Weekend Open Forum

There's no better way to kick off the weekend than with a brainteaser or two.

Test your mental mettle with these posers.

Making Jam.

At the recent interdepartmental jam-making contest, four lucky candidates took part in making the juiciest strawberry jam.

As it happens, the person who came last was the oldest.
Glen was three years older than the person who came second.
Drew was neither the oldest nor the youngest.
Emery finished ahead of the 27-year-old but didn't win.
Alex was also unlucky this time and didn't win either.
The ages of the contestants were 24, 27, 30 and 32.

Think you've cracked it? Congratulations! You've successfully determined the finishing positions and ages of our jam-making contestants.

Check your answers below.

Click Here for the Answer

Answer
# Name Age
1 Drew 30
2 Emery 24
3 Glen 27
4 Alex 32

Reasoning
By (2), because Glen was three years older, the person in 2nd place was either 24 or 27.

But 2nd place can't have been 27, because, by (4), Emery was ahead, but didn't win.

So 2nd place was 24, and Glen was 27.

By (3), Drew could only be 27 or 30, but we now know what Glen was 27, so Drew was 30.

By (1), the person who came last was 32:
1
2 24
3
4 32

By (4), the 27 year old can't have won,
1 Drew 30
2 24
3 Glen 27
4 32

By (4), Emery beat the 27 year old:
1 Drew 30
2 Emery 24
3 Glen 27
4 32

Leaving Alex in last place.
1 Drew 30
2 Emery 24
3 Glen 27
4 Alex 32