Brain Teasers
Unlucky Car Thief
A car thief, who had managed to evade the authorities in the past, unknowingly took the automobile that belonged to Inspector Detweiler. The sleuth wasted no time and spared no effort in discovering and carefully examining the available clues. He was able to identify four suspects with certainty that one of them was the culprit.
The four make the statements below. In total, six statements are true and six false.
Suspect A:
1. C and I have met many times before today.
2. B is guilty.
3. The car thief did not know it was the Inspector's car.
Suspect B:
1. D did not do it.
2. D's third statement is false.
3. I am innocent.
Suspect C:
1. I have never met A before today.
2. B is not guilty.
3. D knows how to drive.
Suspect D:
1. B's first statement is false.
2. I do not know how to drive.
3. A did it.
Which one is the car thief?
The four make the statements below. In total, six statements are true and six false.
Suspect A:
1. C and I have met many times before today.
2. B is guilty.
3. The car thief did not know it was the Inspector's car.
Suspect B:
1. D did not do it.
2. D's third statement is false.
3. I am innocent.
Suspect C:
1. I have never met A before today.
2. B is not guilty.
3. D knows how to drive.
Suspect D:
1. B's first statement is false.
2. I do not know how to drive.
3. A did it.
Which one is the car thief?
Answer
Consider that six statements are false. A's first statement and C's first statement contradict each other. One of them is false. C's and D's contradict each other. One of them is false. Therefore, there are four additional false statements.Assume A is guilty. If so, A's second statement, B's second statement, and D's first statement are the additional false statements.
Assume D is guilty. If so, A's second statement, B's first statement, and D's third statement are false. This also only makes five false statements. D did not do it.
Assume C did it. If so, A's second statement, D's first and third statements are false. This again, makes only five false statements.
After ruling out suspects A, C and D, B is the culprit. B's third statement, C's second statement, and D's first and third statements are the additional false statements. This adds up to six.
Hide Answer Show Answer
What Next?
View a Similar Brain Teaser...
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
Solve a Puzzle
Comments hidden to avoid spoilers.
Follow Braingle!