My own self referential puzzle

Logic Level 3

Q1) Which is the first question where (A) is the correct answer?

  A) Question 3    
  B) Question 1    
  C) Question 5    
  D) Question 2    
  E) Question 4

Q2) Which is the first question where (B) is the correct answer?

  A) Question 4    
  B) Question 3    
  C) Question 1    
  D) Question 2    
  E) Question 5

Q3) Which is the first question where (C) is the correct answer?

  A) Question 1    
  B) Question 2    
  C) Question 4    
  D) Question 3    
  E) Question 5

Q4) Which is the first question where (D) is the correct answer?

  A) Question 4    
  B) Question 1    
  C) Question 5    
  D) Question 3    
  E) Question 2

Q5) Which is the first question where (E) is the correct answer?

  A) Question 2    
  B) Question 5    
  C) Question 3    
  D) Question 1    
  E) Question 4

Find the answers to these five questions above.

Details and Assumptions :

  • If you think the answers are A , C , D , E , B A,C,D,E,B respectively, submit your answer as 13452 13452 , with 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 1,2,3,4,5 denoting the answers of A , B , C , D , E A,B,C,D,E respectively.


The answer is 41523.

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3 solutions

Vaibhav Prasad
Jun 8, 2015

If the answer to Q 1 Q1 is A A then that means Q 3 Q3 is the first question with the correct answer as A A , but then this contradicts are original assumption.

If the answer to Q 1 Q1 is B B then that means the answer to Q 1 Q1 is A A also and there can't be two answers to a problem.

If the answer to Q 1 Q1 is C C then that means the answer to Q 5 Q5 is A A . This implies that Q 2 Q2 has the correct answer as E E . According to this, the answer to Q 5 Q5 is B B also. Again, a question can't have two answers.

If the answer to Q 1 Q1 is D \boxed{D} , then that means Q 2 Q2 has A \boxed{A} as answer. This implies that Q 4 Q4 has B \boxed{B} as answer, which says that Q 1 Q1 has D D as answer. This is true.

Now, coming to Q 3 Q3 , we are left with only two options, C C and E E .

Q 3 Q3 cannot have C C as answer, because that would mean Q 4 Q4 has two answers which is not correct.

Q 3 Q3 would thus have the only left option, E \boxed{E} as its answer.

Thus, the answers are D A E B C DAEBC

Upvote it if you liked it !

1-Non of the questions' answers are self proclaimed (meaning the answer doesn't refer to the same question)

2-1-The First question can't have "A or B" as answer both will lead to a contradiction

2-2-Choice "E" will redirect us to Q4 and its "A" answer refers to it "Q4" as well which also a contradiction.

2-3-Same for "C" it'll send us to Q5 which will send us to Q3 that will send us back to Q5, a contradiction also

So Q1 answer will be "D" .. that's the first piece of domino

Great solution, I loved that explanation.

Jose miguel Millan Londoño - 5 years, 6 months ago
Saya Suka
May 7, 2021

The questions are of the same structure, barring their numbering and the letters they're asking about. As such, we can go 'visit' them one by one and eliminate the wrong options from each so that we can focus on the fewest possibilities that's left on the next round.

And before we start, it should be mentioned (despite the obviousness) that each question will have a distinctive answer, since there's no options like "no questions have the answer of __".

Q1 is asking for the answer letter A, therefore if Q1 and A aren't related to each other, then both options must be wrong.
==> B❌ A❌
==> C, D, E possible

Q2 is asking for the answer letter B, therefore if Q2 and B aren't related to each other, then both options must be wrong.
==> D❌ B❌
==> A, C, E possible

Q3 is asking for the answer letter C, therefore if Q3 and C aren't related to each other, then both options must be wrong.
==> D❌ C❌
==> A, B, E possible

Q4 is asking for the answer letter D, therefore if Q4 and D aren't related to each other, then both options must be wrong.
==> A❌ D❌
==> B, C, E possible

Q5 is asking for the answer letter E, therefore if Q5 and E aren't related to each other, then both options must be wrong.
==> B❌ E❌
==> A, C, D possible

We can clearly see that B & D are the most that's crossed out amongst all the options, so we can start from either question, Q2 or Q4.

B is only the possible answer to Q3 or Q4, so this puts a limitation for Q2 to either be B or A, and since Q2 ≠ B is already established, we can get the answer stream going from Q2 = A and Q4 = B.

On the other hand, D is only the possible answer to Q1 or Q5, so this puts a limitation for Q4 to either be B or C, and since Q4 = B is already established, we know that Q1 = D.

Q1) D
Q2) A
Q3) C or E? ==> Only E possible
Q4) B
Q5) C or E? ==> Only C possible

Even without the last comparison or reading the questions thoroughly, we can be sure to get the answer within the 3 allowed attempts by trying both 41325 and 41523.

Let's see if we can get the real answer from just two hints of Q2 = A and Q4 = B.

A B
A E B

Also two attempts with 31524 and 41523.

Q A B C D E Possibles Final
1 3 1 5 2 4 C5 D2 E4 1D2
2 4 3 1 2 5 A4 C1 E5 2A4
3 1 2 4 3 5 A1 B2 E5 2️⃣3E5
4 4 1 5 3 2 B1 C5 E2 4B1
5 2 5 3 1 4 A2 C3 D1 1️⃣5C3

After the first screening, we can clearly see that the option of "Question 3" in Q5's C is the only surviving one, so that must be the answer for Q5 else Q3 won't have one itself. After Q5 = C and Q3 = E are set to stones, all we need to do is eliminate all the Cs and Es from other questions' options.

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