Dr. Jones kept an antique clock in his office waiting room. One day after lunch he had only four patients. When he had returned from lunch the clock was still in the waiting room, but after the fourth patient left and Dr. Jones passed through the waiting room again, he noticed the clock was missing.

The police questioned the four afternoon patients, but they had gotten together and decided that every statement they would make would be a lie.

Adam said: None of us stole the clock. The clock was still there when I arrived.
Bert said: I arrived second. The clock was missing when I arrived.
Charlie said: I arrived third. The clock was still there when I left.
David said: The clock was missing when I arrived.

In what order did the patients arrive, and who stole Dr. Jones' clock?

The clock must have been taken by one of the two that said that the clock was missing. Those two must have been the 1st and 2nd; since Bert says he was 2nd, Bert was actually 1st, and David was 2nd, and the thief. To finish, Charlie wasn't 3rd, so Charlie was 4th, and then Adam was 3rd.

Posted by e.g. on 2007-07-09 20:59:00