Challenge: Solve Number Lock Puzzle 318 in One Logic Chain Analysis
Solve number lock puzzle 318 in one logic chain in a few minutes from 5 clues with hint code and digit and position correctness on the hint code.
3 Digit Number Lock Puzzle Including Hint Code 318
Following are the five clues:
Clue 1: Code 3 1 8: One digit is correct and in the right place.
Clue 2: Code 2 8 1: One digit is correct but in the wrong place.
Clue 3: Code 6 5 7: Two digits are correct and in the right places.
Clue 4: Code 6 1 4: One digit is correct and in the right place.
Clue 5: Code 2 4 6: One digit is correct but in the wrong place.
Find the code to open the number lock in three analytical steps.
Time to solve 10 minutes.
Hints: Scan all clues. Find clues with breakthrough patterns in common digits.
Solution to Number Lock Puzzle 318 in a Logic Analysis Chain
Most clues will be analyzed together, and conclusions will be drawn in steps.
Clue 1: Code 3 1 8: One digit is correct and in the right place.
Clue 2: Code 2 8 1: One digit is correct but in the wrong place.
Clue 3: Code 6 5 7: Two digits are correct and in the right places.
Clue 4: Code 6 1 4: One digit is correct and in the right place.
Clue 5: Code 2 4 6: One digit is correct but in the wrong place.
- From Clues 1+2+4, digit 1 seems to be a correct digit satisfying all three clues, but it violates Clue 3 (no 1 in hint code at all), and so, 1 is wrong.
- In Clue 4, with 1 wrong, either 4 or 6 is right.
- If 6 is wrong in Clue 3 → partial code [? 5 7] → but the only correct digit 4 in Clue 4 is in position conflict with 7 → 6 is correct and 4 is wrong → 6 in leftmost from Clue 4.
- In Clue 5 with 6 the single correct digit, 2 is wrong → In Clue 2, 6 is leftmost in secret code and 1 wrong, second correct digit 8 occupies rightmost and from Clue 3, digit 5 is identified as the third correct digit in the middle.
Secret code [ 6 5 8 ].
Test satisfies all clues. Answer 658. Verify yourself.
Lessons Learned
- Common Digits Are Logical Anchors: Used for breakthrough by logical reasoning based on correctness and position descriptions → Though common digit 1 in three clues (1+2+4) appeared to satisfy the clues in its middle position, its total absence in the hint code of Clue 3 (with two correct digits) proved it to be a wrong digit.
- Logic Chain: With 1 wrong in Clue 4, either 4 or 6 must be right, but 6 wrong (false assumption logic) led to the only correct digit 4 in Clue 4 to be in positional conflict with correct digit 7 (if 6 were wrong, concluded from Clue 3). That proved 6 to be right and 4 wrong.
- Positional Correctness Analysis: It was all positional correctness analysis in a series of conclusions → From Clue 5, with only one correct digit 6, digit 2 is identified as an incorrect digit and from Clue 2, provided the second correct digit 8 by positional correctness analysis and incorrect digit elimination.With only one middle position left, digit 5 in Clue 3 naturally fell into its correct middle place.
- It was a chain of reasoning, analyzing all five clues together as needed: Each deduction feeds into the next. Each step is based on digit patterns common in the clues and positional correctness analysis.
This holistic analysis resulted in a quick solution. Experience in logical reasoning needed for this type of chained reasoning based on common digit patterns in multiple clues.
To enjoy solving many more such number lock puzzles, click here.
Puzzles you may enjoy
Easy to hard brain teasers with systematic solutions
Challenging brain teasers with solutions: Long list.
This will always be the most up-to-date full list with the brain teasers classified into categories that can be browsed separately.