The Sealed Evidence Locker
A fictional case file contains three clues to an evidence locker’s code. The code uses three different digits from 1 through 6. All counts below are exact. Digits not counted as correct are absent from the code.
| Guess | Clue |
|---|---|
| 123 | ONE correct digit, in the WRONG position. |
| 456 | TWO correct digits; ONE is in the RIGHT position. |
| 162 | TWO correct digits, BOTH in the RIGHT positions. |
What is the code?
“Correct digit” means that digit appears somewhere in the code. “Right position” means the same slot as in that guess. This is a fictional logic challenge; no legal knowledge is needed, and the artwork contains no additional clues.
Need a Hint?
Compare the digit 1 in guesses 123 and 162. Could it be a correctly placed digit in the third guess?
Reveal Answer & Explanation
The code is 462.
The digit 1 cannot be correctly placed. Both 123 and 162 put 1 first. The 123 clue permits no correctly placed digits, so 1 cannot occupy the first slot.
The last two slots are 6 and 2. In 162, exactly two digits are correct and both are correctly placed. Since 1 is not correctly placed, those two digits must be 6 in the middle and 2 last. The uncounted 1 is absent.
The first digit is 4. In 456, 6 is present but in the wrong slot. Exactly one of 4 and 5 must also be present, and exactly one digit in this guess must be correctly placed. A correctly placed 5 would need the middle slot, already occupied by 6. Therefore 4 must be correctly placed first; 5 is absent.
| Guess | Present digits | Correctly placed |
|---|---|---|
| 123 | 2 only | None |
| 456 | 4 and 6 | 4 only |
| 162 | 6 and 2 | Both 6 and 2 |
All exact counts hold, and the digits are distinct and within 1–6. Testing all 120 permitted codes yields exactly one solution: 462.
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This free social puzzle was developed with AI assistance and checked for a unique solution. Its artwork is an illustration, not an actual physical product. Read our AI Disclosure.