*Solutions to the puzzles from chapter 2 can be found here*

After frantically trying to find a way to make it happen, you realise that it is impossible to get all of the chameleons to be the same colour. You begin explaining this to Zora when her expression turns wide eyed. You turn around to see a bright yellow chameleon perched on a branch, idling innocently. “Well I guess all of this has been for nothing. I suppose you do deserve some reward for your efforts. I’ve heard of a native tribe that lives off to the East, they may know more about the temple. Be warned however, living for as long as they have on such an island can lead to some curious habits, not to mention the treacherous journey through the treetops to get there.”

You kindly thank Zora and dread the thought of making your way across the rope bridges connecting the treetops. Grudgingly, you step onto the first bridge. Terry hops onto your shoulder, breathing nervously. “Nice work back there, poor Zora has been trying for years to have them all be one colour. I should pay her a visit more often.” Terry takes a moment to think before continuing.

“Not to worry you but these bridges have been here a very long time and were set up in a specific manner. The architects didn’t want any old traveler to happen upon their temple, they wanted to make sure they were worthy. Many of these bridges here are fakes, traps that come loose from the trees when someone walks too far across them. To work out which are solid, you’ll have to solve the bridge puzzle etched into the bark of the first tree up ahead.”

As you come to the end of the bridge, you start to sweat nervously. What if you make a mistake in solving the puzzle and plummet to your death? You push the thought from your mind and arrive at the tree where you peer closely at the etchings in the bark.

You grab a pen and paper from your pack and glance at Terry expectantly. “I suppose you’re waiting for me to clarify the rules to this puzzle… Well pay close attention, your life depends on it.

1. All trees must be connected to form one network.
2. All bridges join trees horizontally or vertically and no two bridges may cross.
3. The numbers signify how many bridges link to that tree.
4. You may have up to two bridges running between any two trees.

“Solve the puzzle and find the safe way to traverse these treetops.” 

You take some pen and paper out of your sack and give the problem a try. If you need, you can ask Terry for some help, which can be found here.

You may want to print off your own copy of the treetop map so that you can analyse it better. You can find a printable image here. [There is no need to print in colour]

 

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Once you are confident in your solution, you mark it down on some paper and follow a safe route to the Eastern tree tops. You notice smoke rising from a clearing not far from the base of your tree and slowly shuffle down the trunk, hugging it tightly. With the soft soil beneath your feet, you feel much safer. Looking down at your map, you quickly spot the path leading out from the tree and back into the depths of the jungle. Not long later, you hear the shrill cry of a panicked bird shatter the calm.

“Get your hands off me! I have figs to offer!” You race towards the calamity and stumble out of the leaves into a huge opening. Tents form a rough semicircle surrounding a campfire. Terry lies strapped to a stake facing the open flames, crushed figs surrounding the floor beneath him. You start running towards him when a tall blue eyed man emerges from a tent in front of you.

“Halt! Who dares invade our encampment?”

“Calm now Dourakay, that’s not how we welcome visitors. I apologise for the rash behaviour of my friend here. My name is Isabelle and we are the Lost Logicians. Our ancestors came to this island many years ago and devoted their time to the study of reason.” Isabelle glared at Dourakay as she said this, her green eyes scornful. She was young but showed the signs of growing up in a jungle, her hair was twisted and her hands calloused. 

“Your sudden appearance cannot be a coincidence. I assume you and this disgruntled parrot are related.” You can hear Terry’s muffled cries through the vines wrapped around his beak. “In any case, I can’t let you go now, you’ve seen too much. Make yourself comfortable, you may be staying a while.”

You sit down near the fire, grateful for a place to sit down and rest your legs. You hear some hushed murmuring behind you and Isabelle sits herself down next to you, swiftly followed by what you assume to be the rest of the tribe. “There are some things I must explain to you if you are to stay. We have an ancient tradition upheld for centuries. If, at any time, you realise for certain that you have blue eyes, you must leave the camp that same night. There is a catch however. You may not in any way convey information about anyone’s eye colour to anyone else and you will struggle to find any reflective surfaces on this entire island.”

You nod your understanding and look at the tribe gathered around the fire pit. “Now as a guest, I do not expect you to partake in this tradition. As the leader, I worry often about the possibility of waking up with one fewer tribe member. In return for your cooperation, we will release your friend the toucan.” Isabelle makes a small sign with her hand and within a second, Terry is unbound and flies hurriedly to sit by you.

“I must say I find your tradition most interesting, particularly since I can see at least one of you with blue eyes.” Isabelle stares lasers at Terry as he says this.

“You fly in thin air toucan, now my nerves are far from settled.” She huffs angrily and turns to look at you with a little less venom. “Say, maybe you can tell me if any of us will have to leave this place? Will anyone realise they have blue eyes? If so, how long do I have until people leave?”

You look around and see dozens of anxious faces watching you. Among them, you notice exactly 10 pairs of blue eyes. Can you work out if any of them will ever know for certain they have blue eyes after what Terry said? If so, when will they leave? As you bring out a pen and paper, Terry chimes in, “Keep in mind that every tribe member is perfectly logical.”

You take some pen and paper out of your sack and give the problem a try. If you need, you can ask Terry for some help, which can be found here.

Solutions to the puzzles from chapter 3 can be found here.

The story continues in chapter 4 here.