Question

Five friends — Alex, Blake, Casey, Drew, and Erin — are sitting in a row facing north. Each likes a different color: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Orange. They also have different favorite fruits: Apple, Banana, Cherry, Mango, and Pineapple. The following information is known:
1) Casey sits at one of the ends of the row.
2) Blake is sitting third to the left of Casey and does not like Red or Yellow.
3) The person who likes Mango is sitting at one of the ends.
4) Drew likes Blue and sits next to Erin, who likes Red.
5) The person who likes Green is sitting in the middle.
6) Alex is at one of the ends and does not like Yellow.
7) The person who likes Pineapple is sitting at the extreme right.
8) Mango is not liked by Alex or Erin.
Based on the given information, answer the following: Which of the following statements is true?

• A. Drew likes Apple and sits next to Blake.
• B. Casey likes Yellow and sits at the extreme right.
• C. Alex likes Red and sits next to Casey.
• D. Erin likes Orange and sits next to Drew.

Hint:

In seating/assignment puzzles, first lock hard positions (ends/middle) and “distance” clues (e.g., “third to the left”). If an end+item constraint then clashes with a second end+item constraint, flag data inconsistency before testing options.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1 (Fix Casey and Blake’s positions from 1 \& 2).
“Blake is third to the left of Casey.” With 5 seats and all facing north, this is possible only if Casey is at position \(5\) (right en(d) and Blake at position \(2\). (Casey at position \(1\) would place Blake at position \(-2\) — impossible; Casey at \(4\) contradicts (1) which says Casey is at an end.)
Step 2 (Place the middle color).
From (5) the person who likes Green sits in the middle \(\) position \(3\) = Green.
Step 3 (Place Alex using (6) and who is at ends already).
Ends are positions \(1\) and \(5\). Position \(5\) is Casey; hence Alex must be at position \(1\). Alex does not like Yellow (from (6)).
Step 4 (Use the fruit-end constraints (3), (7), (8)).
From (7): the Pineapple-lover is at the extreme right \(\) position \(5\) (Casey) likes Pineapple.
From (3): the Mango-lover sits at an end \(\) Mango must be at position \(1\) now (the only other en(d).
But from (8): Mango is not liked by Alex or Erin; position \(1\) is Alex \(\) contradiction.
Step 5 (Conclude on data consistency).
Statements (3), (6), (7), and (8) together force an impossibility. Therefore, the seating/likes data are inconsistent; a unique arrangement cannot be formed.
Step 6 (Evaluate options under the valid hard facts).
Independent of the contradiction, (4) fixes: Drew likes Blue and Erin likes Red. Hence: - (a) “Drew likes Apple…” — false (Drew likes Blue).
- (b) “Casey likes Yellow at the extreme right” — false (rightmost must be Pineapple by (7)).
- (c) “Alex likes Red and sits next to Casey” — false (Erin, not Alex, likes Red; also Alex at position 1 is not adjacent to Casey at 5).
- (d) “Erin likes Orange and sits next to Drew” — false (Erin likes Re(d).
Because no option can be true and the clues contradict, the correct outcome is that the puzzle data are inconsistent.
\[ {\text{Data inconsistent — no option is true based on the given clues.}} \]