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110 - Jumpin' Marbles111 - Empty Seats112 - Wall Repair

Empty Seats (Couple the Chairs in the UK version) is a puzzle in Professor Layton and the Last Specter.

Puzzle

There are five couples seated at this dinner table, but all the wives are visiting the bathroom and you've lost track of who is married to whom. When you ask your friend, he tells you only the following facts:

  1. No one sits opposite their spouse.
  2. No one sits next to their spouse.
  3. Wife A and wife B sit on opposite sides of the table.

Where is wife C's seat? Touch a seat to place her there.

Hints

Click a Tab to reveal the Hint.

US Version

For starters, figure out where wife B is siting. Husband B is sitting on the right-hand side of the table, so you know from the second clue that seats 4 and 5 can be ruled out. You can also rule out seat 2 in light of the first clue, which only leaves 1 and 3 as the possible seats where wife B is sitting.

Which one is it?

UK Version

First, work out which seat is wife B's.

Husband D is sitting it the centre of the right-hand side, so from clue 2 you know that seats 4 and 5 are out. Clue 1 rules out seat 2, leaving only seats 1 and 3.

Which is it?

US Version

Now try to figure out where wife A is sitting. From clues 1 and 2, you can narrow it down to seats 2, 3, and 5.

From Hint 1, you learned that wife B is sitting in either seat 1 or 3.

Now take a look at clue 3. Wife A must be in seat 5, on the opposite side of the table from wife B.

UK Version

After working out the possibilities for wife B's seat, move on to wife A's.

From clues 1 and 2, you can narrow it down to seats 2, 3 and 5. You already know that wife B sits in seat 1 or 3, so if you combine that with clue 3, you can see that wife A must have seat 5, on the opposite side of the table to wife B.

US Version

Now try to figure out the location of wife D. From clues 1 and 2, you can narrow her location down to seats 3 and 5. You already figured out that wife A is in seat 5, so wife D must be in seat 3. That means wife B, whose location you narrowed down earlier to seat 1 or 3, must be sitting in seat 1.

UK Version

Now that you know wife A's seat and have only two options for wife B, you should work out where wife D sits.

You can narrow it down to seat 3 or 5 with clues 1 and 2. But you already know that wife A sits in seat 5, so wife D must have seat 3. That rules out seat 3 for wife B, so you know she must sit in seat 1.

US Version

Figure out where wife E is sitting.

From clues 1 and 2, you can narrow it down to seats 1 and 4. Wife B is in seat 1, so wife E must be in seat 4. This leaves only one seat, which must be where wife C is sitting!

UK Version

You should know where wives A, B and D sit now. Next, work out where wife E sits.

From clue 1 and 2, you can narrow it down to seats 1 and 4. However, wife B is in seat 1, so wife E must be in seat 4.

Now there's only one place where wife C can sit. Which is it?


Solution

Incorrect

Too bad!

US Version

You'd better hurry it up. The dinner party is about to start!

UK Version

You'd better hurry up - it's almost time for dessert!

Correct

A perfect match!

Wife C is seated in seat 2.

US Version

You know none of the couples sit directly opposite or next to one another, so wife A must be in seat 2, 3, or 5; B in seat 1 or 3; C in seat 1, 2, or 4; D in seat 3 or 5; and E in seat 1 or 4. Wives A and B are on opposite sides, so B in seat 1, and E in seat 4. That leaves only one seat for wife C.

UK Version

You know none of the couples are seated directly opposite or next to one another, so wife A must be in seat 2, 3 or 5, B in seat 1 or 3, C in seat 1, 2 or 4, D in seat 3 or 5 and E in seat 1 or 4. Wives A and B are on opposite sides, so wife A must be in seat 5, D in seat 3, B in seat 1 and E in seat 4. That leaves only one seat for wife C.

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