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Puzzle ZEGX 



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Four friends were discussing the colours of the flowers they had for the local flower show, from this year, and last.

There were four different colours: red, green, blue and yellow.

No-one entered the same colour flower twice.
The entrant who currently has the green flowers, used to have yellow.
Betty, who is not Mrs Long, currently has the blue flowers.
Mrs Kipper, who now has yellow flowers, used to have blue.
Neither Mrs Annie Ford, nor Mrs Jester, have ever owned yellow flowers.
Cybil is not Mrs Kipper.
Diane and Annie have entered four different colours in total.
Can you determine the full names, and colours of the flowers the ladies currently have, and previously had?

Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone

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Answer
             Now     Last
Annie Ford   Red     Green
Betty Jester Blue    Red
Cybil Long   Green   Yellow
Diane Kipper Yellow  Blue

Reasoning
By (3), Betty currently has Blue flowers.
             Now     Last
Betty        Blue

By (4), Mrs Kipper currently has Yellow flowers, and used to have Blue.
             Now     Last
Betty        Blue
      Kipper Yellow  Blue

By (5), we know Annie Ford's name.
             Now     Last
Betty        Blue
      Kipper Yellow  Blue
Annie Ford

By (6), Mrs Kipper must be Diane, and the remaining person's name is Cybil.
             Now     Last
Betty        Blue
Diane Kipper Yellow  Blue
Annie Ford
Cybil

By (2), whoever currently has the Green flowers used to have Yellow, but by (5) this can't be Annie Ford, so this must be Cybil. Which means that Annie must currently have the Red flowers.
             Now     Last
Betty        Blue
Diane Kipper Yellow  Blue
Annie Ford   Red
Cybil        Green   Yellow

By (3), Betty isn't Mrs Long, so must be Mrs Jester. Therefore Cybil must be Mrs Long.
             Now     Last
Betty Jester Blue
Diane Kipper Yellow  Blue
Annie Ford   Red
Cybil Long   Green   Yellow

By (1), Annie Ford must have previously had Green, and Betty Jester had Red.
             Now     Last
Betty Jester Blue    Red
Diane Kipper Yellow  Blue
Annie Ford   Red     Green
Cybil Long   Green   Yellow

 

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