Brain Teasers
Triathlon 2
The last contestant has just completed the cycling leg of the triathlon. The 15 clues that follow are with respect to this point in the race. From the clues you must determine: the color of shorts each runner is wearing, the positions at the end of the cycling leg, and the final standings.
Contestants in the race: Alvin, Brian, Chuck, David, Ethan, Frank
Colors of their shorts: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet
1) Brian moved up two places, now just behind the runner in the red shorts.
2) The runner in the yellow shorts fell down, lost an even number of positions, and was now in last place.
3) Frank moved ahead of the runner who wore the blue shorts.
4) The runner in the orange shorts took over the lead.
5) Ethan and the runner in the green shorts switched places.
6) David moved ahead of Brian, who was not wearing the blue shorts.
7) Chuck stubbed his toe, lost one position, and was now just ahead of Alvin.
8) Ethan and Brian, neither one who wore the violet shorts, switched places.
9) Alvin moved ahead of the runners who wore the green and orange shorts.
10) David dropped behind the runners who wore the blue and violet shorts.
11) The runner in the yellow shorts moved ahead of David.
12) Chuck moved ahead of the runner who wore the orange shorts.
13) With a burst of speed, David moved ahead of Ethan, Frank, and the runner in the yellow shorts.
14) Ethan moved ahead of the runner who wore the red shorts.
15) Out of breath, the runner wearing the green shorts fell behind Brian, who now trailed the runner wearing the yellow shorts. No further position changes occur. The race ends.
Contestants in the race: Alvin, Brian, Chuck, David, Ethan, Frank
Colors of their shorts: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet
1) Brian moved up two places, now just behind the runner in the red shorts.
2) The runner in the yellow shorts fell down, lost an even number of positions, and was now in last place.
3) Frank moved ahead of the runner who wore the blue shorts.
4) The runner in the orange shorts took over the lead.
5) Ethan and the runner in the green shorts switched places.
6) David moved ahead of Brian, who was not wearing the blue shorts.
7) Chuck stubbed his toe, lost one position, and was now just ahead of Alvin.
8) Ethan and Brian, neither one who wore the violet shorts, switched places.
9) Alvin moved ahead of the runners who wore the green and orange shorts.
10) David dropped behind the runners who wore the blue and violet shorts.
11) The runner in the yellow shorts moved ahead of David.
12) Chuck moved ahead of the runner who wore the orange shorts.
13) With a burst of speed, David moved ahead of Ethan, Frank, and the runner in the yellow shorts.
14) Ethan moved ahead of the runner who wore the red shorts.
15) Out of breath, the runner wearing the green shorts fell behind Brian, who now trailed the runner wearing the yellow shorts. No further position changes occur. The race ends.
Answer
Set up a grid of names versus colors. From the clues, mark off combinations that can not exist. From this, it can be found that Brian wears orange. This leaves Ethan wearing blue. From Clue 7 and Clue 9, Chuck can only be orange or green. From Clue 12, Chuck can not be orange, therefore he must be green. This leaves David wearing red, Frank wearing violet, and Alvin wearing yellow. This establishes: Alvin = yellow, Brian = orange, Chuck = green, David = red, Ethan = blue, Frank = violetTo determine the final results, work backward, substituting names for colors. From Clue 15, Alvin beats Brian beats Chuck. From Clue 14, Ethan beats David. From Clue 13, David beats Frank beats Alvin. This establishes the final results as: Ethan, David, Frank, Alvin, Brian, Chuck.
Now work backward to determine the cycling standings, substituting names for colors. You need to determine what the standings would have had to have been prior to each clue. Before Clue 15: Ethan, David, Frank, Alvin, Chuck, Brian. Before Clue 14: David, Ethan, Frank, Alvin, Chuck, Brian. Before Clue 13: Ethan, Frank, Alvin, David, Chuck, Brian. Before Clue 12: Ethan, Frank, Alvin, David, Brian, Chuck. Before Clue 11: Ethan, Frank, David, Alvin, Brian, Chuck. Before Clue 10: David, Ethan, Frank, Alvin, Brian, Chuck. Before Clue 9: David, Ethan, Frank, Brian, Chuck, Alvin. Before Clue 8: David, Brian, Frank, Ethan, Chuck, Alvin. Before Clue 7: David, Brian, Frank, Chuck, Ethan, Alvin. Before Clue 6: Brian, David, Frank, Chuck, Ethan, Alvin. Before Clue 5: Brian, David, Frank, Ethan, Chuck, Alvin. Before Clue 4: David, Frank, Ethan, Chuck, Alvin (Brian unknown). Before Clue 3: David, Ethan, Frank, Chuck, Alvin (Brian unknown). Before Clue 2: David, Ethan, Frank, Chuck (Alvin and Brian unknown). Before Clue 1 (which establishes the standings after the cycling leg): David, Ethan, Alvin, Brian, Frank, Chuck.
Hide Answer Show Answer
What Next?
View a Similar Brain Teaser...
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
Solve a Puzzle
Comments hidden to avoid spoilers.
Follow Braingle!