hisapprentice | [Puzzle 014]

[Sometimes, in the wake of a foundation-shattering event, all anyone can do is stare at what remains.

That is not true for Luke this time, and hasn't been in the entire two weeks since all of himself came rushing back. All things considered, he's been as upbeat and energetic as ever. Helpful, too - so many others seemed devastated in the aftermath, he felt and still feels like he ought to make up for it somehow.

The first thing he does with the free time in his Monday is go to the bakery and get a dozen of something. Donuts or cupcakes or similar things, anything sweet and delicious. Those treats are going to people he knows, if he can find them, especially the ones that haven't shown their faces of late.

Then it's time for the real substance of his day.

A puzzle.

He handwrites it out first, then reads it out for the benefit of anyone stymied on the writing front.]

A family gathers in a room for a party. In this family, there is a mother, a father, a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister, an auntie, an uncle, a niece, a nephew, and 2 cousins. However, there are only 4 people in the room. What are their relations to each other?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Then how does it go? How are there only 4 people?

No, see, you already know there are four people. Your job is to figure out how they're all related in a way that satisfies the conditions.

I just don't see how there can only be 4 people. It feels like there should be more.

It's meant to feel that way. I wouldn't give out an impossible puzzle, though, so there's got to be a solution!

Am I going to have to solve this on my own?

That's what puzzles are for! But I'm here to help you if you get too stuck.

Well, does other relations count? I mean, just because the other people aren't there doesn't mean their relations don't count. Like I said, a mother can be a sister, grandmother, cousin, and daughter too.

I'm sure they've all got other relatives too, but the important ones are just the ones there in the room with them. Only those four are part of the solution.

[She thinks.

And thinks.

And thinks some more.]

I don't know. What's the answer?

Aww, you aren't even going to give it a try? You asked a lot of good questions already.

[A pout.]

Um... is there just a mother, father, daughter, and son in the room, and then a picture of everyone else there?

That's an answer I haven't heard yet. Unfortunately, it isn't the right one. I can give you a hint, though!

Okay! One more. I can do this.

The mother and the father aren't married to each other.

Oh! Well... I guess that helps out.

So then that could me the mother could be cousins with the father?

She could! I'm not sure it would work out if that were true, but that's the right sort of thinking.

I mean, the mother and father aren't married.

[She just laughs.] Apparently I'm not good with riddles.

Nothing wrong with that! [She's taking it well at least. Others have been less forgiving of tough puzzles.] You gave it a good try.

You flatter me.

Have a lot of people gotten the right answer?

Not really. [He's all dejected about it, too.] It didn't take me too long to solve, but maybe I just underestimated how inexperienced with puzzles everyone else is.

[Have a look because she thinks these are just for fun and only fun.] Well I guess a lot of us didn't have time to play games.

They're not games! Sometimes solving puzzles is the only way out of a bad situation.

Really? Like how?

Well, for one example, if you're trying to rescue someone from a very tall tower where she's trapped behind locked doors and the way to unlock them is to solve the puzzles in the locks.

Did that really happen?

voice;

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