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 198
Below you will find ten common 6-letter words, however, every other letter is missing.
Can you determine the original words? -s-e-d-p-a-g-r-f-r-y-r-d-r-f-e-a-b-n-a-e-a-m-z-s-s-f-l-i-s-e
The first group of trainee astronauts are all sitting around the rectangular table, waiting to start their first day of training.
From the clues given below, can work out where everyone sits?
The seats are numbered clockwise, with Seat 1 next to Seats 2 and 8. Opposite pairs are Seats 1 & 5, 2 & 8, 3 & 7, and 4 & 6.
William is next to Alisa and Nick. William is across from George. Amanda is next to Sarah. Sarah is across from Eric. Nick is next to Eric. Sydney is in Seat 4 and sits next to George. George has a higher seat number than Sydney. Alisa is not in Seat 2.
Answer
Seat 1 = William
Seat 2 = Nick
Seat 3 = Eric
Seat 4 = Sydney
Seat 5 = George
Seat 6 = Amanda
Seat 7 = Sarah
Seat 8 = Alisa
Reasoning
Sydney is in Seat 4 and is next to George (Clue 6), so George is in either Seat 3 or Seat 5. But George has a higher seat number than Sydney (Clue 7). Therefore, George is in Seat 5.
William is across from George (Clue 2), and therefore is in Seat 1.
William is next to Alisa and Nick (Clue 1), so Alisa and Nick are in Seat 2 and Seat 8 (either way around). But Alisa is not in Seat 2 (Clue 8). Therefore, Alisa is in Seat 8 and Nick is in Seat 2.
Nick is next to Eric (Clue 5) so can only be in Seat 3.
Sarah is across from Eric (Clue 4), and therefore is in Seat 7.
Amanda is next to Sarah (Clue 3) and can only be in Seat 6.
