Professor Layton and the Last Specter/Puzzles 001-025

Caution! This page contains all the hints and solutions for every puzzle from 1 to 25. Scroll carefully or you might spoil the answer of a puzzle for yourself. The solutions are hidden behind spoiler tags, so only take a peek if you're desperate.

Puzzle 001

Name: A Secret Message

Trigger: Automatic

Location: Road to Misthallery

Chapter: Prologue

Picarats: 10

Description: "Hershel, my dear old friend, I must earnestly seek your help again. Our little town is in the most extraordinary predicament. At night, a mysterious giant shrouded in fog had been laying waste to our homes. I am convinced you can help stop this madness. Please come soon! Regards, Clark."

• Hint 1: Reading left to right and top to bottom is the normal way to go... But you might have to approach this letter from a different direction.
• Hint 2: The secret message is made up of seven characters that are somehow hidden in the letter. The trick is to find where those seven characters are hiding.
• Hint 3: There is more than one way to read this letter. If you don't find any hidden messages reading it backward or forward, try reading it from top to bottom.
• Super Hint: The secret message to be clear if you take the first character on each line and put them together.

Answer

HELPSOS. The answer is taken from the first letter of every row.

Puzzle 002

Name: Tourist Spotting

Trigger: Talk to Charlie

Location: Grand Bridge St.

Chapter: 1

Picarats: 20

Description: These four photos were taken at the same location. Three of these were shot by tourists who took turns taking of each other. One of the photos was taken on a completely different day. Tap the three photos that were taken by the tourists who traveled together.

• Hint 1: There is one common detail in three of the photos that shows that they were sightseeing at the same time. Compare the photos until you see what this detail is.
• Hint 2: If you're thinking the dog in the photo is the key, you're barking up the wrong tourist attraction. Is there another detail that links three of the photos?
• Hint 3: Look around the feet of each person. Do you see anything there?
• Super Hint: The shadows in the photos will give you an idea of when each photo was taken. Since three people were traveling together, look for matching shadows.

Answer

Photo C. All of the other pictures were taken at noon, as can be seen from the shadows.

Puzzle 003

Name: Pick a Package

Trigger: Check the crate

Location: Wrecked Home

Chapter: 1

Picarats: 20

Description: You have been told to get one of 16 boxes from a stack. The note that describes which box to grab got smudged, so this is all you can make of the details:
-The color of the box on its right is ???.
-The color of the box on its left is ???.
-The color of the box above it is ???.
-It's the same color as the box below it.
Which one box meets this description?

• Hint 1: The note says that the correct box is the same color as one below it. Narrow down your choices to those boxes that fit that description.
• Hint 2: You don't need to know the details that have been smudged out to find the correct box. It says that the correct box has a box above, below, to the left, and to the right of it. That should help you further narrow down your choices.
• Hint 3: Here are two major findings from the note that will help you select the one correct box.
  

1. The box below it is the same color.
2. There are boxes above, below, to the left and to the right of it.
Which box meets both of these criteria? If you apply both conditions, you'll find the correct box!

• Super Hint: If the box has a box above, below, to the right, and to the left of it, you can then rule out all boxes from the top and bottom rows. You can also rule out any boxes in the leftmost and the rightmost columns.

Answer

It is the box in the third column from the left and the third row from the top.

Puzzle 004

Name: Reloading the Cart

Trigger: Talk to Jasmine or check the cart

Location: Crossroads

Chapter: 1

Picarats: 30

Description: "I loaded my cart in such a hurry that everything fell out when I hit the first bump in the road! Can you put everything back without leaving any spaces so the load is secure? Please? Pretty please?"

• Hint 1: is a bit bulky. Try turning it sideways and using it fill the bottom-right corner of the cart.
• Hint 2: should be placed in the top-left corner of the cart.
• Hint 3: When loading (careful, now), you should rotate it and place it on the top center of the cart.
• Super Hint: Turn so that it looks like , and put it on the top left. Turn so it looks like , and put it on the bottom right. Then turn so it looks like , and put it on the top center of the cart. The last two items will fit into the empty spaces and finish the job!

Answer

Arrange the cart according to the picture.

Puzzle 005

Name: River Crossing

Trigger: Talk to Bucky

Location: South Pier

Chapter: 1

Picarats: 25

Description: You need to get one dog, two cats, and three baby chicks across a river. You can take two animals at a time. If you leave the dog with only one cat, there will be a fight. The chicks on the riverbank must outnumber the cats. Otherwise, a fight will break out. Can you ferry all of the animals across without them fighting?

• Hint 1: On the first trip, take two cats with you to the other side.
• Hint 2: Keeping close tabs on the cats is key. After you take the cats on the first trip, Take either the dog or the two chicks. The animals won't fight if you're with them on the riverbank. So, what do you do next?
• Hint 3: Each time you have a chance, take the two cats back and forth across the river, rather than leaving them with other animals. If they're on the raft or alone on the riverbank, the animals will never fight.
• Super Hint: On your first crossing, take the two cats. You can safely leave them there. Next, ferry the dog and one chick across the river. To prevent a fight, take the two cats back across the river with you. Then take the two remaining chicks, leaving the two cats behind. Finally, go back for the two cats!

Answer

Two cats to the right, row alone to the left. A dog and a chick to the right, two cats to the left. Two chicks to the right, row alone to the left. Two cats to the right to complete the puzzle.

Puzzle 006

Name: The Mailbox Panels

Trigger: Check the mailbox

Location: Triton Estate

Chapter: 1

Picarats: 30

Description: When you opened the mailbox, all of the side panels fell off! These panels spell out the word "POST," but you're not sure how they actually fit together to do so. Arrange the panels so that the mailbox looks as it did before the panels fell off.

• Hint 1: The panels don't necessarily make up the letters on their own. In fact, if you try thinking about what the panels aren't making... you're almost there.
• Hint 2: The panels don't come together to make letters--they actually form the borders around the letters. It helps quite a bit if you figure out the corner pieces first!
• Hint 3: If you're still confused about how everything fits together, look at the colors of the individual tiles. Continue the pattern of alternating colors to match up the panels!
• Super Hint: If you look at how the panels are shaped, you can see where the letters "POST" were written. You can also take the rectangular panels in the top and the bottom rows and arrange them so you create a pattern of alternating colors.

Answer

Arrange the tiles according to the picture.

Puzzle 007

Name: Mopping Up

Trigger: Check the broom

Location: Foyer

Chapter: 1

Picarats: 45

Description: These poor-quality mops take two days to dry after they've been used, and the handle completely breaks after just three uses! What is the minimum number of mops that you would need to clean every day for a 30-day month?

• Hint 1: Think about how many mops should be necessary for 30 days. Then see if there is any way you can reduce that number.
• Hint 2: Each mop has to dry for two days, so you will need three mops for the first three days. It will take nine days until these mops are broken. Try to apply this pattern to the whole month.
• Hint 3: If three mops are used over nine days, then nine mops are used to clean for 27 days. How many mops are needed for the remaining three days? Try to think about the smallest number needed.
• Super Hint: The key is in thinking about how you divide up the remaining three days. If you leave it until the end of the month, you will need three mops, but what would happen if you spread these days out throughout the month?

Answer

10 days.

Puzzle 008

Name: Mirror Ballroom

Trigger: Check the mirror

Location: Parlor

Chapter: 2

Picarats: 30

Description: It's all too easy to get lost in this big, dusty hall. There are 14 mirrors set out in some sort of strange arrangement here. You're trying to find a way out, but your only clues are a small arrow on the floor and a laser pointer bearing the words "Exit indicated by larger arrow." Which door is the exit?

• Hint 1: If you don't know much about lasers, you might not realize that they aren't just used by rampaging aliens in the movies! In fact, laser pointers are great for making straight beams of light. Typically, the beam will be powerful enough to reflect off any shiny surface it hits.
• Hint 2: There is a large arrow hidden somewhere within this room. Take your time and look around for where it could be.
• Hint 3: Do you think the laser pointer can shed some light on this situation? Perhaps it can help you find the room's hidden clue.
• Super Hint: The small arrow is probably a good place to start with the laser pointer. Can you make a shape out of the laser pointer's beam when it reflects off the mirrors?

Answer

B. The laser reflecting off the mirrors creates an arrow pointing to B.

Puzzle 009

Name: Certain Curtains

Trigger: Talk to Beth

Location: Foyer

Chapter: 2

Picarats: 20

Description: The butler left a note with instructions, but it's hard to read because he seems to have written it in a hurry. "Don't forget curtain 13!" Yet there are only four curtains labeled: A, B, C, and D. Which of these was he referring to?

• Hint 1: Did the butler mean to write "13"...? Perhaps he was in such a hurry, his handwriting obscured the true meaning of his message. Rushing can lead one to make mistakes, you know.
• Hint 2: What could "13" refer to? There are no hints to be found in the window or curtains themselves. The note says--or is supposed to say--everything you need to know.
• Hint 3: If you push the "1" and "3" in "13" together, they turn into something entirely different. Something that looks more like a letter than a number.
• Super Hint: Your choices are A, B, C, and D. When you write the "1" and "3" of "13" very close together, they look like one of those four letters.

Answer

Curtain B. The "B" in the note was misinterpreted as "13".

Puzzle 010

Name: Rat Rations

Trigger: Check the pipe

Location: East District

Chapter: 2

Picarats: 45

Description: This rat hid his key behind his supply of cheese. He is paranoid about it being found, so he wants to change its hiding place. The only problem is that his cheese is in the way! Can you help the rat move his key from the hiding place on the right to the matching space directly to the key's left?

• Hint 1: Did you notice that you can move two pieces of cheese at the same time? Start by moving the two rightmost pieces down. Then try to make a space in the bottom-left corner.
• Hint 2: Continuing from Hint 1: Make a space in the top-right corner and move the key down to it. Then move the key one space to the left.
• Hint 3: Continuing from Hint 2: After moving the key, fit the C-shaped cheeses together against the right wall. Next, move a flat cheese to the bottom and move the L-shaped cheese and other flat cheese to the left wall.
• Super Hint: Continuing from Hint 3: There should now be a space below the key. Move the key down into this space. Now you can move the flat cheese out of the way and fit the key into its new hiding place!

Answer

Move the rightmost piece of chees down, bringing another piece with it. Then, move the top flat cheese all the way to the right. Move the top C-shaped cheese one space right, then move the right-angled cheese left and two spaces up. After that, move the bottom flat cheese all the way to the left, and move the left C-shaped cheese two spaces down. Move the top flat cheese left, up and left to the top-left corner, then move the key two spaces down and left. Move the right C-shaped cheese up, and move the other C-shaped piece right. Move the bottom flat cheese right and down, then move right-angled cheese down. Now, move the top flat cheese down and left. Move the key left and two spaces down, and move the top flat cheese to the top-right corner. Finally, move the key up into the red space to solve the puzzle.

Puzzle 011

Name: Downhill from Here

Trigger: Talk to Mido

Location: Café Entrance

Chapter: 2

Picarats: 10

Description: While this photograph shows two cyclists passing each other on a hill, the camera was tilted when it was taken, making the incline look completely flat. Can you tell which side of the photo is actually uphill? Please tap either A or B to enter your answer.

• Hint 1: If you're having trouble, imagine yourself riding a bike in steep hill. Which direction would be easier?
• Hint 2: If you set a ball on an incline, it would just roll downhill, right? A bicycle would do the same thing.
• Hint 3: What would the person on the bike going downhill have to do to keep moving? It's probably the opposite of what the cyclist going uphill has to do.
• Super Hint: Take a close look at the pedals on each bike. The person going downhill shouldn't need to pedal. If the person who isn't paddling is going downhill, then the opposite of the direction they are heading is uphill.

Answer

Direction A.

Puzzle 012

Name: Room Check

Trigger: Ring the bell repeatedly

Location: Hotel Lobby

Chapter: 2

Picarats: 35

Description: You need to check all 12 rooms in the hotel. You want to be as efficient as possible and make your rounds without entering the same room twice. There is a number you can use to help you remember the route so that you can check every room with no backtracking. What is that number?

• Hint 1: You want to check all of the rooms without having to think about your route too much. Draw a route to see if your path resembles a number at all...
• Hint 2: From the first room, try going right, down, left, down, right. That's the first number done...
• Hint 3: The first digit of the number is 2. If you never enter any room twice, what will the full number be?
• Super Hint: Here's the route from the room in the second column from the left on the bottom row: right, right, up, left, up, then right to the exit. What number does that part of your route look like?

Answer

25. The number is formed by the only path that visits every room once.

Puzzle 013

Name: Bucket Run

Trigger: Check the pool of water

Location: Café Entrance

Chapter: 3

Picarats: 30

Description: You have two empty buckets and are currently in a park with two fountains. Starting at the position marked by a star, visit both of the fountains, filling a bucket at each, and return as quickly as possible to the starting point. Assuming you do not travel along the same path twice, what route should you take? Draw a line along your route.

• Hint 1: You're looking for the fastest route. It might help to imagine yourself actually carrying the buckets.
• Hint 2: Your first instinct might be to run straight to the fountains, but is that really the best approach? Try thinking about it a little more practically.
• Hint 3: Taking the shortest route is not the only way to make the trip faster. Think about other things that could slow you down. Say, carrying something heavy...
• Super Hint: If you fill up the buckets right away, you'll be stuck carrying heavy buckets are trying to rush back to the start. You won't be able to move as quickly as before. Find a route that allows you to keep the buckets empty for as long as possible.

Answer

From the star, go straight north and round the border, then pass both fountains on the path back to the finish.

Puzzle 014

Name: Cafeteria Conundrum

Trigger: Tap the chalkboard

Location: Paddy's Place

Chapter: 3

Picarats: 20

Description: There are four tables in this cafeteria. The total cost of the food ordered at each table is the exact same amount. What's the last item ordered at table 4: A, a cup of tea; B, a glass of juice; or C, a plate of toast?

• Hint 1: Try comparing the two tables that have the most similar items.
• Hint 2: Calculate the total bill for each table in terms of cups of tea. Start with tables 1 and 3.
• Hint 3: Tables 1 and 3 have the same amount of juice, so ignore the juice in comparison. That leaves you with a cup of tea and a plate of toast in table 1, and three cups of tea on table 3. You can then work out that one plate of toasts costs the same as two cups of tea.
• Super Hint: You've learned that one plate of toast costs the same as two cups of tea, so now take a look at table 2. If you replace the toast with tea, you'll have four cups of tea on the table. What must the last item on table 4 be?

Answer

A, the cup of tea.

Puzzle 015

Name: Eating Point

Trigger: Talk to Dom

Location: Pike Lane

Chapter: 3

Picarats: 20

Description: You're supposed to meet a friend at a restaurant, but you forgot which restaurant! You know the restaurant is due north of the hero statue, due south of the goddess statue, and due east of the lion statue. You have a map, but it doesn't show compass directions or statue names. Which restaurant are you looking for?

• Hint 1: There are no compass directions on the map, meaning the top of the map isn't necessarily north.
• Hint 2: Since the restaurant you want is due north and due south of two statues, you should be able to draw a straight line that contains both statues and the restaurant.
• Hint 3: There's a bit of a "twist" to solving this puzzle. Try slowly turning the map until you find an angle in which the direction of the statues and restaurant fits the requirements.
• Super Hint: The statue on the bottom left is the goddess statue. And the bottom-left corner of the map is the most northern section of the town map. Can you work out the rest of it now?

Answer

Café A.

Puzzle 016

Name: Captain's Call

Trigger: Talk to Doland

Location: Parlor

Chapter: 3

Picarats: 20

Description: Two luxury cruise ships pass each other in the middle of a very calm sea. The two ships are completely identical, and the two ships' captains happen to be good friends. "Ahoy there, Captain Brown! I didn't think I'd see you here!" "I didn't expect to see you either! But it looks like you've been steaming along at a fair rate of knots, Captain White!" Which ship is Captain Brown's?

• Hint 1: Captain Brown said, "It looks like you've been steaming along at a fair rate of knots..." So the faster ship is Captain White's.
• Hint 2: If Captain White's ship is the one that's moving quicker, then Captain Brown's ship must be moving slower. Is there anything in the picture that would tell you anything about the speed of the two ships?
• Hint 3: Captain Brown is on the slower-moving ship. Where would you look to see how fast the ship is moving? Try looking at the picture again from a distance.
• Super Hint: Can you see any differences between the two ships? That's right--the wakes forming at the bow of each ship have different angles. How would the angle of the slower ship's wake differ from that of the faster ship's?

Answer

Ship A.

Puzzle 017

Name: Which Doll?

Trigger: Talk to Bobbi

Location: Murray Street

Chapter: 3

Picarats: 30

Description: It may not look like it at first, but one of the dolls, marked A, B, or C, is identical to the doll on the far left. Which of the three dolls could be an exact match for the fourth doll?

• Hint 1: The dolls may all look different, but the word "identical" may be a little tricky here... Pay close attention to what the dolls are wearing.
• Hint 2: Have you tried comparing the dolls from different angles? Think about how you might examine the dolls if you were holding them.
• Hint 3: The faces and hats of the dolls don't have much to do with solving the puzzle. Pay attention to the colors of the clothing, the arms, and the legs.
• Super Hint: Look at the colors of the socks and gloves, as well as the color of the fringe on the bottom of the skirts. This should help you pick out the right doll.

Answer

Doll C. It is the original doll flipped over.

Puzzle 018

Name: Faulty Streetlights

Trigger: Check the lampposts

Location: Central Pier

Chapter: 3

Picarats: 40

Description: This quiet road is lit by 10 streetlights. Deep in the dead of night, the lights are blown by a power surge and all the lights are replaced. Unfortunately, the bulbs are poor quality--one breaks every two hours. Finding it hard to keep up, the unlucky repairman only manages to bring a replacement bulb every three hours. How many bulbs will still be lit after 12 hours?

• Hint 1: The key is to think about the state of the lights after 12 hours.
• Hint 2: To begin with, all 10 lights were shining brightly in the night. Now try to imagine the scene 12 hours later.
• Hint 3: You don't need to do any math to answer this puzzle. If you just think of what streetlights are used for, the answer should be obvious.
• Super Hint: If you imagine that the power surge happened at midnight and the new bulbs were fitted and working shortly afterward, what time will it be 12 hours later? Will there be any need for lights then?

Answer

0. It will be daytime after 12 hours.

Puzzle 019

Name: Fish Feud

Trigger: Talk to Marion

Location: Fish Lab

Chapter: 3

Picarats: 30

Description: There are four types of fussy fish in the tank below. The orange fish dislike the yellow fish, and the yellow fish dislike the blue ones. The blue fish abhor the purple, and the purple fish can't stand the orange. What's worse, no fish can be with another fish of the same color. Add dividers by drawing straight lines from the notches along the side of the tank without crossing over any fish. Using just four dividers, can you divide the fish and bring harmony to the tank?

• Hint 1: Try thinking in terms of the opposite conditions. For example, you already know that orange fish don't get along with purple fish, yellow fish, and other orange fish. That means they DO get along with blue fish, so you can put orange and blue fish together.
• Hint 2: You already know that purple fish will only get along with yellow fish, so it would make sense to arrange the dividers so that a purple fish might be paired up with a yellow fish. Instead of thinking in terms of who won't get along, think instead about who WILL get along. Then start to place your dividers.
• Hint 3: Not counting the corner points, connect the third point from the left on the top wall to the third point from the bottom on the right wall. Next, connect the first point from the right on the top wall to the second point from the bottom on the left wall.
• Super Hint: Again, not counting the corner points, connect the first point from the top on the left wall to the fourth point from the right on the bottom wall. Finally, connect the second point from the top on the right wall to the second point from the left on the bottom wall.

Answer

Draw your dividers according to the picture.

Puzzle 020

Name: Counting Cats

Trigger: Talk to Hugo

Location: Apartment Row

Chapter: 3

Picarats: 35

Description: A famous artist was commissioned to paint this picture by a wealthy, yet eccentric, cat lover. The painting, entitled "How Cats See the World," actually contains several hidden cat shapes that are designed to blend in with the background. Can you find all the cats hidden in this painting? How many are there?

• Hint 1: Start by looking for the shape of a cat's mouse and ears. The cats hidden in the painting are much easier to find if you visualize those shapes.
• Hint 2: Not all the cats in the painting are facing forward. Some are splayed out horizontally. If you're stuck, try turning the image to get a different view.
• Hint 3: There are fewer than 10 cats hidden in the painting. Try counting them up one at a time.
• Super Hint: There are more than five cats hidden in the painting.

Answer

There are 8 cats total.

Puzzle 021

Name: Foggy Numbers

Trigger: Talk to Mr. Browne

Location: Hat Shop

Chapter: 3

Picarats: 40

Description: The fog has made this sign impossible to read. While the townsfolk can't recall the exact order in which the numbers appear, they do remember the following:

• Each number from 1 to 9 appears once.
• 5 is between two larger numbers.
• 3 is between two smaller numbers.
• 7 is between two larger numbers.
• The first number is 9 and the last number is 1.

Use the clues to put the numbers in the correct order.

• Hint 1: The first number is definitely 9. Take a look at the fourth piece of information provided by the townsfolk. That will give you a big clue toward figuring out the first three digits.
• Hint 2: The last number is definitely 1. Apply the same logic that was used in Hint 1 to the last three digits. Is it all starting to become clear?
• Hint 3: The first number is 9. Since 7 should be between two larger numbers, logic dictates that the first three numbers are 9, 7, and 8. Similarly, the last number is 1. Since 3 should be between two smaller numbers, the last three numbers are 2, 3, and 1.
• Super Hint: If you followed the previous hints, only the three numbers in the middle should remain a mystery. There is only one possible formation in which the number 5 will appear between two larger numbers. The remaining three are 5, 6, and 4!

Answer

978564231.

Puzzle 022

Name: Paper Pair

Trigger: Tap the desk

Location: Room 301

Chapter: 4

Picarats: 30

Description: Hotels often provide stationery in their rooms for visitors to use. In your room, it seems some mischievous individual has cut a hole in one of the sheets of notepaper. You want to cut the paper into two identically shaped pieces. The boxes marked by dotted lines are perfect squares, and you cannot lose any part of the stationery. Where should you cut?

• Hint 1: After cutting, one piece must be flipped to make the two shapes match.
• Hint 2: The puzzle hinges on how you make use of the hole in the stationery. The line that divides the two shapes goes through the hole.
• Hint 3: One cut that must be made goes up one square from the top-right corner of the hole. Does that help?
• Super Hint: You must also cut down one square from the bottom-left corner of the hole, left one square from there, and then down one square again, in a zigzag pattern. Can you work it out now?

Answer

Cut the paper according to the picture.

Puzzle 023

Name: The Cracked Clock

Trigger: Talk to the officer

Location: Hotel

Chapter: 4

Picarats: 30

Description: While taking a clock down from the wall, you drop it on the floor, cracking its face in half. Curiously enough, you find that the sum of the numbers on each side is equal. Draw the line that shows exactly where the clock face is split in half.

• Hint 1: There's no secret tip that will crack this calculation. Start by making a good guess where the line falls, then add up the numbers in the two halves.
• Hint 2: Consider this! The sum of all the number around the whole circle is 78. So if the sum on each half of the clock is equal, what is half of 78?
• Hint 3: If the sum of all the numbers is 78, then the total of each half is 39. Make a rough guess about where that dividing line might be, then add up each half. Adjust the line based on how far away each half if from 39.
• Super Hint: It all comes down to math once you know the secret that each half must add up to 39. Keep making a good guess where the crack might be until each half hits that number!

Answer

The line starts from the point directly to the top of 9 to the point below 3.

Puzzle 024

Name: Moonlight Melancholy

Trigger: Talk to Aldus

Location: Café Entrance

Chapter: 4

Picarats: 20

Description: A prince and princess from two countries have fallen deeply in love. But their two countries are at war, and so the young lovers cannot be together. Tonight, as they gaze at the moon, separated by more than just distance, each sheds a single tear. Bring them joy by forming a symbol with which to adorn the night sky. You may move and rotate their tears as inspiration.

• Hint 1: You need to create a symbol that will bring a smile to their faces. What kind of shape could make them happy but be formed from such sadness?
• Hint 2: Take a closer look at the shape of their tears. Don't concern yourself with the moon in the background. It will likely disappear once their tears are gone.
• Hint 3: What emblem could bring happiness to two people in love? Try to form a meaningful shape using the tears of each lovelorn noble.
• Super Hint: A heart is the only thing that could bring comfort to this prince and his heartbroken princess. Try to use the two tears to form a heart in the night sky.

Answer

Take the left tear and place it toward the right half of the box. Rotate the bottom tear 180 degrees and place it to the left of the first tear to form a heart.

Puzzle 025

Name: Taste Test

Trigger: Talk to Paddy

Location: Paddy's Place

Chapter: 4

Picarats: 35

Description: There are four different types of buns in this assortment of 12. There are more cream buns than butter buns, fewer chocolate buns than jam buns, and fewer jam buns than cream buns. If buns of the same type always have the same shape, what is the fewest number of buns you'd have to taste to determine which shapes are each type?

• Hint 1: On the table we can see there is a group of four buns, two groups of three buns, and a group of two buns. From the puzzle, which types of buns do you think there are the most and fewest of?
• Hint 2: Let's compare the amounts of buns described in the puzzle: Cream > Butter, Choclate < Jam, Jam < Cream. So put another way: Cream > Butter, Cream > Jam > Chocolate.
• Hint 3: Based on the puzzle, we know there are more cream buns than any other type. Therefore, we can exclude the largest group on the table from our taste test. That leaves two groups of three and one group of two. Since Jam > Chocolate, one of the remaining groups of three must be jam, while the group of two must be chocolate. We can also skip that group in our test.
• Super Hint: Since you know which buns are in the biggest and smallest groups, all you need to do is determine which of the remaining two groups of buns is which. And you don't really need to taste both to figure that out, do you?

Answer

1. You only need to taste a bun from one of the two groups of three buns to determine whether that bun is Jam or Butter.