Can You Crack the Birthday Mystery? A Logic Puzzle to Challenge Your Mind
Dive into this intriguing logic puzzle where two friends try to uncover their new acquaintance's birthday through clever clues and reasoning. Test your problem-solving skills with this captivating brain teaser!
Two friends are eager to discover the birthday of their new acquaintance, but she speaks only in riddles. Can you unravel her secret?
Years ago, Singaporean TV host Kenneth Kong shared a challenging logic puzzle on Facebook* that sparked widespread debate over its solution. Now it's your turn to find the correct answer!
Albert and Bernard just met Cheryl and want to know when her birthday is. Cheryl thinks giving a straightforward answer would be too dull, so she offers several possible dates:
- May 15, May 16, May 19;
- June 17, June 18;
- July 14, July 16;
- August 14, August 15, August 17.
Cheryl then tells Albert the month of her birthday and Bernard the day. Following this, a conversation unfolds:
— "I don't know Cheryl's birthday, but I know Bernard doesn't know either," says Albert.
— "At first, I didn't know, but now I do," replies Bernard.
— "Now I also know when Cheryl's birthday is!" exclaims Albert.
So, when is Cheryl's birthday?
Albert doesn't know the exact birthday since multiple dates fall within each month. However, from knowing the month, he can deduce information that helps Bernard.
Albert's statement that Bernard doesn't know the birthday reveals that the day Bernard was told cannot be unique to a single month. For instance, if Bernard had been told the 18th or 19th, he would immediately know the month, as those days appear only once in the list.
Bernard realizes Cheryl couldn't have told Albert May or June, since those months contain unique days (18 and 19). Therefore, the birthday must be in July or August.
Initially, Bernard didn't know the birthday, but after Albert's remark, he figures it out. Considering the remaining dates in July and August, the 14th appears twice. If Bernard had been told the 14th, he still couldn't be certain. Since he now knows, the birthday cannot be on the 14th, leaving July 16, August 15, and August 17.
When Bernard shares his discovery, Albert also deduces the birthday. He could only be certain if the month given to him was July; otherwise, he'd be uncertain between August 15 and August 17. Hence, Cheryl's birthday is July 16.
What a fascinating puzzle! Share your thoughts and whether you solved it in the comments below.
*Note: Meta Platforms Inc.'s services, including Facebook and Instagram, are restricted in certain regions.
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