Riddle Me This: Name the Culprit!

Consider each of the second statements made by Trigger and Bulldozer. They identify Killer as the murderer. So the two statements are either both true or both false. If true, then both Trigger’s and Bulldozer’s first statements (“I did not do it”) would also be factually true since there is only one killer. But that would make both their statements true, and that is not possible under the condition set by the puzzle that only one of the two statements is true. We can conclude, then, that “Killer did it” is a false statement. Killer is obviously not our killer.

Now, that reasoning makes Trigger’s first statement (“I did not do it”) his true one, which eliminates him as well.

The same reasoning applies to Bulldozer’s case since his first statement (“I did not do it”) is his true one, eliminating him as well as the killer.

We have established that Killer is not the killer. So Killer’s first statement (“I did not do it”) turns out to be his true one and confirms what we have deduced. His second statement, therefore, is false. It identifies Trigger as the killer, which we know is not true.

We have so far eliminated Trigger, Killer, and Bulldozer as the murderer. This leaves Masher. Clearly, his first statement (“I did not do it”) is his false one. His second statement is his true one confirming that Trigger is not the killer.