** Einsteins Riddle **

[DavidRyder]

At the second attempt, got it! I'd like to thank Excel for making this possible, whose support through the initial failure and the ultimate success has been appreciated. Especially the way I could colour code everything!

Good fun, on a very dull work day.

 

[Trufflehound]

Interesting how these thing evolve over time for little reason. When I first did this in a puzzle book as a kid about 40 years ago, it was "Who owns the zebra?" - and the answer was a Japanese woman.

 

[StonehamPark]

Interesting how these thing evolve over time for little reason. When I first did this in a puzzle book as a kid about 40 years ago, it was "Who owns the zebra?" - and the answer was a Japanese woman.

A little bit of Zebra-Puzzle history here.

 

[Official Old Man]

Logic-Puzzles is the only other bookmark after NSC. Love these puzzles. Going to do it tomorrow on my day off.

 

[Butch Willykins]

I bet the Swede is really fit

 

[The Brighton Bear]

I bet the Swede is really fit

Not after all the beer and cigars I have him marked down for!

 

[Triggaaar]

Anyone got a link to a solution that they agree with - and by that, I mean agree with the workings, not just the result?

 

[Questions]

Interesting how these thing evolve over time for little reason. When I first did this in a puzzle book as a kid about 40 years ago, it was "Who owns the zebra?" - and the answer was a Japanese woman.

At'sa good one, I give you three guesses.

 

[Shuggie]

Moving boxes around in Excel?

Me too ... beats working.




Your next challenge ...

Work out which row in the above = drink, smoke, pet etc

 

[Shuggie]

duplicate

 

[W.C.]

Before Sudoku this sort of puzzle was very popular, you need to draw out a grid to start with

This is what I was thinking. Used to get books of them as a kid?

 

[Trufflehound]

At'sa good one, I give you three guesses.

Now let me see. Has four pair of pants, lives in Philadelphia... Is it male or female?

 

[Hillian1]

Anyone got a link to a solution that they agree with - and by that, I mean agree with the workings, not just the result?

Contains the answer and the method.


Google: Einsteins Riddle Explanation

 

[StonehamPark]

I don't get it. Is there not just one left with no pet mentioned? It just states it has to be different to the others. Why a fish? Could be a goose or a camel or pretty much anyhing.

The instructions and hints are extremely straight forward:
5 Nationalities.
5 Coloured Houses.
5 Drinks.
5 Cigar Brands.
5 Pets.

All 25 of which are mentioned in the OP.

 

[Triggaaar]

Contains the answer and the method.

Google: Einsteins Riddle Explanation

I'm not wishing to be rude, but don't you think I know how to google? I wanted to see if someone had a link to a solution with workings that they agreed with, as I did not.

I completed it before my first post, but thought that others may be making an assumption on the order of the houses. I googled to check solutions online and the one I saw with workings made the assumption I'm referring to.

************* Minor Spoiler ***************

I believe that most people are assuming that the first house, the Norwegian's house, is on the left, and that assumption quickly tells you which colour all the other houses are. I don't think it's right to make such an assumption, as 'first houses' are often to the right. Either because house number 1 is to the right of house number 2 or 3, or because if you walk down a lane that only has a few houses that are all on the right side, then the first one is the first one you get to first, and it's to the right of the others.

 

[StonehamPark]

I wanted to see if someone had a link to a solution with workings that they agreed with, as I did not.

I completed it before my first post, but thought that others may be making an assumption on the order of the houses. I googled to check solutions online and the one I saw with workings made the assumption I'm referring to.

I didn't need to make any assumptions with any of the riddle. It all slowly pieced itself together when completing each part of the puzzle.

With regards to the houses, we know the Norwegian was in No.1
We also know that the Blue House is No.2 - From the hints.

I work from left to right and never though of doing it another way.
Houses 3, 4 and 5 were confirmed much later in the puzzle once other pieces were confirmed (Cigars, Pets and Drinks).
Nationalities and House numbers were almost the last pieces I solved.

 

[Triggaaar]

Houses 3, 4 and 5 were confirmed much later in the puzzle once other pieces were confirmed (Cigars, Pets and Drinks).
Nationalities and House numbers were almost the last pieces I solved.

Do you have a link to a solution showing how you worked it out?

 

[StonehamPark]

Do you have a link to a solution showing how you worked it out?

I haven't looked to be honest, I just used 25 pieces of torn up paper and pieced it together.
I'll have a quick look though.

Edit: I haven't gone all the way through this, I've just skimmed over how the houses are worked out and it's pretty much exactly how I completed it.

Solution Here.

 

[Triggaaar]

****** SPOILER ALERT ******

If you haven't done it and want to, why are you still reading this thread - go do it.

Solution Here.

I disagree with that solution. I would go as far as to say it is wrong.

That solution says:
a) 1st House Norwegian, 2nd House Blue
b) Green House/White House are paired in that order
c) Green and White house occupy position 3-4 or 4-5, so Norwegian is in red or yellow house
d) Brit is in red house, so Norwegian is in Yellow

I agree so far.

e) Green house drinks coffee, centre house, 3, drinks milk, so Green and Yellow (he means White, it's a typo) are 4th and 5th House.

That is wrong. It later turns out to be correct, but it is incorrect workings.

Reason why it's wrong:
From the workings so far, it is possible that the houses are like this:
No. 5? No. 4? No. 3 milk, No. 2 Blue, No. 1 Norwegian Yellow

So...
no. 5 could be Green, no. 4 White, no. 3 Red
or
no. 5 could be Red, no. 4 Green, no. 3 White.

 

[StonehamPark]

****** SPOILER ALERT ******

If you haven't done it and want to, why are you still reading this thread - go do it.


I disagree with that solution. I would go as far as to say it is wrong.

That solution says:
a) 1st House Norwegian, 2nd House Blue
b) Green House/White House are paired in that order
c) Green and White house occupy position 3-4 or 4-5, so Norwegian is in red or yellow house
d) Brit is in red house, so Norwegian is in Yellow

I agree so far.

e) Green house drinks coffee, centre house, 3, drinks milk, so Green and Yellow (he means White, it's a typo) are 4th and 5th House.

That is wrong. It later turns out to be correct, but it is incorrect workings.

Reason why it's wrong:
From the workings so far, it is possible that the houses are like this:
No. 5? No. 4? No. 3 milk, No. 2 Blue, No. 1 Norwegian Yellow

So...
no. 5 could be Green, no. 4 White, no. 3 Red
or
no. 5 could be Red, no. 4 Green, no. 3 White.

Well I imagine you would only reach that conclusion if you organised the houses backwards from 5 - 1.
I think it's natural to assume that 'The First House' is No.1 - Which starts on the left and heads towards the right.

This way, from left to right:
Norway is No.1 - states in hints.
Blue is No.2 - states in Hints.
Green is either 3/4 and White is 4/5 - States in hints.
Green drinks coffee, therefore MUST be No.4, making White No.5.
The BRIT lives in the Red house, therefore, Red is No.3 as the Norwegian occupies No.1.

By process of elimination, we can confirm that No.1 is Yellow.

---

I guess the only way anyone would get this wrong is if they decided to work backwards by presuming the house orders are from right to left.