All-Star Puzzles
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The Musicians
Who has played what instrument for how long?
March 28, 2002
Neither the flute player (clue 2), oboist(5), violinist (6), nor cello player (9) has been with the Summerset Symphony the shortest time, so the clarinet player has been. By clue 4, the musician with the longest symphony tenure has been with the orchestra 18 years longer than the clarinet player. If the clarinet player has been with the group 7 years, by clue 1, Handel would have been with the symphony 21 years longer. Therefore, the clarinet player has been playing with the symphony for 6 years or less. By clues 3 and 8, there must be two gaps of 12 years among the five lengths of tenure. If the clarinetist has been with the symphony 1 year, Georgia would have 2 and Handel 4 years experience (1) and the person with longest service would have 19 years in the orchestra (4). However, if the 19 years isn't the high of one of the two gaps of 12 in clues 3 and 8, there would have to be six different lengths of service; and if the 19 were one of the two highs in clues 3 and 8 and the fifth tenure were then 7 years, there would be no way for two gaps of 12 to exist. Similarly, the clarinet player's experience at 3 years gives tenures of 6, 12, and 21 and the same problem, as does the clarinetist's experience at 5 years giving 10, 20, and 23. If the clarinet player has been with the Summerset Symphony for 2 years, with Georgia then having 4, Handel 8 (1), and the most senior musician 20 (4) years, the fifth musician would have to have 14 or 16 years tenure. If the years were 20, 14, 8, 4, and 2 or 20, 16, 8, 4, and 2, however, there is no way for clue 5 to work. If the clarinet player's years of service are 4, giving Georgia 8, Handel 16 (1), and the most senior musician 22 (4), the only way for both the oboist (5) and the violinist (6) to have 3 more years with the orchestra than other players would be for them to have 22 and 19, or vice versa, years tenure. But then the cellist in clue 9 would have more than the high of 24 years with the orchestra. So, we are left with the clarinetist being a 6-year veteran of the Summerset Symphony. Georgia then has 12 and Handel 24 (1) years with the group; and since no two have the same tenure (intro), in clue 4, Handel must be the most senior honoree. One of the two 12-year gaps (3, 8) must be between Handel and Georgia, or we would have six different numbers of years. Since Georgia isn't Bach (7), Walter can't be Handel (3). By clue 8, then, Yolanda is Handel and Ravel Georgia. Walter isn't the clarinet player (3), so either James or Maria is. In either case, by clues 5 and 6, either the oboist or the violinist must have 9 years tenure. Walter (3) must have either 21 or 18 years service, the fifth tenure to the four decided; and by clue 6, Walter must be Wagner. Then the violinist in clue 6 must have 9 years service. So, Walter Wagner has been with the symphony 18 years and Bach for 6 (3). In clue 6, Maria is Bach and plays the clarinet. By elimination, the violinist is James Schubert. By clue 5, Georgia Ravel plays the oboe. Yolanda is the cellist (9) and Walter the flutist. In sum, the five honored musicians, the instruments they play, and their lengths of service with the Summerset Symphony are

  • Yolanda Handel, cello, 24 years
  • Walter Wagner, flute, 18 years
  • Georgia Ravel, oboe, 12 years
  • James Schubert, violin, 9 years
  • Maria Bach, clarinet, 6 years

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