Highlight to get the answers to the puzzles. The puzzles are back in the archives of in the December links at the bottom right.

“A Toughie”

1. They all have holes

2. “Coat” can be affixed to the front or back.

3. “Shell”

4. “Bear”

5.”Drop”

6. Bars

7. “Up”

8. The TOUGH one:

Upon changing one letter, they are all synonyms for caring/loving.

Docent / Decent

Daring / Caring

Demoted / Devoted

Kink / Kind

Moving / Loving

Argent / Ardent

Pond / Fond

Tended / Tender

“Deadly Choices”

He waits until night then leaves through the magnifying glass room.

“A Toughie”

1) The red key is somewhere to the left of the key to the door.
2) The blue key is not at one of the ends.
3) The green key is three spaces away from the key to the door (2 between).
4) The yellow key is next to the key to the door.
5) The orange key is in the middle.

Starting with a grid we can eliminate some choices clue by clue.

	DOOR KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R
B
G
Y
O

1) The red key is somewhere to the left of the key to the door.

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No					X
B
G
Y
O

2) The blue key is not at one of the ends.

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No					X
B		X				X
G
Y
O

3) The green key is three spaces away from the key to the door (2 between).

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No					X
B		X				X
G	No			X
Y
O

4) The yellow key is next to the key to the door.

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No					X
B		X				X
G	No			X
Y	No
O

5) The orange key is in the middle.

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No			X		X
B		X		X		X
G	No			X
Y	No			X
O		X	X	O	X	X

So, either the blue or orange key is the right key.

As the green key is three away from the right key, the right key can’t be the middle (orange) one. The blue key must be the door key.

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No			X		X
B	Yes	X		X		X
G	No			X
Y	No			X
O	No	X	X	O	X	X

Also, as the right key is either in the 2^nd or 4^th position, the green key must be in the 5^th or 1^st position.

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No			X		X
B	Yes	X		X		X
G	No		X	X	X
Y	No			X
O	No	X	X	O	X	X

According to rule 1, the red key must be to the left of the (blue) key so can’t be in position 4.

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No			X	X	X
B	Yes	X		X		X
G	No		X	X	X
Y	No			X
O	No	X	X	O	X	X

The blue key is either in position 2 or 4. If the blue key is in position 2, the red key will be in position 1. That means the yellow key would have to be in position 4 or 5, not next to the door key as clue 4 requires. Therefore, the blue key must be in position 4.

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No			X	X	X
B	Yes	X	X	X	O	X
G	No		X	X	X
Y	No			X	X
O	No	X	X	O	X	X

Clue 4 puts the yellow key at position 5, and clue 3 puts the green key in position 1.

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No			X	X	X
B	Yes	X	X	X	O	X
G	No	O	X	X	X	X
Y	No	X	X	X	X	O
O	No	X	X	O	X	X

Lastly, the red key must be in position 2.

	KEY?	1	2	3	4	5
R	No	X	O	X	X	X
B	Yes	X	X	X	O	X
G	No	O	X	X	X	X
Y	No	X	X	X	X	O
O	No	X	X	O	X	X

Solution:

green,red,orange,BLUE,yellow