Puzzle 19: The Trading Circle

Puzzle Walkthrough

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The clan at 3:09 chose a non-edible resource. So 3:09 must be Wood or Water.

Exactly one edible resource was chosen before Ironvale returned. This will constrain Ironvale’s time once we know what happened earlier.

The clan that chose Fish did not return first. So Fish is not at 1:55.

Ironvale returned before the 3:09 clan, and the 2:32 clan did not choose Wood. Therefore Ironvale cannot be at 3:09 and must be earlier than that. We will test Ironvale’s time after we place Skyshade.

Skyshade returned before Ironvale and did not choose Water. So Skyshade’s time is earlier than Ironvale’s time, and Skyshade’s resource is not Water.

Tidalspire returned at neither 2:32 nor 3:09. So Tidalspire must be either 1:55 or 3:28.

Emberclaw chose a non-edible resource and did not return first. So Emberclaw is not 1:55, and Emberclaw’s resource is Wood or Water.

Among the two pairs of times that differ by 37 minutes (1:55↔2:32 and 2:32↔3:09), exactly one of the earlier times (that is, either 1:55 or 2:32) was taken by a clan that chose a non-edible resource.

Now lock the timeline. Since Skyshade must be earlier than Ironvale, Ironvale cannot be at 1:55 (there is no earlier slot for Skyshade). Therefore Ironvale must be at 2:32, which forces Skyshade to be at 1:55.

Tidalspire cannot be 2:32 or 3:09, so Tidalspire must be 3:28. That leaves Emberclaw at 3:09. This perfectly matches the earlier statement that 3:09 is a non-edible resource and that Emberclaw chose a non-edible resource and did not return first.

Because Fish was not first, Skyshade at 1:55 cannot be Fish. Skyshade also cannot choose Water. The only remaining edible option for Skyshade is Fruit. So Skyshade chose Fruit at 1:55.

Check the “exactly one edible before Ironvale” rule. Only one time exists before Ironvale’s 2:32, and it is Skyshade at 1:55 with Fruit, which is edible. That gives exactly one edible before Ironvale and confirms Ironvale’s placement at 2:32.

Use the “earlier time in the 37-minute pairs” rule. The earlier times are 1:55 and 2:32. Exactly one of those must be non-edible. We already have 1:55 as Fruit (edible), so 2:32 must be non-edible. The 2:32 clan cannot choose Wood, so the only non-edible left there is Water. Thus Ironvale at 2:32 chose Water.

Emberclaw is at 3:09 with a non-edible resource. Since Water is already taken by Ironvale, Emberclaw must have Wood.

The remaining clan, Tidalspire at 3:28, takes the remaining resource, which is Fish. That satisfies “Fish did not return first.”

All clues are satisfied: 3:09 is non-edible with Emberclaw, Ironvale is before 3:09 at 2:32 with Water, Skyshade is before Ironvale at 1:55 and not Water (it is Fruit), Tidalspire is at 3:28, the Fish is not first, and among 1:55 and 2:32 exactly one earlier time is non-edible.

Answers

Skyshade returned at 1:55 and chose Fruit.
Ironvale returned at 2:32 and chose Water.
Emberclaw returned at 3:09 and chose Wood.
Tidalspire returned at 3:28 and chose Fish.

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