Answer to the January 5, 2004 Problem of the Week

The Skating Elvises
adapted from a problem by Randall L. Whipkey

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This week's Problem of the Week is in honor of Elvis Presley's birthday,
which of course occurs this week (JANUARY 8).

One of the most popular events at this year's Elvis Lives On! convention
was "Elvises on Ice," with Elvis impersonators in full jump suits doing
double axels and sit spins to their favorite Presley songs. The judges
awarded the top five places to Skating Elvises from five different cities,
who performed to different songs. One of the cities was Memphis and one
of the songs was "Return to Sender."

From the results below, you should be able to solve this Logic Problem
by finding the order of finish 1st-5th in the figure skating:
each Elvis's full name (one first name was David, one last name Dixon)
and home city and the song to which he skated.

1. The skater who performed to "Love Me Tender" placed higher in the judging
    than the Toledo Elvis, who finished ahead of Victor in the event.

2. John finished one place higher than Mr. Johnson in the competition.

3. The figure skater who spun and jumped to "Can't Help Falling in Love" (who
    isn't Rick) and the Columbus Elvis were also in last year's electrifying
    "Elvises on the Flying Trapeze."

4. Walt placed behind the black-jump-suited "Jailhouse Rock" skater,
    who lost to the San Antonio Elvis in the judging.

5. After seeing another skater's performance to "In The Ghetto," top-five
    figure skater Mr. Alarie skated to a different Presley hit.

6. Mr. Patel finished lower than the Winchester Elvis but higher than Rick
    in the event.

7. Mr. Mealy scored an average 9.70 from the panel of judges, less
    than the 9.80 the skater to "In The Ghetto" received.

8. Victor and the "Jailhouse Rock" skater both did double toe loops in
    their routines.

9. The San Antonio Elvis isn't the one who skated to "Love Me Tender."

10. Walt and the participant from Columbus also sang as they skated.

11. The skater from San Antonio, who isn't Victor, and Mr. Patel have
      never missed an Elvis Lives On! convention.

 

---

Solution to the Problem:

1st - John Alarie, San Antonio, "Can't Help Falling in Love"

2nd - David Johnson, Winchester, "Jailhouse Rock"

3rd - Walt Patel, Memphis, "Love Me Tender"

4th - Rick Dixon, Toledo, "In The Ghetto"

5th - Victor Mealy, Columbus, "Return to Sender"

Victor (clue 1), Walt (4), and Rick (6) finished 3rd-5th 
in some order in the figure skating judging. 

If Victor in clue 1 had placed 3rd with the Toledo Elvis 2nd 
and the "Love Me Tender" skater 1st, the San Antonio 
Elvis in clue 4 would have to be Victor, which he isn't (11), 
or the skater to "Love Me Tender," which he isn't (9). 
So, Victor was 4th or 5th. 

If Rick in clue 6 had placed 3rd with Patel 2nd and the 
Elvis from Winchester 1st, since the San Antonio skater 
isn't Patel (11), the San Antonio Elvis would have been 
3rd followed by the skater to "Jailhouse Rock" 4th and 
Walt 5th (4). 

Victor then would have skated to "Jailhouse Rock"-- which 
can't be (8). 
So, Rick wasn't 3rd in the event; Walt was. 

By clue 4, therefore, the San Antonio Elvis skated to 
1st place and the performer to "Jailhouse Rock" was 2nd. 

Since the San Antonio skater's song choice wasn't "Love 
Me Tender" (9), in clue 1, Walt in 3rd place performed to 
"Love Me Tender," with the Toledo Elvis then 4th and 
Victor 5th in the "Elvises on Ice" competition. 

Then Rick in clue 6 placed 4th, with the Winchester 
skater 2nd and Patel 3rd. 

Walt Patel is from Memphis and Victor from Columbus (10). 

By clue 2, John won the figure skating and Johnson 
finished 2nd. 

Johnson is David. 

The one who skated to "Can't Help Falling in Love" isn't
Rick or Victor from Columbus (3) and is John. 

By clue 7, Rick performed to the Presley hit "In The 
Ghetto," and Victor is Mealy. 

Victor chose "Return to Sender" for his background song. 

Rick is Dixon and John Alarie (5).