Use your reason
As an academic discipline, logic is the study of reasoning. Logic puzzles, therefore, involve making a series of inferences and assessing them using reasoning. Easier logic puzzles for kids tend to have simpler setups – and therefore fewer possibilities to examine and eliminate. Harder logic puzzles for adults, however, are often deceptively short. They seem simple at first, but the solver is often left wondering how there could really be enough information to figure them out.
Like some of the hardest math puzzles and math riddles, these puzzles can get very complex. If you look for them online, you’ll find lots of examples of logic puzzles that come with grids to help you keep track of your thinking as you make your way through the various clues.
What is a logic puzzle?
These puzzles come in various forms and can have a nearly limitless number of different themes. But, at their core, logic puzzles present a series of clues and constraints. Solvers then must process each in turn to identify contradictions and eliminate possibilities until they arrive at the solution.
How to solve a logic puzzle
No matter the format, the key to solving any of these puzzles is to use a process of deduction. In harder logic puzzles for adults, it might not seem like there’s enough information at first. But by reading through the clues several times, you’ll have fewer and fewer possibilities to analyse with each pass.
These logic puzzles start off easy and get harder as you progress through them.
Summer camp
Abigail, Oliver, Rosa and Blake all attend the same summer camp, where they can cook, kayak, rock climb and zip-line. Each child has a different favourite activity.
Abigail’s favourite activity isn’t rock climbing.
Oliver is afraid of heights.
Rosa can’t do her favourite activity without a harness.
Blake likes to keep his feet on the ground at all times.
Can you figure out who likes what?
Answer: Abigail likes to zip-line, Oliver likes to kayak, Rosa likes to rock climb, and Blake likes to cook.
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The good life
Each of five neighbourhood dogs (Saber, Ginger, Nutmeg, Pepper and Bear) is enjoying one of the following activities: getting its ears scratched, playing catch, taking a nap, burying a chew toy, and going for a walk.
Pepper is either playing catch or burying a chew toy.
Neither Ginger nor Saber nor Bear is on a walk.
One of the dogs named after a spice is getting its ears scratched.
A dog not named for a spice is playing catch.
Bear is getting some exercise.
Can you figure out what each pooch is doing?
Answer: Saber is taking a nap, Ginger is getting her ears scratched, Nutmeg is going for a walk, Pepper is burying a chew toy, and Bear is playing catch.