Time Word Problems Worksheets - Time Riddles (harder) - Free Printable

Let’s solve Challenge 1 step by step.

We are given 8 possible times:
A: 8:27am
B: 2:50pm
C: 1:17pm
D: 8:41pm
E: 10:03am
F: 7:35pm
G: 11:39am
H: 9:54pm

And 4 clues:

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Clue 1: I am between 8 o’clock in the morning and 3:00 in the afternoon.
→ That means from 8:00am to 3:00pm (not including 3:00pm? Let’s assume up to but not past 3:00pm).
So we can eliminate any time before 8:00am or after 3:00pm.

Check each option:
- A: 8:27am → ✔ OK
- B: 2:50pm → ✔ OK
- C: 1:17pm → ✔ OK
- D: 8:41pm → ✘ Too late (after 3pm)
- E: 10:03am → ✔ OK
- F: 7:35pm → ✘ Too late
- G: 11:39am → ✔ OK
- H: 9:54pm → ✘ Too late

Left with: A, B, C, E, G

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Clue 2: My number of minutes is odd.
Look at the minutes part of each remaining time:

- A: 27 → odd → ✔
- B: 50 → even → ✘
- C: 17 → odd → ✔
- E: 03 → odd → ✔
- G: 39 → odd → ✔

Eliminate B. Left with: A, C, E, G

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Clue 3: I am more than half an hour away from the next o’clock.
“Next o’clock” means the next full hour. For example, if it’s 8:27, the next o’clock is 9:00. Half an hour = 30 minutes. So “more than half an hour away” means the minutes must be less than 30, because if you have less than 30 minutes left until the next hour, then you’re *more* than 30 minutes away from that next hour? Wait — let’s think carefully.

Actually, if it’s 8:27, then there are 33 minutes until 9:00 → which is MORE than 30 minutes → so yes, 8:27 is more than half an hour away from 9:00.

Wait — no! If it’s 8:27, then time until 9:00 is 60 - 27 = 33 minutes → which is >30 → so YES, it satisfies “more than half an hour away”.

But if it’s 8:41, time until 9:00 is 19 minutes → less than 30 → does NOT satisfy.

So clue says: “I am more than half an hour away from the next o’clock.” → meaning minutes until next hour > 30 → so current minutes < 30.

Because: minutes until next hour = 60 - current minutes.

So 60 - current_minutes > 30 → current_minutes < 30.

So we want times where the minute value is less than 30.

Check our candidates:

- A: 27 → <30 → ✔
- C: 17 → <30 → ✔
- E: 03 → <30 → ✔
- G: 39 → ≥30 → ✘ (because 60-39=21 <30 → not more than half an hour away)

Eliminate G. Left with: A, C, E

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Clue 4: I am closer to 5pm than to 5am.

This is about distance in time.

First, what is 5am and 5pm? They are 12 hours apart.

We need to find which time is closer to 5pm than to 5am.

Let’s convert all times to minutes since midnight to make comparison easier.

5am = 5 × 60 = 300 minutes
5pm = 17 × 60 = 1020 minutes

Now check each candidate:

A: 8:27am → 8×60 + 27 = 480 + 27 = 507 minutes
Distance to 5am (300): |507 - 300| = 207
Distance to 5pm (1020): |507 - 1020| = 513
Is 513 < 207? No → so NOT closer to 5pm → ✘

C: 1:17pm → 13×60 + 17 = 780 + 17 = 797 minutes
To 5am: |797 - 300| = 497
To 5pm: |797 - 1020| = 223
Is 223 < 497? Yes → ✔ Closer to 5pm

E: 10:03am → 10×60 + 3 = 600 + 3 = 603 minutes
To 5am: |603 - 300| = 303
To 5pm: |603 - 1020| = 417
Is 417 < 303? No → ✘ Not closer to 5pm

Only C: 1:17pm satisfies all four clues.

Let’s double-check:

Clue 1: Between 8am and 3pm? 1:17pm → yes
Clue 2: Minutes = 17 → odd → yes
Clue 3: More than half an hour from next o’clock? Next o’clock is 2:00pm. Time until 2:00pm is 43 minutes → which is >30 → yes
Clue 4: Closer to 5pm than 5am? As calculated: 223 vs 497 → yes

Perfect.

Final Answer:
C