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School Library Zebra Puzzle

Five students are side by side at the school's library. Each one likes a school subject and chose a book to borrow. Who borrowed the smallest book?

 
  • Shirt
  • Name
  • Genre
  • Pages
  • Age
  • Subject
Student #1 #1
Student #2 #2
Student #3 #3
Student #4 #4
Student #5 #5
  • The girl wearing the Blue shirt borrowed the Horror book.
  • Avery is exactly to the right of Eva.
  • The student wearing the White shirt is somewhere to the right of the student wearing the Red shirt.
  • The 13-year-old girl is next to the girl who borrowed the book with 100 pages.
  • The student wearing the Yellow shirt is exactly to the left of the student that borrowed the Drama book.
  • Mia is exactly to the left of Eva.
  • The Art book has 150 pages.
  • The girl wearing the Blue shirt is somewhere to the left of the 13-year-old girl.
  • The student who likes Math borrowed the Mystery book.
  • At one of the ends is the 12-year-old girl.
  • Mia is exactly to the left of the student whose favorite school subject is Geography.
  • The book with 250 pages was borrowed by the girl wearing the White shirt.
  • Mia borrowed the Fantasy book.
  • The oldest student is next to the student that borrowed the book with 200 pages.
  • The girl wearing the Orange shirt likes History.
  • The Science fiction book was borrowed by the student who likes Art.
  • The 11-year-old girl is exactly to the right of the 14-year-old girl.
  • Rylee is next to the girl wearing the Orange shirt.
  • Mia is 12 years old.
  • The student who likes Math is somewhere to the right of the student wearing the Orange shirt.
  • The youngest girl is exactly to the left of the oldest girl.
  • Eva is next to the girl whose favorite school subject is Art.

How to play

  • Start by reading all the clues;
  • Find all the "basic" clues and mark them. The most basic clue is the one that states that something is in a determined house/position. Example:
    • The German lives in house three.
  • Sometimes you are going to need to deduce some information using two or more clues;
  • All the clues must be used;
  • The game ends when all the clues are correctly checked and everything is filled.

More Zebra Puzzles

See our zebra puzzles list.

Need help?

If, after reading the instructions, you still don't understand how to play, try playing one of these simpler zebra puzzles. They were designed to be easier than the ones of the same difficulty.

Printable version

You can download the PDF version of this zebra puzzle.

Visit our Printable Zebra Puzzles page to download and print other Zebra Puzzles.

Cognitive Benefits of Zebra Puzzles

Zebra puzzles engage the brain in critical thinking and deductive reasoning. Solving these puzzles often requires the individual to interpret clues, make connections, and eliminate possibilities to arrive at the correct solution. This mental exercise not only sharpens logical reasoning skills but also improves focus, attention to detail, and analytical abilities.

Various studies on cognition and puzzles suggest that regular engagement with challenges like Zebra puzzles can have longer-term benefits. They can potentially aid in the enhancement of problem-solving skills and may even contribute to improved memory and information retention. In summary, Zebra puzzles offer an effective way to engage cognitive functions and foster intellectual growth.

Zebra Puzzles in Education

Zebra puzzles are increasingly being incorporated into educational settings as a tool for teaching logic and reasoning skills. Teachers and educators find these puzzles to be useful in engaging students in active learning, as they require students to apply critical thinking to solve complex problems. The puzzles can be adapted to various difficulty levels, making them accessible for students of different ages and abilities. They can be used as stand-alone exercises or integrated into a broader curriculum focused on mathematics, logic, or computer science.

Beyond the classroom, Zebra puzzles are also used in educational competitions and extracurricular activities to challenge students and encourage teamwork. The process of solving these puzzles collaboratively can help students learn to communicate effectively, delegate tasks, and think systematically. This hands-on approach to learning can make complex concepts more understandable and engaging, thereby enriching the educational experience.

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