The author blog of C. J. Ivory

Tinkerer with words. Dresser-Upper. Adorer of Steampunk and VictoriaNoir fiction. Occasional Lawgineer.

April 19, 2011

Tuesday Tangle: You Better Get Your Story Straight

As I write this, it occurs to me that it is actually Wednesday. But last night (my usual Tuesday Tangle timeslot), domestic life became bogged down in a quagmire of confusion: 
Was it really the final of America's Next Top Model?***
Who was going to set up the newly-bought microwave to make the popcorn? 
And was microwave popcorn even palatable, when watching a show about The World's Skinniest Girls?

Turns out:
1. No - the big finale show is next week
2. My husband, that's who
3. Actually, popcorn is even tastier when you're watching ridiculously thin people on TV. I kind of felt like I was feeding them, vicariously.

Anyway.... Here's today's Tangle. I included this one because I figured it out on the first try (pause for clapping). This is a rare event, so I have a place in my heart for the puzzle.

***I'd just like to point out that my husband and I watch ANTM for the irony value. Honest.



You Better Get Your Story Straight

Store detective Eric Capeesh has been working in the local bookstore, hot on the trail of a serial book-thief. He's narrowed it down to three suspects: Pinky Fastfinger, Dan Dastard and Graham Larceny.
Graham says, "I'm innocent, but I saw Dan do it."
Dan says, "Graham did it, and Pinky is innocent."
Pinky says, "I'm innocent. So is Dan."
The guilty person is lying, and both the innocent people are telling the truth.

Who is the book-thief?

(Scroll down for solution)


Solution:
Use a process of elimination to solve this one: You know that only one person is lying, so you need to find the two people whose stories support one another.  
If Graham is telling the truth, then he is innocent and Dan is guilty
But Dan's statement, that Graham did it contradicts this. So who is lying?
Pinky says she is innocent and Dan is innocent. By implication this says Graham is guilty - and therefore corroborates Dan's story.
Which means that Graham is the book-thief. (Shame on him! Doesn't he know he can download many fine e-books for only 99 cents?)

2 comments:

Caroline said...

YAY me! I figured it out. And thank God my brain is not that fried! Also I'm glad that there is another thinking person that watches ANTM. My husband says that I watch reality TV so that I can laugh at those who are more misfortunate than myself. :-)

Charlotte Jane Ivory said...

Hah! I love me some trashy telly in the evenings! I think it's a panacea for all the stress of trying to be smart during the day time ;)