All-Star Puzzles
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The Van Pool
Van poolers conserve energy by commuting downtown together.
May 17, 2004
From the introduction, three women (Alison, Jane, Margaret) and three men (Derek, Todd, Wayne) ride Walt Wheeler's van to work in downtown Summerset each day, getting off in the same order each morning and back on in the same order (reverse of the a.m. one) each evening. In both of clues 2 and 6, three different van pool riders are given, so either there is overlap between the clues or all six riders are named. There isn't complete overlap between clues 2 and 6, since Alison (clue 6) can't be Mr. Harding (2). Two overlaps are possible: Margaret works at Pennant Publishing or Mr. Harding gets off at Oak St. every morning. Since the 3rd person to get out of the van each a.m. works at the Children's Clinic (10), if Margaret worked for Pennant Publishing, by clues 2 and 6, she would be the 4th one off the van, with Alison then off 3rd, for her job at the Children's Clinic (10)--no. If Mr. Harding were the one who gets off at Oak St. each a.m., then, by clues 2 and 6, in consecutive order first-to-last, these four people would depart the van pool: Margaret, Mr. Harding at Oak St., Alison at Birch St., and the one who works for Pennant Publishing. If Margaret were the 1st passenger to get out each morning, Alison would be the 3rd--no (10). If Margaret were the person who is 2nd off the van, by clue 1, Todd would be 1st off, and Margaret would depart at Maple St., which she does not (7). If Margaret were the person who is 3rd off the van, she would work at the Children's Clinic (10). Then Jane would be 1st and the 2nd National Bank employee 2nd out of the van each morning (9). By clue 1, however, Todd would be 2nd to leave the van pool, with Margaret then getting out at Maple St.--no (7). So, there is no overlap between clues 2 and 6, with one of them naming the 1st-3rd and the other the 4th-6th riders to depart. Since the person who works at the Children's Clinic is 3rd off the van each a.m. (10), the one who works at Pennant Publishing in clue 6 can't be. In clue 6, the person who gets out at Oak St. is 4th, Alison is 5th, and the Pennant Publishing employee 6th to get off the van; in clue 2, then, Margaret is 1st, Mr. Harding 2nd, and the one who works on Birch St. 3rd to leave the van each morning. Todd must be the 4th one off the van, with Alison getting off at Maple St. (1). Jane gets out 3rd, and Todd works at the 2nd National Bank (9). By clue 4, Margaret gets out at Poplar St.; and Wayne is Mr. Harding. By elimination, the 6th one to leave the van pool each morning is Derek. Derek gets out of the van at Elm St. and Wayne at Chestnut (5). Todd is Mr. Broome (11). By clue 8, Jane is Ms. Morgan, and Wayne works for Macrocosm Software (8). By clue 3, Margaret's last name is Gillette and Alison's Wilcox. Derek's surname is Curry. Margaret works at Steel City Canning and Alison at Jakob & Marley Securites (4). In sum, the six riders get out of the van pool in order each morning as follows:

  • 1st - Margaret Gillette, Poplar St., Steel City Canning
  • 2nd - Wayne Harding, Chestnut St., Macrocosm Software
  • 3rd - Jane Morgan, Birch St., Children's Clinic
  • 4th - Todd Broome, Oak St., 2nd National Bank
  • 5th - Alison Wilcox, Maple St., Jakob & Marley Securities
  • 6th - Derek Curry, Elm St., Pennant Publishing

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