Brain Teasers
Family Reunions
The following statements were made by each of eight people at a family reunion. They are each referring to one of the other seven people (in other words the person being referred to in the first statement, Maria, is making one of the other statements). Can you determine who made each statement? Assume that all parents are married and that all married couples are heterosexual, married only once, still married, and attending together.
1. "I am Maria's niece."
2. "Christopher is my only cousin."
3. "Clarissa is my brother's wife."
4. "I am Donna's sister."
5. "Jonathan is my uncle."
6. "Theodore is my brother."
7. "Ben is my nephew."
8. "Judy is my daughter."
1. "I am Maria's niece."
2. "Christopher is my only cousin."
3. "Clarissa is my brother's wife."
4. "I am Donna's sister."
5. "Jonathan is my uncle."
6. "Theodore is my brother."
7. "Ben is my nephew."
8. "Judy is my daughter."
Answer
1. Donna2. Ben
3. Theodore
4. Judy
5. Christopher
6. Jonathan
7. Maria
8. Clarissa
I had trouble coming up with a nice, straightforward logical solution for this problem so I had to use a little trial and error. Since no grandchildren are mentioned, I assumed that there were only two generations present. I started with the women: I used statements 1 and 3 to put Maria and Clarissa in the older generation, respectively. Then I used statements 4 and 8 to put Donna and Judy in the younger generation, as sisters. Statement 7 puts Ben in the younger generation. If Christopher is also in the younger generation, then Ben must be Donna and Judy's brother and either Ben or Donna says statement 2. If Theodore and Jonathan are in the older generation, then Jonathan must be Clarissa's husband and Theodore must be Jonathan's brother (Statement 3). Statement 1 has to be said by Donna, since she is the only girl left in the younger generation who could say that. This leaves Ben saying statement 2. By elimination, Clarissa must give statement 8 and Maria statement 7. The only thing left is for Christopher to make statement 5.
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