The recent BrainBashers annual marathon has just taken place.
The judges have given up keeping track of who won, as the results go missing every year.
Using the following spectators' notes, can you determine who finished where?
Terry Tipton finished after Lake Linkerton and Alex Adams but before Mason Miller. Pat Peterson finished before Dale Dartford and Lake Linkerton. Ryan Richards finished after Pat Peterson and before Jesse Jacks and Harper Hall. Kelly Kirkpatrick finished after Pat Peterson, Mason Miller, and Terry Tipton. Lake Linkerton finished after Alex Adams and Dale Dartford but before Jesse Jacks and Mason Miller. Mason Miller finished after Ryan Richards and Alex Adams. Alex Adams finished before Jesse Jacks, Mason Miller, and Pat Peterson. Dale Dartford finished before Kelly Kirkpatrick and Terry Tipton but after Ryan Richards. Jesse Jacks finished before Kelly Kirkpatrick, Terry Tipton, and Mason Miller, but after Pat Peterson and Dale Dartford. Harper Hall finished before Mason Miller but after Lake Linkerton, Jesse Jacks, and Terry Tipton.
Answer
Alex Adams
Pat Peterson
Ryan Richards
Dale Dartford
Lake Linkerton
Jesse Jacks
Terry Tipton
Harper Hall
Mason Miller
Kelly Kirkpatrick
Reasoning
If we number the clues, write each name using two letters, and rewrite the clues so that those who finished ahead are written first:
LL and AA beat TTTT beat MMPP beat DD and LLPP beat RRRR beat JJ and HHPP, MM and TT all beat KKAA and DD beat LLLL beat JJ and MMRR and AA beat MMAA beat JJ, MM and PPDD beat KK and TTRR beat DDJJ beat KK, TT, MMPP and DD beat JJHH beat MMLL, JJ and TT all beat HH
By (10): AA PP
By (4): AA PP RR
By (12): AA PP RR DD
By (7): AA PP RR DD LL
By (8): AA PP RR DD LL JJ
By (13): AA PP RR DD LL JJ TT
By (16): AA PP RR DD LL JJ TT HH
By (15): AA PP RR DD LL JJ TT HH MM
By (6): AA PP RR DD LL JJ TT HH MM KK
???
Puzzle 131
Cen yee rell wrer er wreng werr rrer peregrepr? Er ferrr glence yee mey rrenk rrer jerr rre vewelr reve preblemr, ber ne! Rrree cenrenenrr elre reve preblemr, rrey reve been repleced werr rre lerrer R, ber wrecr ener ere rrey?
Hint
It's not just the vowels (AEIOU) that have a problem.
Answer
H, S, and T.
Reasoning
It should read:
"Can you tell what is wrong with this paragraph? At first glance you may think that just the vowels have problems, but no! Three consonants also have problems, they have been replaced with the letter R, but which ones are they?"
?
Puzzle 132
After a day picking strawberries, I ended up with a full basket, which is always nice.
I ate 5, and then gave Alex half of the remaining.
I ate another 3, and then gave Billie one third of the remaining.
I ate another 6, and then gave Charlie two thirds of the remaining.
I now had 34 strawberries left. How many did I start with?
