← Curifold Puzzle School · 7 minutes ·
Ada, Bea and Cy bring different objects—map, key or torch—and arrive at different times: nine, ten or eleven. Each object and time is used once. Some clues connect people to objects; others connect objects to times.
- Person ↔ time
- Time ↔ object
- Join: person ↔ object
The idea
Keep the object and time records side by side. A shared time can connect the categories: if the key arrives at ten and Bea is the unique arrival at ten, Bea has the key. Name both the shared link and the uniqueness rule. Once you finish, check each person in both categories; an object-only answer is incomplete.
Try it yourself
The clues
- Ada brought the map.
- The key arrived at ten.
- Bea arrived at ten.
- Ada arrived at nine.
- Objects and times are each used once.
| Person | Object | Arrival |
|---|---|---|
| Ada | Your answer | Your answer |
| Bea | Your answer | Your answer |
| Cy | Your answer | Your answer |
| Person | Map | Key | Torch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ada | |||
| Bea | |||
| Cy |
Hint 1
Join the two clues mentioning ten.
Hint 2
Complete Ada and Bea in both categories, then use the remaining entries.
Who brought the key?
Ada has the map and cannot also have the key.
The two ten-o’clock clues identify the same arrival, so Bea has the key.
Cy is the remaining arrival at eleven, whereas the key arrived at ten.
Read all responses and explanations
Ada
Ada has the map and cannot also have the key.
Bea
The two ten-o’clock clues identify the same arrival, so Bea has the key.
Cy
Cy is the remaining arrival at eleven, whereas the key arrived at ten.
What is Cy’s full record?
Ada has map/nine and Bea key/ten, leaving torch/eleven for Cy.
The map belongs to Ada, so this repeats an object that is used once.
Nine is Ada’s arrival, so this repeats a time that is used once.
Read all responses and explanations
Torch at eleven
Ada has map/nine and Bea key/ten, leaving torch/eleven for Cy.
Map at eleven
The map belongs to Ada, so this repeats an object that is used once.
Torch at nine
Nine is Ada’s arrival, so this repeats a time that is used once.
Reveal the complete solution
Ada: map at nine. Bea: key at ten. Cy: torch at eleven. Exactly one of the 36 combinations of object and time assignments fits all clues.
Make it your own
Explain the ten-o’clock deduction without saying “obvious.” State the unique-time rule. Now imagine shared arrival times were allowed and identify which deduction would no longer be forced.
Your takeaway
- Draw people and object columns
- Keep a separate arrival-time record
- Join the two ten-o’clock clues
- Write each complete record
- Audit both categories
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Original fictional educational practice, separate from the puzzles sold in the books. Use the stated rules; there is no speed target or score.
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Original educational content by Andrew Stinson Books, developed with AI assistance. Our editorial approach.