Solve Einstein's Riddle: Who Owns the Fish?

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In summary, Albert Einstein wrote a riddle with five houses in a row, each with a different color and owner of a different nationality. The owners also have different pets, drinks, and cigarette brands. Using given clues, the answer to the question of who owns the fish is the German living in the green house, drinking coffee, and smoking Prince. The final solution may require some trial and error.
  • #1
alane1994
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Albert Einstein wrote the following riddle this century when he was in his prime. He believed 98% of the people would not be able to solve it. Good luck!

There are five houses in a row. Each of the five houses is a different color. In each house lives a person of a different nationality. The five owners drink a certain type of beverage, smoke a certain brand of cigarette, and keep a certain pet. No house owners have the same pet, smoke the same brand of cigarette, or drink the same beverage.

Use the following clues below to find the answer to the question. "Who owns the fish?"
  • The Brit lives in the red house.
  • The Swede keeps dogs as pets.
  • The Dane drinks tea.
  • The greenhouse is on the left of the white house.
  • The green house's owner drinks coffee.
  • The person who smokes Pall Mall rears birds.
  • The owner of the yellow house smokes Dunhill.
  • The man living in the center house drinks milk.
  • The Norwegian lives in the first house on the left.
  • The man who smokes Blends lives next door to the person who keeps cats.
  • The man who keeps horses lives next door to the man who smokes Dunhill.
  • The owner who smokes Bluemasters drinks beer.
  • The German smokes Prince.
  • The Norwegian lives next door to the blue house.
  • The man who smokes Blends has a neighbor who drinks water.

This one has me properly stumped(Tongueout)
Thought you guys might like a crack at it!
 
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  • #2
It has to be the German, who lives in a green house, drinks coffee, and smokes Prince.

To solve this, you can only get so far with straight deduction. Then you have to do trial and error.

Disclaimer: I solved this with my students, not by myself.
 
  • #3
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I solved it in the past by myself (Muscle) lol, it is as what Ackbach said
you made an order then checking the statements and see what contradict with the order
 

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  • #4
Interesting, for some reason I was resistant to start the trial and error process. I suppose I thought I was just missing something. Very cool guys!:D
 
  • #5


After analyzing the clues, the solution to the riddle is as follows:

The German owns the fish.

Explanation:
1. The Brit lives in the red house, so the red house cannot be the fish owner's house.
2. The Swede keeps dogs as pets, so the Swede cannot be the fish owner.
3. The Dane drinks tea, so the Dane cannot be the fish owner.
4. The greenhouse is to the left of the white house, so the white house cannot be the fish owner's house.
5. The green house's owner drinks coffee, so the green house cannot be the fish owner's house.
6. The person who smokes Pall Mall rears birds, so the Pall Mall smoker cannot be the fish owner.
7. The owner of the yellow house smokes Dunhill, so the yellow house cannot be the fish owner's house.
8. The man living in the center house drinks milk, so the center house cannot be the fish owner's house.
9. The Norwegian lives in the first house on the left, so the first house on the left cannot be the fish owner's house.
10. The man who smokes Blends lives next door to the person who keeps cats, so the Blends smoker cannot be the fish owner.
11. The man who keeps horses lives next door to the man who smokes Dunhill, so the Dunhill smoker cannot be the fish owner.
12. The owner who smokes Bluemasters drinks beer, so the Bluemasters smoker cannot be the fish owner.
13. The German smokes Prince, so the German cannot be the fish owner.
14. The Norwegian lives next door to the blue house, so the blue house cannot be the fish owner's house.
15. The man who smokes Blends has a neighbor who drinks water, so the Blends smoker cannot be the fish owner.

Therefore, the only remaining option is the German, who is the only one left who does not have a pet, drink, or cigarette brand associated with them. Therefore, the German must own the fish.
 

FAQ: Solve Einstein's Riddle: Who Owns the Fish?

1. What is Einstein's Riddle and why is it famous?

Einstein's Riddle, also known as the Zebra Puzzle, is a logic puzzle created by Albert Einstein. It is famous for being challenging and requiring critical thinking skills to solve.

2. How is the riddle structured?

The riddle consists of a series of clues and a grid with 5 houses, each with a different color, nationality, pet, drink, and cigarette brand. The goal is to use the clues to determine which person owns the fish.

3. What are some tips for solving the riddle?

It is important to carefully read and analyze each clue, and to make deductions based on the information provided. Creating a visual representation of the grid and crossing out possibilities can also be helpful.

4. Can the riddle be solved using trial and error?

No, the riddle cannot be solved using trial and error. It requires logical reasoning and elimination of possibilities based on the clues given.

5. Is there a specific technique or strategy for solving the riddle?

There is no one specific technique or strategy for solving the riddle, but some common approaches include working backwards from the last clue, using process of elimination, and creating a table or diagram to organize the information.

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