Conundrum: Picnic 2
I had so much fun at last week’s picnic, I thought I’d have another. But this time I’m using a different rule when deciding whom to invite. You may find this one a bit more challenging than last week’s rule, but all of the invited guests do have something in common:
- I’m inviting MARY SHELLEY, but not PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY.
- I’m inviting GEORGE BERNARD SHAW, but not OSCAR WILDE.
- I’m inviting QUEEN ELIZABETH II, but not QUEEN ELIZABETH I.
- I’m inviting MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., but not MALCOLM X.
- I’m inviting TOM CRUISE, but not DUSTIN HOFFMAN.
- I’m inviting MADONNA, but not JEWEL.
- I’m inviting COURTENEY COX ARQUETTE, but not JENNIFER ANISTON.
- I’m inviting BARACK OBAMA, but not HILLARY CLINTON.
- I’m inviting GEORGE W. BUSH & DICK CHENEY as well as BILL CLINTON & AL GORE, but not RONALD REAGAN & GEORGE H.W. BUSH.
I thought it might be fun to do some Shakespeare readings at the picnic, but only plays named for people who fit the same rule:
- We will be reading JULIUS CAESAR, but not MACBETH.
- We will be reading ANTONY & CLEOPATRA, but not KING JOHN.
- We will be reading KING HENRY VIII, but neither KING HENRY IV play.
- We will be reading KING RICHARD III, but not KING RICHARD II.
Have you figured out the rule? If so, please don’t post it. Just post one or two additions to the list to show us you got it, and to give an extra hint to later solvers.
UPDATE: The solution is now posted in the comments.
February 7th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Alright, I was told I must post to see if I do in fact know the answer.
If I am correct, I believe you will be inviting:
Joan Baez, but not Joni Mitchell.
Alexander Pope, but not John Dryden.
If I am not correct, let’s invite them all.
February 7th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Lily, we would invite them all if we could, but the rule is the rule.
You are absolutely correct on all four counts. Very impressive!
So later solvers may feel free to use these clues in addition to those provided above.
Thanks for visiting!
February 7th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
None of the people invited or not invited have ever been in my kitchen?
Dude, you’re killing me.
February 7th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Lee, that would work, but I happen to know that George Bernard Shaw has been in your kitchen.
Good luck!
February 8th, 2007 at 1:28 am
John Synge, but not James Joyce.
Hank Williams Jr., but not Hank Williams.
Now I can get on with my life . . .
February 8th, 2007 at 1:48 am
Oh, and I’ll also invite Waylon Smithers, but not Ralph Wiggum.
February 8th, 2007 at 7:36 am
Lee, correct on all six counts. Well done!
Some more clues:
I’m inviting both HOWARD DEAN and JOE BIDEN, but neither JOE LIEBERMAN nor JOHN EDWARDS.
I’m inviting JACK BLACK, but not JACK KEROUAC.
We’ll be reading HAMLET, but not SIR THOMAS MORE.
February 11th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
I’ll be inviting both RON REAGAN and JFK JR., but neither AMY CARTER nor CHELSEA CLINTON.
We’ll be inviting AJ SOPRANO and UNCLE JUNIOR SOPRANO, but not TONY SOPRANO.
We’ll be reading EDWARD III, but not EDMUND IRONSIDE.
We can also read HENRY V and all three HENRY VI plays, but not THOMAS LORD CROMWELL.
Sorry for scraping the bottom of the Apocrypha, but I’m running out of titles here.
The answer will be posted here on Tuesday morning when the new Conundrum goes up. Until then, feel free to continue adding to the list.
February 13th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Warning! Solution posted below!
Do not read any further if you wish to solve the puzzle on your own.
February 13th, 2007 at 7:19 am
Each guest was named for a parent.