4) If the murderer and the victim stayed in rooms that bordered on different numbers of rooms, then Brenda or Cheryl was the murderer.

5) If the murderer and the victim stayed in rooms that were different in size, then Daniel or Emmett was the murderer.

Who was the murderer? Who was the victim?

It's so interesting that everyone takes a different route to (mostly) the same solution. I find it weird I can work out the puzzle my own way but can't always follow everyone else's reasoning, even though we get the same answer. <end philosophical wondering>

Anyway, my chain leads to the Daniel heartlessly murdered poor Arlene bandwagon too.

Started with Brenda and Cheryl: rule 5 says if the murderer and victim were in rooms of different size, then the murderer is Daniel or Emmett. So Brenda or Cheryl could only be the murderer if they murdered someone in a same-sized room.

However, both those possibilities (B-murders-D and C-murders-E) are ruled out by 3, which says if the rooms are the same size, Arlene or Farley are the victims.

Because this means neither Brenda nor Cheryl can be the murderer, rule 4 does not apply and the murderer and the victim stayed in rooms that border on the same number of rooms.

Looking at rooms that border on two others (B and E), we've already ruled out Brenda as a murderer. But Emmett cannot murder Brenda because of rule 3, which says if the rooms don't border on each other A or F is the victim.

Looking at rooms that border on three others (C and F), we've already ruled out Cheryl as a murderer. But Farley cannot murder Cheryl because of rule 3 again, the rooms don't border on each other which means A or F would have to be the victim.

Looking at rooms that border on four others (A and D), Arlene cannot murder Daniel because rule 5 says when the size is different Daniel or Emmett must be the murderer. But Daniel can murder Arlene and that's what must have happened.

Of the other suggested solutions posted here, Cheryl can't kill Farley because rules 5 says if the rooms are different in size, the murderer is D or E. Emmett can't have killed Arlene because rule 4 says if the rooms border on different numbers of rooms, the murderer has to be B or C.

Posted by hm on 2005-08-22 17:20:29