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Friday Puzzler -- Four Tennis Players
Alex Y
Mr. Scott, his sister, his son, and his daughter are tennis
players. The following facts refer to the people mentioned:
1. The best player's twin and the worst player are of opposite sex.
2. The best player and the worst player are the same age.
Which one of the four is the best player?
Source: _New Puzzles in Logical Deduction_ by George J. Summers
Re: Friday Puzzler -- Four Tennis Players
Larry Barrett
Mr. Scott is neither the best nor the worst. Same for his son.
Looks like you've got it
Alex Y
But left it obfuscated enough that it could still prove puzzling.
Explanation
Alex Y
Congrats to Larry for getting this one. Here's the reasoning:
This is important--none of the people referred to in the puzzle is anyone but the people here.Mr. Scott, his sister, his son, and his daughter are tennis
players. The following facts refer to the people mentioned:
We know that the twins are Mr Scott's children, Mr. Scott and his sister, or both. But in any case, the twins are fraternal, of opposite sex. Therefore, the best player's twin is of opposite sex to both the best and worst players, so the best and worst players are of the same sex, either Mr Scott and his son, or Scott's sister and her neice.1. The best player's twin and the worst player are of opposite sex.
Scott and his son cannot be the same age. While it's rare, it's certainly possible for Scott's sister and his daughter to be the same age. so the two females must be the best and worst players.2. The best player and the worst player are the same age.
Back to statement 1, we know that the best player is a twin, therefore it is Scott's daughter.Which one of the four is the best player?