[LordOpie]

on noes, Opie's posting something from an email

Albert Einstein supposedly wrote this quiz. He also said he believed
98% of the world could not figure it out.
It's actually pretty simple if you know the magic of drawing and use
pen and paper instead of trying to imagine it all in your mind.

Here it is:

There are 5 houses in a row in five different colors.
In each house lives a person with a different nationality.
These 5 owners drink a certain drink, smoke a certain brand of tobacco
and keep a certain pet.
No owners have the same pet, smoke the same tobacco, or drink the same
drink.

The big question is:
Who owns the fish?

These things are known:
1. The Brit lives in the red house
2. The Swede keeps dogs as pets
3. The Dane drinks tea
4. The green house is adjacent on the left of the white house
5. The green house owner drinks coffee
6. The person who smokes Pall Mall raises birds
7. The owner of the yellow house smokes Dunhill
8. The man living in the house right in the center drinks milk
9. The Norwegian lives in the first house
10. The man who smokes Blends lives next to the one who keeps cats
11. The man who keeps horses lives next to the one who smokes Dunhill
12. The owner who smokes Bluemaster drinks juice
13. The German smokes Prince
14. The Norwegian lives next to the blue house
15. The man who smokes Blend has a neighbor who drinks water.

Highlight to read my reply to my friend...I only skimmed it, but noticed there was no mention of a fish. Am I to assume that one of them is guaranteed to have a fish? Maybe the cat ate it? Also, is it possible to solve when only three pets were mentioned: horse, dog, and cat? Personally, I'd have a ferret, hamster, or bird before I had a fish. Unless we're talking about dinner, then fish does top my list.

In other words, before I waste my time, is there a definitive answer?

Edit: there is an answer according to my buddy.

 

[LordOpie]

I think I solved it: The German owns the fish. He lives in a Green house which is #4, smokes Prince, drinks coffee and has horrible breath and teeth.

 

[Konabumm]

this SUCKS

 

[Angus]

ok how did you get that? I figured out that the first house is yellow, with a norwegian, who smokes dunhill, the second house is blue with horses, and the center house drinks milk, but how did you determine that #4 is green??

 

[LordOpie]

ok how did you get that? I figured out that the first house is yellow, with a norwegian, who smokes dunhill, the second house is blue with horses, and the center house drinks milk, but how did you determine that #4 is green??

I made decision trees to mark possibilities.

For example, the green house is to the left of the white. Since you know the first two house colors, then the green must be #3 or #4, yeah? Ok, put that on paper and leave that as an option.

Make a list of all the knowns with the common item, like a beverage, on the same line as each other... go from there

 

[Echo]

I think the norwegian has the fish, and you don't need to solve the whole table to determine that.

edit: oh damn, I got owned

 

[motomike]

I'm pissed off now

 

[LordOpie]

I think the norwegian has the fish, and you don't need to solve the whole table to determine that.

well, I had to do the whole table before I found the answer. Sorry, not the Norwegian, even if they're great at catching 'em.

I'm pissed off now

 

[Slugman]

Damn... beat me to it!

Got the same answer using a spreadsheet so i could 'see' the choices.

 

[kizzi77]

That took WAY longer than I expected (30 minutes), but I love me some puzzles!

Here is what I got, is it the same as you lord opie?

House 1: Norwegian, yellow, drinks water, smokes dunhill, has cats
House 2: Dane, blue, drinks tea, smokes blend, has horses
House 3: Brit, red, drinks milk, smokes pall mal, has birds
House 4: German, green, drinks coffee, smokes prince, has FISH
House 5: Swed, white, drinks juice, smokes bluehouse, has dog

 

[LordOpie]

That took WAY longer than I expected (30 minutes), but I love me some puzzles!

Here is what I got, is it the same as you lord opie?

House 1: Norwegian, yellow, drinks water, smokes dunhill, has cats
House 2: Dane, blue, drinks tea, smokes blend, has horses
House 3: Brit, red, drinks milk, smokes pall mal, has birds
House 4: German, green, drinks coffee, smokes prince, has FISH
House 5: Swed, white, drinks juice, smokes bluehouse, has dog

Winner!

 

[kizzi77]

Winner!

I LOVE PUZZLE FRIDAY

 

[SilentJ]

Who's to say that the german has to keep fish? It is possible that nobody keeps fish. The german could raise friggin polar bears for all we know since there's no mention of fish after the question of "who owns the fish?"

Edit: Just read your white-ed out quote Opie...personally, I think you're right in this thinking....I dont think the puzzle is hard enough, straight away, for him to call it unsolvable for 98% of peeps.

Of course nowdays the puzzle is as easy as "google: einstein fish puzzle"

 

[Echo]

Of course nowdays the puzzle is as easy as "google: einstein fish puzzle"

Actually, after I came up with my (wrong) answer, I just googled "who owns the fish?"

 

[Atomatik]

ah, the miracle of modern technology. when you can't figure something out, just google it.

 

[LordOpie]

I dont think the puzzle is hard enough, straight away, for him to call it unsolvable for 98% of peeps.

98% of all people on the planet? I think so, but that's cuz most of the world doesn't receive the type of math/logic courses that first world countries do and even then, you have to have the right mindset to do it and follow through.

I still say we eat the dang fish... with some wasabi.

 

[Jeremy R]

It took me forever to do.
I was too lazy to draw out the possibility trees, so I just drew the houses and started trying to figure something out.
Sometimes I would get on to something and then completely forget what I was doing.
Anyway, that was a great puzzle, I was surprised I figured it out.

 

[peter6061]

That was fun. It took about twenty minutes, but what else am I going to do while waiting for the clock to tick?

I got the right answer and then scrolled down.

I like the idea of 'PUZZLE FRIDAY'

I agree with the spreadsheet thing. Until I drew it out and separated each item on a different line, things were a little 'blurry'.

 

[kizzi77]

I still say we eat the dang fish... with some wasabi.

When we come out to Denver...tell Jason you want sushi, he'll love it!!!

side note, I think I love puzzles because I :heart: math!!! It was my major in college for a while until I realized I couldn't do much with it, not wanting to teach or be an actuary. But you're right. Most people don't have the skills, patience, or just general logic to solve **** like this. So...um...have any more puzzles? :love:

 

[luken8r]

didnt read the thread for answer, but thats too much thinking for 17.25 on a friday afternoon

 

[LordOpie]

Dace likes sushi?

 

[SilentJ]

98% of all people on the planet? I think so, but that's cuz most of the world doesn't receive the type of math/logic courses that first world countries do and even then, you have to have the right mindset to do it and follow through.

You're right...I somehow forgot that an excessively high proportion of people in the world are complete idiots...what was I thinking?

 

[kizzi77]

Dace likes sushi?

Um...no...he had a horrible experience this summer so it is fun to try and make it seem like everyone is going to get sushi. I have to make sushi dates with my classmates or his room mates if I want sushi.

mmmm crunchy shrimp

 

[SilentJ]

you have to have the right mindset to do it and follow through.

So, does solving the puzzle through to figure out that the german has the fish mean that you were in the right mindset for this problem(as Einstein intended it)?

 

[LordOpie]

You're right...I somehow forgot that an excessively high proportion of people in the world are complete idiots...what was I thinking?

I was not suggesting the world is full of idiots. Not everyone has a mathematical/analytical mind. Don't ask me to decorate a house, I would have no clue what pattern pillow cases matches the ceiling fan.

 

[H8R]

Don't ask me to decorate a house, I would have no clue what pattern pillow cases matches the ceiling fan.

These will match most ceiling fans:

http://www.evonoche.com/things.htm

 

[johnbryanpeters]

When we come out to Denver...tell Jason you want sushi, he'll love it!!!

side note, I think I love puzzles because I :heart: math!!! It was my major in college for a while until I realized I couldn't do much with it, not wanting to teach or be an actuary. But you're right. Most people don't have the skills, patience, or just general logic to solve **** like this. So...um...have any more puzzles? :love:

So why didn't you pursue engineering if you like math? Teacher or actuary my ass!