A total of 21 cards, consisting of 4 kings, 4 queens, 4 jacks, 4 tens, 4 nines, and 1 joker were dealt to Art, Ben, and Cal. The cards were dealt evenly: 7 per player. Then all jacks, tens, and nines were discarded.
At that point:
- The combined hands consisted of 4 kings, 4 queens, and 1 joker.
- Art had 2 cards, Ben had 3 cards, and Cal had 4 cards.
- The man with the most singletons did not have the joker.
- No man had more than 2 kings.
Who had the joker?
If one person has the most singletons but no Joker then their hand must be KQ. This must be Art.
The remaining Kings must be split 2-1 among the others.
Considering number of cards gives three possibilities for the distribution of Queens and Joker:
A: KQ, B: KKJ, C: KQQQ
A: KQ, B: KKQ, C: KQQJ
A: KQ, B: KQQ, C: KKQJ
A: KQ, B: KQJ, C: KKQQ
The second and third can be ruled out because Cal has two singletons, and the last because Ben has three singletons. So the first is the situation that fits and so Ben has the Joker.
[With Jokers wild, Ben wins. His 3 of a kind beats Cal's.]
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Posted by Jer
on 2013-11-27 10:48:51 |
Three of a kind (Solution)
