18 logic grid puzzles with solutions
Match each person to one item. Each match can be used only once; the solutions explain each deduction.
Updated
Ivo, Lea, and Mina present at 9, 10, and 11, one person per time. Ivo presents at 9. Lea is not at 9. Mina is not at 10. Who presents at 10?
Lea presents at 10.
Ivo uses 9. Mina cannot use 9 or 10, so Mina uses 11. The remaining time, 10, belongs to Lea.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Ari, Bo, Cia, and Dev each choose one project: kite, maze, robot, or volcano. Ari chooses neither maze, robot, nor volcano. Bo chooses neither robot nor volcano. Cia does not choose volcano. Which project does Dev choose?
Dev chooses the volcano project.
Ari must have kite. Bo then must have maze. Cia must have robot, leaving volcano for Dev.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Four workshops use Cedar, Elm, Maple, and Oak rooms. Design is not in Elm, Maple, or Oak. Coding is not in Cedar, Maple, or Oak. Writing is not in Cedar, Elm, or Oak. Where is the Music workshop?
Music is in Oak.
Design is forced into Cedar, Coding into Elm, and Writing into Maple. Oak is the only room left for Music.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Four labeled lunch boxes contain apple, crackers, grapes, and yogurt, one snack each. Box Red has crackers. Box Blue has neither apple nor yogurt. Box Green has neither crackers nor yogurt. What is in Box Yellow?
Box Yellow contains yogurt.
Red has crackers. Blue cannot have apple or yogurt, so Blue has grapes. Green then has apple. Yogurt remains for Yellow.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Jae, Kira, Luis, and Noor each visit on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Noor visits Thursday. Jae does not visit Tuesday or Wednesday. Kira does not visit Monday or Wednesday. Which day does Luis visit?
Luis visits Wednesday.
Noor has Thursday. Jae must have Monday. Kira must then have Tuesday. Wednesday remains for Luis.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Eli, Fara, Gus, Hana, and Ivan wear circle, diamond, moon, square, and star badges. Eli does not wear diamond, moon, square, or star. Fara does not wear moon, square, or star. Gus does not wear square or star. Hana does not wear star. Which badge does Ivan wear?
Ivan wears the star badge.
The exclusions force Eli to circle, Fara to diamond, Gus to moon, and Hana to square. Star remains for Ivan.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Paz, Quin, Ravi, and Sol use lockers 12, 18, 24, and 30. Ravi uses 24. Paz does not use 18 or 30. Quin does not use 12 or 30. Which locker does Sol use?
Sol uses locker 30.
Ravi has 24. Paz must have 12. Quin must have 18. Sol therefore has 30.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Uma, Vero, Wes, and Xia play drum, flute, piano, and violin. Xia plays violin. Uma plays neither flute nor piano. Vero plays neither drum nor piano. Which instrument does Wes play?
Wes plays piano.
Xia has violin. Uma must have drum, and Vero must have flute. Piano remains for Wes.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Packets A, B, C, and D contain basil, dill, mint, and thyme. Packet B contains dill. Packet A contains neither dill nor mint nor thyme. Packet C contains neither basil, dill, nor thyme. What is in Packet D?
Packet D contains thyme.
A must contain basil and B contains dill. C cannot contain basil, dill, or thyme, so C has mint. The remaining herb, thyme, belongs in D.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Four parcels arrive by bike, car, train, and van. Parcel North arrives by train. Parcel East arrives by neither car nor van. Parcel South arrives by neither bike nor van. How does Parcel West arrive?
Parcel West arrives by van.
North uses train. East must use bike. South must use car. Van remains for West.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Clay, glass, paper, and wood models sit on shelves 1, 2, 3, and 4. Glass is on shelf 2. Clay is not on shelves 2, 3, or 4. Paper is not on shelves 1, 2, or 4. Which shelf holds wood?
Wood is on shelf 4.
Clay is forced to shelf 1, glass is on shelf 2, and paper is forced to shelf 3. Wood must be on shelf 4.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Nia, Oren, and Pia each use a telescope at dawn, noon, or dusk. Oren uses it at noon. Nia uses it at neither noon nor dusk. When does Pia use it?
Pia uses the telescope at dusk.
Oren takes noon. Nia can take neither noon nor dusk, so Nia takes dawn. The remaining slot, dusk, belongs to Pia.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Red, Blue, Green, and White recipe cards show soup, rice, salad, and stew. White shows stew. Red shows neither rice, salad, nor stew. Blue shows neither soup, salad, nor stew. What does Green show?
Green shows salad.
White has stew. Red is excluded from the other three choices, so Red has soup. Blue must then have rice, leaving salad for Green.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Kite, Lime, Moss, and Navy envelopes contain a badge, map, pass, and token. Moss contains the pass. Kite contains neither the map, pass, nor token. Lime contains neither the badge, pass, nor token. What is in Navy?
Navy contains the token.
Moss has the pass. Kite is forced to the badge and Lime is forced to the map. The only insert left for Navy is the token.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Aster, Birch, Cedar, Dune, and Elm segments occupy radio slots 1 through 5. Aster has slot 3. Birch has none of slots 2 through 5. Cedar has neither slot 1 nor slots 3 through 5. Dune has neither slots 1 through 3 nor slot 5. Which slot has Elm?
Elm has slot 5.
Aster has 3. The exclusions force Birch to 1, Cedar to 2, and Dune to 4. Slot 5 remains for Elm.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Five lanterns named Arc, Beam, Cove, Drift, and Echo glow amber, blue, green, silver, and violet. Cove glows green. Arc glows neither blue, green, silver, nor violet. Beam glows neither amber, green, silver, nor violet. Drift glows neither amber, blue, green, nor violet. What color is Echo?
Echo glows violet.
Cove has green. Arc is forced to amber, Beam to blue, and Drift to silver. Violet is the remaining color for Echo.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Poster tubes J, K, L, M, and N hold art, code, dance, music, and science posters. Tube L holds dance. Tube J holds neither code, dance, music, nor science. Tube K holds neither art, dance, music, nor science. Tube M holds neither art, code, dance, nor science. Which poster is in Tube N?
Tube N holds the science poster.
Tube L has dance. The exclusions force J to art, K to code, and M to music. Science remains for Tube N.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Folders A through F have coral, gold, gray, lilac, teal, and white tabs. Folder C has gray. A has none of gold, gray, lilac, teal, or white. B has none of coral, gray, lilac, teal, or white. D has none of coral, gold, gray, teal, or white. E has none of coral, gold, gray, lilac, or white. Which tab does F have?
Folder F has the white tab.
C has gray. The exclusions force A to coral, B to gold, D to lilac, and E to teal. White remains for F.
Source: reference https://mathigon.org/world/Logic_and_Paradoxes
Plan the round and team scores
8 turns × 60 seconds = 8 minutes of play, plus instructions and breaks.
60
These are adjustable house rules. Pause whenever the group needs more time.
Team 1: 0
Team 2: 0
Use this set with a group
Read a prompt, allow thinking time, then invite an answer or a pass. For a timed round, choose a turn length before starting. A host can keep the printed answers out of view until the round ends.