Ambiguous clue (Dell)

(Cross-posted to rec.puzzles and misc.kids.)

I have the November 2006 issue of Dell's Math Puzzles and Logic
Problems. I've been attempting to solve Logic Problem 18,
"Baby-Sitting Catastrophe" by Robert Nelson. This puzzle is about
a fictional babysitting club (similar to ones in real life).
The club's members are seven women (why all women?) who
take turns babysitting each other's children. A member earns
points by babysitting, and spends points by having someone
babysit her children.

I would appreciate opinions about the meaning of
Clue 7: "Three consecutive baby-sitting jobs
were for Greta, Dacia and Carol."

Are the women mentioned in this clue the ones doing the
babysitting, or the ones whose children are being watched
by another member?

In other words, is the word "for" being used in the sense
of "I was babysitting for Greta last Tuesday," or in the
sense of "I have a job for you"?

Thanks in advance for your input.

"Catherine Woodgold" wrote in message
...
(Cross-posted to rec.puzzles and misc.kids.)

I have the November 2006 issue of Dell's Math Puzzles and Logic
Problems. I've been attempting to solve Logic Problem 18,
"Baby-Sitting Catastrophe" by Robert Nelson. This puzzle is about
a fictional babysitting club (similar to ones in real life).
The club's members are seven women (why all women?) who
take turns babysitting each other's children. A member earns
points by babysitting, and spends points by having someone
babysit her children.

I would appreciate opinions about the meaning of
Clue 7: "Three consecutive baby-sitting jobs
were for Greta, Dacia and Carol."

Are the women mentioned in this clue the ones doing the
babysitting, or the ones whose children are being watched
by another member?

In other words, is the word "for" being used in the sense
of "I was babysitting for Greta last Tuesday," or in the
sense of "I have a job for you"?

Thanks in advance for your input.

I agree that the clue is a little ambiguous, but would interpret it as being
the first of your suggestions i.e. that the women are doing the babysitting.

Sam

Catherine Woodgold wrote:
(Cross-posted to rec.puzzles and misc.kids.)

I have the November 2006 issue of Dell's Math Puzzles and Logic
Problems. I've been attempting to solve Logic Problem 18,
"Baby-Sitting Catastrophe" by Robert Nelson. This puzzle is about
a fictional babysitting club (similar to ones in real life).
The club's members are seven women (why all women?) who
take turns babysitting each other's children. A member earns
points by babysitting, and spends points by having someone
babysit her children.

I would appreciate opinions about the meaning of
Clue 7: "Three consecutive baby-sitting jobs
were for Greta, Dacia and Carol."

Are the women mentioned in this clue the ones doing the
babysitting, or the ones whose children are being watched
by another member?

In other words, is the word "for" being used in the sense
of "I was babysitting for Greta last Tuesday," or in the
sense of "I have a job for you"?

Thanks in advance for your input.

I would interpret it as meaning Greta's, Dacia's. and Carol's children
being watched by someone else (one member?) As in, "My last 3
babysitting jobs were (babysitting) for Greta, Dacia, and Carol."

Clisby

Catherine Woodgold wrote:
(Cross-posted to rec.puzzles and misc.kids.)

I have the November 2006 issue of Dell's Math Puzzles and Logic
Problems. I've been attempting to solve Logic Problem 18,
"Baby-Sitting Catastrophe" by Robert Nelson. This puzzle is about
a fictional babysitting club (similar to ones in real life).
The club's members are seven women (why all women?) who
take turns babysitting each other's children. A member earns
points by babysitting, and spends points by having someone
babysit her children.

I would appreciate opinions about the meaning of
Clue 7: "Three consecutive baby-sitting jobs
were for Greta, Dacia and Carol."

Are the women mentioned in this clue the ones doing the
babysitting, or the ones whose children are being watched
by another member?

In other words, is the word "for" being used in the sense
of "I was babysitting for Greta last Tuesday," or in the
sense of "I have a job for you"?

Could be either. What's the language in the
rest of the question? You might need to figure it
out from the context, or maybe some of the other
clues contradict one interpretation or the other.
My initial impression was that it would be more
likely that Greta, Dacia and Carol were the sitters,
but I might have had a different impression depending
on the rest of the clues.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Catherine Woodgold" wrote in message
...
(Cross-posted to rec.puzzles and misc.kids.)

I have the November 2006 issue of Dell's Math Puzzles and Logic
Problems. I've been attempting to solve Logic Problem 18,
"Baby-Sitting Catastrophe" by Robert Nelson. This puzzle is about
a fictional babysitting club (similar to ones in real life).
The club's members are seven women (why all women?) who
take turns babysitting each other's children. A member earns
points by babysitting, and spends points by having someone
babysit her children.

I would appreciate opinions about the meaning of
Clue 7: "Three consecutive baby-sitting jobs
were for Greta, Dacia and Carol."

Are the women mentioned in this clue the ones doing the
babysitting, or the ones whose children are being watched
by another member?

In other words, is the word "for" being used in the sense
of "I was babysitting for Greta last Tuesday," or in the
sense of "I have a job for you"?

Thanks in advance for your input.

I would guess (and it's just a guess) that it were the children of Greta,
Dacia and Carol who were watched. If it were those three who did the sitting
then I would guess "by" would have been used instead of "for".

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
Could be either. What's the language in the
rest of the question? You might need to figure it
out from the context, or maybe some of the other
clues contradict one interpretation or the other.
My initial impression was that it would be more
likely that Greta, Dacia and Carol were the sitters,
but I might have had a different impression depending
on the rest of the clues.


I second Erika's suggestion. Take it in context of how the other clues are
worded, if at all possible.

aula

"Catherine Woodgold" wrote in message
...
(Cross-posted to rec.puzzles and misc.kids.)

I have the November 2006 issue of Dell's Math Puzzles and Logic
Problems. I've been attempting to solve Logic Problem 18,
"Baby-Sitting Catastrophe" by Robert Nelson. This puzzle is about
a fictional babysitting club (similar to ones in real life).
The club's members are seven women (why all women?) who
take turns babysitting each other's children. A member earns
points by babysitting, and spends points by having someone
babysit her children.

I would appreciate opinions about the meaning of
Clue 7: "Three consecutive baby-sitting jobs
were for Greta, Dacia and Carol."

Are the women mentioned in this clue the ones doing the
babysitting, or the ones whose children are being watched
by another member?

In other words, is the word "for" being used in the sense
of "I was babysitting for Greta last Tuesday," or in the
sense of "I have a job for you"?

Thanks in advance for your input.

The question is ambiguous. However, I think that other parents were
babysitting Greta's, Dacia's and Carol's kids.

Jeff

The club's members are seven women (why all women?)

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/...ds/003118.html

2003 U.S. Census figures estimate 5.4 million stay at home moms and 98,000
stay at home dads.

A random selection of 7 stay at home parents would have at least 1 man
almost 12% of the time.
I agree, why all women?

A club where Carl ran around with Greta and Dacia might raise a few eyebrows
in some neighborhoods unless Carl's partner was Henry.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 00:16:15 -0400, "Brian"
wrote:

The club's members are seven women (why all women?)

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/...ds/003118.html

2003 U.S. Census figures estimate 5.4 million stay at home moms and 98,000
stay at home dads.

A random selection of 7 stay at home parents would have at least 1 man
almost 12% of the time.
I agree, why all women?

A club where Carl ran around with Greta and Dacia might raise a few eyebrows
in some neighborhoods unless Carl's partner was Henry.

It could simply be that the puzzle writer didn't want to mess about
keeping his/her pronouns straight. All women means that there are no
clues hiding in the he/she/him/her's.


--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Brian wrote:
A club where Carl ran around with Greta and Dacia might raise a few eyebrows
in some neighborhoods unless Carl's partner was Henry.

We have two hetero Dads in our playgroup "inner circle" of 7 (for lack
of a better term). No eyebrows are raised whatsoever.

-L.