Who Is the Engineer? - The Solution

Last Monday, I posted a puzzle and solicited readers to submit the solution. Several readers responded and all of them solved the puzzle correctly. If you were unable to solve the puzzle, today I offer the solution.

First, let me post the puzzle again.

Who Is the Engineer?

On a train, Smith, Robinson and Jones are the fireman, brakeman and engineer, but NOT respectively. Also, aboard the train there are three businessmen who have the same names: a Mr. Smith, a Mr. Robinson and a Mr. Jones.

1. Mr. Robinson lives in Detroit.

2. The brakeman lives exactly halfway between Chicago and Detroit.

3. Mr. Jones earns exactly $20,000 per year.

4. The brakeman's nearest neighbor, one of the passengers, earns exactly three times as much as the brakeman.

5. Smith beats the fireman at billiards.

6. The passenger whose name is the same as the brakeman's lives in Chicago.

Who is the Engineer?

The Solution

A. Since Smith beats the fireman at billiards (5), Smith must be either the brakeman or the engineer.

B. The brakeman, who lives halfway between Chicago and Detroit (2), also lives near the neighbor who earns three times as much as he does.

C. The neighbor cannot be Mr. Robinson because Mr. Robinson lives in Detroit.

D. The neighbor cannot be Mr. Jones because Mr. Jones’ $20,000 a year (3) is not divisible by three.

E. Therefore, the brakeman’s neighbor must be Mr. Smith.

F. The passenger whose name is the same as the brakeman’s lives in Chicago.

G. He cannot be Mr. Robinson because Mr. Robinson lives in Detroit (1). He cannot be Mr. Smith because Mr. Smith lives between Chicago and Detroit (E).

H. Therefore, the passenger’s name is Mr. Jones.

I. Therefore, the brakeman’s name is also Jones.

J. Since Smith beats the fireman at billiards, so the fireman must be Robinson.

The Engineer is Smith.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tag: Puzzle

Who Is the Engineer?

Last week, I was going through some old papers and I found a puzzle that has been one of my favorites for years. The puzzle has nothing to do with the Old Testament, but I love it. So, I decided to give you a chance to solve this puzzle. Read the puzzle below and discover who the engineer is. As you read the puzzle, you must take into consideration that every fact is important and must be considered in solving the puzzle.

Who Is the Engineer?

On a train, Smith, Robinson and Jones are the fireman, brakeman and engineer, but NOT respectively. Also, aboard the train there are three businessmen who have the same names: a Mr. Smith, a Mr. Robinson and a Mr. Jones.

1. Mr. Robinson lives in Detroit.

2. The brakeman lives exactly halfway between Chicago and Detroit.

3. Mr. Jones earns exactly $20,000 per year.

4. The brakeman's nearest neighbor, one of the passengers, earns exactly three times as much as the brakeman.

5. Smith beats the fireman at billiards.

6. The passenger whose name is the same as the brakeman's lives in Chicago.

Who is the Engineer?

Solve the puzzle and give the rationale for your answer. You can leave a comment on the post or you can send an email with your answer.

The answer to the puzzle will be posted on Friday.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tag: Puzzle