Enigmas & puzzles

April 22, 2006
Jobs for the boys

Five young men met once a week in the Brewer's Elbow for a few pints. Their names were Peter David Butcher, Brian Frederick Driver, Henry Denis Farmer, Frank Percy Hunter, and Bertram Horatio Plumber. When they had first met, they had found it amusing that each man's surname was the profession of one of the other four, but the coincidence had worn thin and they had stopped referring to it.
So when Henry said "I've just noticed something interesting about our names," the others reacted scathingly.

"No, not that," protested Henry, ducking a barrage of salted peanuts. "We all know that! No, what I've just noticed is that not only is my profession different from my surname—but the initial of my profession is different from any of my initials!" He grinned. "And guess what?"

The others placed their glasses on the table and thought for a moment. "The same goes for all of us?" hazarded Frank.

"That's right!"

"I don't think that's very remarkable," said Peter. "It's no more interesting than observing that the person whose name is my profession is the same as the person whose profession is Brian's surname."

"Boooring," the others chanted in unison.

"He's right, though," muttered Henry. Then, noticing the looks on the others' faces, he quickly changed the subject. "I think it's your round, Bertram."

What were the men's professions?



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The answer

Butcher is a hunter, Driver is a plumber, Farmer is a butcher, Hunter is a driver, and Plumber is a farmer.

The winner was Jeremiah Mwangi from London