This is a classic logic puzzle, with one important difference: All the information in it is factual rather than fictional. If you already know some of the answers, you’ll have a head start in solving the puzzle—but if you don’t, you should be able to figure everything out from the clues given. ANSWER, PAGE 80
TRIVIALOGIC: SOAP STARS
Laurence Fishburne appeared in six more episodes than the performer from, and the performer whose first feature film was appeared in six more episodes than the actor from (1). So Fishburne and the X actor appeared in either 10 or 16 episodes, and the performers in and appeared in either four or 10 episodes. Marisa Tomei appeared in exactly two more episodes than the performer whose first feature film was and Kathy Bates appeared in exactly two more episodes than the performer whose character was introduced in 1987 (2). Tomei and Bates appeared in either four or 18 episodes; and the performer from and the performer introduced in 1987 appeared in either two or 16 episodes. Angela Bassett appeared in exactly eight more episodes than the performer whose first feature film was ; and the performer who debuted in appeared in exactly eight more episodes of than the performer introduced in 1985 appeared in episodes of their own soap opera (3). So we now know that Bassett appeared in 10 or 18 episodes; as did the performer who was in both and , who may or may not be Bassett. We also know that the actor who debuted in appeared in either two or 10 episodes, as did the performer who was introduced in 1985 (who may or may not be the actor). Since Bassett, Bates, Fishburne, and Tomei didn’t appear in exactly two episodes (see above), the two-episode actor is Brad Pitt. By process of elimination, the 16-episode actor is Laurence Fishburne, and the 10-episode actor on is Angela Bassett (1). This means that the actor who appeared in 10 episodes (1) is Bassett; the actor appeared in 18 episodes (3); the actor on appeared in 4 episodes (1); and the actor who debuted in appeared in two episodes (Pitt) (3). By process of elimination, the actor in appeared in 16 episodes (it’s Fishburne), and the actor in appeared in 4 episodes. The actor who was introduced in 1987 wasn’t Fishburne, Tomei, Bates (2), or Bassett (at 10 episodes, she’s eight fewer than the actor, so her character was introduced in 1985 (3)); it’s Pitt. The character on wasn’t introduced in 1974 or 1984 (4). We already know that character wasn’t introduced in 1985 (that’s Bassett on ) or 1987 (that’s Pitt, who was in two episodes fewer than ), so the character was introduced in 1978. Brad Pitt didn’t appear on (4), so by process of elimination, he appeared on , and Fishburne appeared on The character who appeared in 18 episodes was introduced at least five years after the character who appeared in 16 episodes (4), which means the 16-episode performer (Fishburne) was introduced in 1974, and the 18-episode performer (Tomei) was introduced in 1984. If Tomei appeared in 18 episodes, then Bates appeared in 4 (see above).
