← Curifold Puzzle School · 7 minutes ·
Four event cards describe an exhibition opening: unlock the room (U), switch on lamps (L), open shutters (S), and admit guests (G). Each happened once, with no ties. Use the clues rather than assumptions about how exhibitions normally open.
- Before: earlier, possibly with a gap
- Immediately before: adjacent
- Complete chain: verify every card
The idea
“Immediately before” means adjacent positions; “before” allows a gap. Build a connected chain before filling the slots. A plausible real-world sequence does not replace the supplied evidence. Once you have an order, check every relationship, not just the clue you used first.
Try it yourself
The clues
- Unlocking happened before the lamps switched on.
- The lamps switched on immediately before the shutters opened.
- Guests entered after the shutters opened.
- All four events occurred once, with no ties.
| Card | Event |
|---|---|
| U | Unlock room |
| L | Switch on lamps |
| S | Open shutters |
| G | Admit guests |
Hint 1
Join L and S as neighbours.
Hint 2
U must come before the pair and G after it.
Which order fits?
This gives U before L, L immediately before S, and S before G. Every clue holds.
This reverses the required relationship between the lamps and shutters.
Unlocking must be before the lamps, not after the lamps and shutters.
Read all responses and explanations
U, L, S, G
This gives U before L, L immediately before S, and S before G. Every clue holds.
U, S, L, G
This reverses the required relationship between the lamps and shutters.
L, S, U, G
Unlocking must be before the lamps, not after the lamps and shutters.
If “immediately before” became “before”, would another order fit these four cards?
G must still follow S, so it cannot move to the start.
There is no spare event to insert while preserving the whole chain. The order is still unique.
U still has to precede L, so placing it between L and S breaks a different clue.
Read all responses and explanations
Yes, G could go first.
G must still follow S, so it cannot move to the start.
No; U before L before S before G is still a complete chain.
There is no spare event to insert while preserving the whole chain. The order is still unique.
Yes, U could go between L and S.
U still has to precede L, so placing it between L and S breaks a different clue.
Reveal the complete solution
U → L → S → G. The relationships form a complete chain of all four events and satisfy adjacency. Exactly one of the 24 possible orders fits.
Make it your own
Draw four slots and note the clue supporting each placement. Remove the guests-after-shutters clue. Find two orders that now fit and explain what information was lost.
Your takeaway
- Write the event cards
- Distinguish before from immediately before
- Record the full order
- Check each clue
- Try removing one relationship
No account required. Completion is saved only on this device. Answers and notes disappear when you leave or reload this page. The printable sheet is blank for your own notes.
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.