Each month, a new set of puzzles will be posted. Come back next month for the solutions and a new set of puzzles, or subscribe to have them sent directly to you.
The Maypole Dancers Puzzle – it’s a May Day tradition!
Four dancers – Garrett, Emma, Nolan and Sarah – each hold a ribbon on the Maypole of a different colour (Red, Blue, Yellow & Green). They stand at four different positions around the Maypole (North, South, East & West).
Using the following clues and diagram, determine each dancer’s ribbon colour and position on the Maypole. (Note: There is only one unique, fully constrained solution.)
1) The dancer at the South position does not hold the Blue or Yellow ribbons.
2) The dancer at the North position does not hold the Blue ribbon.
3) Sarah is standing East of Garrett.
4) Nolan stands directly opposite the dancer with the Green ribbon.
5) The dancer with the Yellow ribbon is not in the West position.
A Dartboard Scoring Puzzle
Using only three darts for each go and the following dartboard, how many different combinations can you find to score the exact sum of 42? Each dart must score a number on the board. Once three numbers have been used, the same three numbers cannot be reused in any other order. (Note: Numbers can be used more than once per go.)
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Last month's solutions
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Flower Bed Puzzle
Four gardeners, Maura, Kim, Raeanne and Gail, have flower beds in a community garden. Each bed contains a different flower, either Roses, Tulips, Daffodils, or Lilies, and each bed is located in a different corner of the garden: (North West (NW), North East (NE), South West (SW), South East (SE).
Using the following clues, determine which gardener grows which flower and where her flower bed is located in the community garden (see diagram).
Clues:
- Maura does not maintain the Daffodils bed.
- The Tulips bed is not in either northern corner.
- Kim’s bed is northeast of Raeanne’s bed.
- The Lilies bed is in a southern corner.
- Gail maintains the Roses bed.
- Raeanne does not maintain the Tulips bed.
Solution:
Combination Lock Puzzle
There is a fence around the above flower garden with a combination lock on the entrance gate. The lock has a three-digit combination code with digits from 0 to 9.
If they forgot the combination, there is a reminder using the following four clues to determine the correct combination code:
- 3 1 9 — One digit is correct and in the right place.
- 3 9 4 — One digit is correct but in the wrong place.
- 5 1 4 — Two digits are correct, but both are in the wrong place.
- 7 1 0 — No digit is correct.
Can you determine the correct three-digit combination code to the flower garden gate?
Solution:
- From Clues 4 and 1: The digits 0, 1 & 7 are not in the combination code but digits 3 or 9 could be and one of them is in its right place in the sequence.
- From Clues 3 and 1: The digit 1 is not in the combination code but digits 4 and 5 are and both are not in their right place in the sequence.
- Therefore, the combination code consists of the digits 4, 5, & 9.
- From Clue 1: digit 9 is in it’s the correct and third position in the code.
- Therefore, the combination code is either 459 or 549.
- From Clue 3: digits 4 & 5 are not in the first and third positions respectively and digit 9 is in the third position in the code.
- Therefore, the correct three-digit combination code for the gate is 459.