Answer to October 1, 2001 Problem

The Cross Country Problem
The first of seven cross country runners, each bearing a number from 1 to 7, crossed the tape at 12:01 and the others at intervals of 1 minute apart (no ties). If "time" stands for the number of minutes after 12:00, determine the order in which the runners finished.

(A) The highest total of runner and time (13) occurs just once.
(B) The lowest total of runner and time (4) occurs just once.
(C) The total 9 (of runner and time) occurs 3 times.
(D) Just four runners have numbers larger than their times.
(E) The winner's number exceeds that of the second place finisher.

Solution:
The answer is:
1st place: runner #6 at 12:01
2nd place: runner #3 at 12:02
3rd place: runner #1 at 12:03
4th place: runner #5 at 12:04
5th place: runner #4 at 12:05
6th place: runner #7 at 12:06
7th place: runner #2 at 12:07

Runner Number Time Clues Used
1 3 B
2 7 C
3 2 D, E
4 5 C
5 4 C, E
6 1 D, E
7 6 A, E



Correctly solved by:

1. Tony Wu Fort Collins, Colorado
2. Richard K. Johnson La Jolla, California
3. Sarah McNeil San Jose, California
4. Renata Sommerville Austin, Texas
5. Diana Xing Fort Collins, Colorado
6. Geoff Keith Santa Monica, California
7. Ashley Maignan Columbus, Georgia
8. Ellen Sankovich Winchester, Virginia
9. Elizabeth Emmart Winchester, Virginia