This is my first diary in a long time, mostly because I don't feel I can contribute much by way of analysis or anything. But this diary isnt really about something substantive. Its about a favorite pass-time of mine: a logic puzzle. The particular type of logic puzzle I m speaking of is essentially a mini detective story, where you have to use clues to match up all the characters to their unique traits.
I got the idea to do this mostly because it allows me to exercise two favorite parts of my brain: the silly part and the logical part and its all in good fun. Now I m actually copying them from a magazine but I tweak them enough to make them my own; for instance, in this first entry I copied one that was about horses, unicorns eating flowers and turned it into GOP pols, scandals, and campaign issues. So it would be a stretch to say I'm violating fair use or whatever.
To the puzzle
Firstly, for those of you who ve never done anything like this, which I m assuming is everyone, the rules:
Directions
There will be a few clues in paragraph form. Now it is very important to note that in each separate clue each trait mentioned denotes one different person. For example, you will see syntactically heavy sentences like the following: "person1 has less X than person 2, who has less than person3." This sentence is obvious because of the numbers but if you replace the "person" with another one of their traits like: "the one who has a pony has less X than the one who has a giraffe...etc." So, assume all traits in each clue refer to different people.
Ok, the first paragraph will be set up
As we all know, the GOP is in trouble nationally. Below are clues to why 4 of 5 GOP hopefuls were turned away at the polls. Using the clues you must match each candidate to his/her scandal, main campaign issue, press coverage and campaign result. There are 5 of each. For instace, Ms Delilah McKray is a black candidate from Texas who caused a furor over her repeated declaration:"I m a proud strong black woman".
Now the clues
- The prolife candidate had one day less press coverage than the candidate who for 3 days had the Blogosphere abuzz with his/her misdeeds, who in turn, had one day less coverage than the candidate emphasizing ethics reform.
- Everett I. Bellows had one day less coverage than the pol with a corruption case who had one day less coverage than the candidate who lost in a recount.
- The one who lost in a primary had at least 2 days less coverage than Reyes who had one day less coverage than Childs.
- McKray had one day less coverage than the one who had a big loss, who had one day less coverage than the one who had a narrow win.
- Stiles had two days less coverage than the one who had a narrow loss, who had one less than the one who was accused of child molestation.
Now with those clues already written, I have mentioned the name of every pol or a personal indentifying trait. But there are four traits. So I think I do still need to mention more clues. So in the next block I ll list all the things not mentioned and update with any clues
List of Names and occupation
Chauncey Chipper Childs, former school teacher;
Rutherford B Stiles, chicago school economist;
Joachim Reyes, cuban american businessman;
Everett I Bellows, former preacher;
Delilah Mckray, businesswoman;
List of Main Campaign Issues and accorded press coverage
Family Values: Anti-gay, 3 days in blogoshere;
Ethics reform, 4 days front page major newspaper
Family Values: Pro life, local news 2 days
Probig business, front page local conservative rag 1 day
"tough on crime"/Education, 5 days on 24/7 cable news.