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Who Stole the Birdseed? (Posted on 2004-10-21) Difficulty: 3 of 5
  Bonnie bought a bag of birdseed. She left it in her apartment (#5) before she went to work, intending to fill the feeder that afternoon. But when she got back, the bag of birdseed was gone!

  There were four other people living in the same apartment building as her, all of whom were avid birdwatchers like Bonnie. One of them must have done it. Look at the clues below. If you know everybody's name, apartment number (#1 through #4), and favourite bird, you will know who is guilty.

1. The guilty person's apartment number is not numbered one higher or one lower than Hal's.
2. Joe's favourite bird is the crow; his apartment number is one lower than that of Ike (who doesn't like robins).
3. The guilty person's apartment is not #3 (the number of the finch-lover's).
4. Gil is neither at apartment #1 nor the wren-lover.

Whodunit?

  Submitted by Captain Paradox    
Rating: 3.0263 (38 votes)
Solution: (Hide)
  The groaner here is "If you know everybody's name, apartment number, and favourite bird, you will know who is guilty." Keep that bugger in mind.

  Now, the finch-lover is at #3. Fill that in. Joe, the crow-lover, has an apartment number one lower than Ike's. Suppose momentarily that Joe is in apartment #2. Ike would be in #3, Gil (who isn't in #1) would have to be in #4, and Hal in #1. The wren lover couldn't be in #2, #3, or #4, so Hal would have to love wrens. Therefore, Gil would love robins.

  But assuming that this is the answer, there is no way to figure out whodunit. We only know from the clues that Ike and Joe would be innocent. Remember the italicized statement. The solution will yield a culprit. This solution is therefore false.

  Now, we know that Joe can't be in #4 (Ike is in the apartment numbered one higher than his) and we already know he isn't in #2 or #3, so he and his crows must be in #1. Ergo, Ike is in #2, the robin-lover is in #4, and the wren-lover is in #2.

  But where are Gil and Hal? If Hal were in #4, then we'd only know that Gil was innocent. Thus, Hal is in #3 and Gil is in #4. That makes Joe the guilty one. This is the only solution that matches all the clues and tells us whodunit.

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
No SubjectRamas Cargo2022-10-12 01:54:30
â„–5RussellAnderson2020-11-28 05:31:32
SolutionExplanation To The SolutionK Sengupta2008-06-14 15:54:19
puzzle solutionK Sengupta2007-03-14 04:13:28
No SubjectCharles Archibals2007-01-18 21:41:25
Solutionthis is the solutionakash2006-01-01 09:48:11
solutionathena2005-12-31 21:29:53
SolutionNo SubjectGoldwing2005-09-21 20:01:06
SolutionIt's Joe!Nita2005-06-01 16:51:12
SolutionSolutionartemis2005-03-05 17:39:02
SolutionJoe did itjeremy2005-03-02 04:27:53
My GuessNetGoofy2005-02-24 15:55:08
solutionroyce2005-02-06 14:50:21
re(2): try this oneroyce2005-02-06 14:42:24
solutionroyce2005-02-06 14:35:42
re: not a solution, but an answer...Dustin2005-02-05 20:12:24
re: try this oneyocko2005-02-05 08:10:22
not a solution, but an answer...yocko2005-02-05 08:07:53
birdseedjuan m. perez2005-02-03 17:40:57
re(2): try this onelita2005-02-02 06:30:34
re: try this oneDustin2005-02-01 23:25:09
try this onelita2005-02-01 20:12:04
re(2): Solution?Dustin2005-02-01 20:11:21
re: Solution?lita2005-02-01 19:36:29
Solution?Lisa Grindlay2005-02-01 10:20:22
solution AGAIN?mary burnside2005-01-29 13:55:51
solution?mary burnside2005-01-29 13:52:36
QuestionThis is hardVlad Dracul2005-01-28 00:45:00
hopefuly the real solutionmeg2005-01-27 21:30:18
an explanationwhome?2005-01-22 20:03:51
solutionwhome?2005-01-22 19:55:54
solutionana2005-01-21 18:12:59
Solutionthe answeradam2005-01-19 23:40:27
i think i have it!!!!!!!!!Andrew Russelll2005-01-14 02:56:48
my solutionthanh2005-01-05 20:17:06
i know the answerCatherine2005-01-02 23:50:27
re: hey! i think i got the answer!ron2004-12-30 23:46:09
hey! i think i got the answer!kat2004-12-26 01:54:27
Solutiongerald doanning2004-12-22 08:29:13
re: My answer...check it plz!Captain Paradox2004-12-18 19:58:19
Hal's Number???????????kenneth Black2004-12-13 21:00:22
So therefore...Vikram2004-12-11 19:20:29
The real answer.Vikram2004-12-11 19:18:52
The Answer.Vikram Sundaram2004-12-11 18:01:05
re: maybeMark2004-12-10 00:47:41
maybe?Mark2004-12-10 00:46:53
for surejenniferanistonobsessed2004-12-08 23:16:47
i think its...boo2004-12-08 20:14:26
This should be itNebo2004-12-08 14:55:18
SolutionMy answer...check it plz!Bruno2004-12-08 02:07:53
i think theres more than one wayamanda2004-12-04 01:16:46
SolutionI GOT IT~! ...i thinkangela2004-12-02 23:20:29
re: Answer hereCaptain Paradox2004-12-02 03:05:07
it was........nate2004-12-01 00:46:40
Answer hereVince2004-11-29 16:47:35
re: inewit!Captain Paradox2004-11-28 03:58:44
SolutionNo Subjectkrzy dev2004-11-28 02:10:28
AnswerC Cantrell2004-11-19 21:27:21
re: inewit!nikki2004-11-19 13:29:41
re: help???lulu stars2004-11-18 23:44:18
inewit!lulu stars2004-11-18 23:42:04
No Subjectcezar2004-11-17 13:46:42
Okay ... MaybeCeeAnne2004-11-13 16:48:26
SolutionACTUAL SOLUTION!Emon Hunte2004-11-13 16:19:16
re: another solution?Emon Hunte2004-11-13 16:11:09
another solution?Erin2004-11-10 20:10:36
re: i got it, i thinkCaptain Paradox2004-11-10 14:30:11
i got it, i thinksean2004-11-08 20:26:37
i got it!kimmi2004-11-07 17:31:11
re: help???Captain Paradox2004-11-05 18:31:31
help???jessica2004-11-05 08:43:55
QuestionNo Subjectjessica2004-11-05 08:42:06
SolutionNo SubjectK2004-11-04 18:10:36
re(2): A questionDustin2004-11-04 00:36:53
re: A questionCaptain Paradox2004-11-04 00:32:26
By Jo(v)e!Lady Erudity2004-11-03 09:33:25
QuestionA questionDustin2004-11-02 00:36:28
re: Yet another...Ashley2004-10-31 17:07:51
SolutionYet another...Tristan2004-10-30 14:46:23
possible solutionkelly2004-10-30 05:30:57
Solutionthe answer islinz2004-10-29 22:12:45
can this be the sollution?nita2004-10-29 14:27:46
re(4): Just a bit of a hintCaptain Paradox2004-10-29 00:22:29
Possible Solutiontresspasser2004-10-28 14:59:37
re(3): Just a bit of a hintDustin2004-10-27 23:04:23
re: the SolutionCaptain Paradox2004-10-27 20:52:47
re(2): Just a bit of a hintCaptain Paradox2004-10-27 20:50:15
the SolutionJoshua2004-10-27 19:19:02
re: Just a bit of a hintDustin2004-10-27 15:54:03
re: Mini Rant... ok, maybe not mini :)Dustin2004-10-27 15:45:08
I think I know the answerJeanne Smith2004-10-27 12:30:17
Who stole the birdseed.rose2004-10-27 12:06:21
Hints/TipsJust a bit of a hintCaptain Paradox2004-10-27 10:59:54
No subjectJen2004-10-27 02:34:14
No SubjectJoshua2004-10-26 19:37:11
Think I got it??Sally2004-10-26 05:13:51
SolutionI got it!thehermit2004-10-25 16:46:17
No SubjectTommygun2004-10-25 16:00:46
re: i got itTommygun2004-10-25 15:55:09
re: i know whodunit!!Tom Cladis2004-10-25 15:47:53
solutionmandy2004-10-25 15:04:01
solutionmaxson2004-10-25 14:26:41
Not enough informationdoremi2004-10-25 13:39:09
solution...aria2004-10-25 03:18:08
re: Mini Rant... ok, maybe not mini :)Jay T Barnum2004-10-24 13:15:23
HalJoe2004-10-24 00:01:29
I thinkCindy2004-10-23 11:40:06
SolutionI finally understand it...Penny2004-10-23 11:26:25
i know whodunit!!paula2004-10-22 18:54:15
Mini Rant... ok, maybe not mini :)nikki2004-10-22 18:49:31
re(3): Solutionnikki2004-10-22 18:38:29
re(2): Solutionfiend2004-10-22 18:32:21
re: SolutionJoshua2004-10-22 17:57:37
Solutionre: There are more than one valid answer ?Charlie2004-10-22 16:08:31
re(2): First commentRandyOrton2004-10-22 15:29:39
re: First commentPenny2004-10-22 13:21:36
First commentRandyOrton2004-10-22 12:00:14
Fun stuffRandyOrton2004-10-22 11:58:23
re: SolutionPenny2004-10-22 08:26:09
re: i got itBruce2004-10-22 07:25:58
re: i got itbob9092004-10-22 07:18:06
QuestionBut the real question is....Bruce2004-10-22 07:11:43
i got itKeri2004-10-22 07:06:15
re(2): There are more than one valid answer ?Penny2004-10-22 07:00:38
Solutionre: No Solution!... unless I am missing something (spoilers)Bruce2004-10-22 06:52:40
re: There are more than one valid answer ?Nancy2004-10-21 23:14:05
SolutionThere are more than one valid answer ?Penny2004-10-21 21:52:19
SolutionSolutionfiend2004-10-21 16:20:26
re(3): No Solution!... unless I am missing something (spoilers)RandyOrton2004-10-21 13:14:13
re(2): No Solution!... unless I am missing something (spoilers)nikki2004-10-21 13:08:02
re: No Solution!... unless I am missing something (spoilers)RandyOrton2004-10-21 13:02:23
Some ThoughtsNo Solution!... unless I am missing something (spoilers)nikki2004-10-21 12:50:43
Some ThoughtsHalf a solutionSyzygy2004-10-21 12:26:47
SolutionTrial and ErrorRandyOrton2004-10-21 12:12:44
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