# Einstein Riddle **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 9, 2000, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/einstein-riddle/28735 "2000-08-09T19:16:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/einstein-riddle/28735/1 "2000-08-09T19:16:03Z")
Does anyone know the Einstein Riddle that he wrote and said that only 2% of the population would be able to do? I did it last year but it took me an hour and a pad of paper. It was a logic puzzle with 5 or 6 people and each one had a house, a pet, a drink, a cigar, and some other stuff and it had about 10 clues to help you. If anyone could post that I’d appreciate it because my friend wants to do it and I can’t find it when I search. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/einstein-riddle/28735/2 "2000-08-09T19:30:45Z")
[http://web.missouri.edu/~c719182/riddle.html](http://web.missouri.edu/~c719182/riddle.html) A search of “einstein riddle” turns up sites coming out the wazoo. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/einstein-riddle/28735/3 "2000-08-09T20:22:00Z")
Somehow, without researching, I’m guessing that Einstein did not write it, and I’m certainly guessing that neither he nor anyone else ever made that ridiculus claim about 98% of the population not being able to figure it out. It’s not very difficult at all, it’s just a simple matter of organization. However, after re-reading the OP, I realize my comments have nothing to do with anything. So I’ll shut up now. ---
**Author:** ![Outrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9d8465/32.png) [@Outrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Outrider)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/einstein-riddle/28735/4 "2000-08-09T20:22:17Z")
It looks just like those “puzzles” my teachers gave me in 4th grade to test logic and reasoning skills. If I remember correctly, the easiest approach was to draw tables and do X’s and O’s to keep track of known information. I guess this one would just involve multiple tables. I think I’ll try to solve it when I get some time. ---
**Author:** ![CheapBastid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CheapBastid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheapBastid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/einstein-riddle/28735/5 "2000-08-09T20:40:48Z")
[**Einstein’s Challenge**](http://www.greylabyrinth.com/Puzzles/puzzle084.htm) (which BTW ain’t Einstein’s) ---
**Author:** ![Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2000, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/einstein-riddle/28735/6 "2000-08-09T22:03:08Z")
Thanks Mjollnir. I swear I didn’t get any hits! ---
**Author:** ![Outrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9d8465/32.png) [@Outrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Outrider)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/einstein-riddle/28735/7 "2000-08-10T13:08:38Z")
Not too hard. Took me about 15 minutes, and I was doing it at 8 AM, when my brain is not in a state of peak functionality. Anyone care to speculate on the true % of the world that could solve this puzzle in under an hour? I would say that it’s somewhere in the neighborhood of 10% when you consider how few people in Africa, South America, Alabama, and other underdeveloped parts of the world have access to a first-rate education.