Puzzle 16: Castaway’s Catch

Puzzle Walkthrough

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The 2:16 PM return time was not from the Shore. So the Shore cannot be at 2:16 PM.

Zoey and the Eel return times were 169 minutes apart. Among the given times, the only pair 169 minutes apart is 11:27 AM and 2:16 PM. Therefore Zoey’s time and the Eel’s time are those two, one at 11:27 AM and the other at 2:16 PM.

The Reef trip finished earlier than the Bay trip. So Reef’s time is earlier in the day than Bay’s time.

Jessica did not fish at the Shore. So Jessica’s location is not the Shore.

The Crab was not caught at the Reef or the Shore. So Crab belongs to either the Lagoon or the Bay.

The Bay did not yield Crab or Shellfish. That eliminates Crab and Shellfish from the Bay, leaving only Eel or Snapper for the Bay.

Natasha finished exactly 146 minutes after the contestant at the Lagoon. The time gap of 146 minutes occurs between 2:16 PM and 4:42 PM, and also between 4:42 PM and 7:08 PM. Therefore the Lagoon and Natasha must be one of these pairs: Lagoon at 2:16 PM with Natasha at 4:42 PM, or Lagoon at 4:42 PM with Natasha at 7:08 PM.

The Bay fisherman returned earlier than Omar, but was not the earliest overall. So the Bay’s time is not 11:27 AM, and Omar’s time is later than the Bay’s time.

Snapper was not caught at the Bay but returned earlier than Shellfish. So wherever Snapper is, its time must be earlier than Shellfish’s time, and Snapper cannot be at the Bay.

Now combine the strongest deductions. The Bay could only be Eel or Snapper, but Snapper is not allowed at the Bay. Therefore the Bay must be Eel. From the 169-minute condition, the Eel time must be either 11:27 AM or 2:16 PM. But the Bay cannot be the earliest overall, so Bay cannot be 11:27 AM. Therefore the Bay is 2:16 PM with Eel, and Zoey is the 11:27 AM returner.

With Bay at 2:16 PM and Reef earlier than Bay, the Reef must be 11:27 AM. Since Zoey’s time is 11:27 AM, Zoey was at the Reef.

Crab is not at Reef or Shore, and Bay does not allow Crab, so Crab must be at the Lagoon.

Apply the Lagoon–Natasha gap. If the Lagoon were 2:16 PM, it would clash with Bay’s 2:16 PM, so that is impossible. Therefore the Lagoon must be 4:42 PM, and Natasha must be exactly 146 minutes after that at 7:08 PM.

This fixes the remaining location–time pair: Shore is 7:08 PM. Jessica does not fish at the Shore, so Jessica is not 7:08 PM.

Place the remaining catches. We already have Crab at the Lagoon and Eel at the Bay. The remaining catches are Snapper and Shellfish for the Reef and the Shore. Snapper must return earlier than Shellfish, and the earlier of those two times is Reef at 11:27 AM, so Snapper is at the Reef and Shellfish is at the Shore.

Finish the people placements. Zoey is already at the Reef with Snapper at 11:27 AM. Natasha is at the Shore with Shellfish at 7:08 PM. The remaining contestants are Jessica and Omar for the Bay and the Lagoon. The Bay fisherman is earlier than Omar, so Omar cannot be the Bay. Therefore Jessica is at the Bay with Eel at 2:16 PM, and Omar is at the Lagoon with Crab at 4:42 PM.

All clues are satisfied: 2:16 PM is not Shore, Reef is earlier than Bay, Bay is Eel and not the earliest, Lagoon is Crab, Zoey’s and Eel’s times are 169 minutes apart, Natasha is exactly 146 minutes after the Lagoon, Snapper is earlier than Shellfish and not at the Bay, and Jessica is not at the Shore.

Answers

Zoey fished at the Reef, caught Snapper, and returned at 11:27 AM.
Jessica fished at the Bay, caught Eel, and returned at 2:16 PM.
Omar fished at the Lagoon, caught Crab, and returned at 4:42 PM.
Natasha fished at the Shore, caught Shellfish, and returned at 7:08 PM.

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