Reindeer Games by Rudolph, the Ninth Reindeer

The following was sent to Sherlock Holmes, c/o The Diplomatic Pouch, shortly before Christmas. Holmes, as you may expect, was able to solve the conundrum. Can you?

It will soon be Christmas again and we need Santa Claus and all the reindeer to bring out the presents. But we can't find Santa. Last Spring, after we had finished cleaning up after Christmas, Santa and six of the reindeer went on a vacation to Europe. I don't know where they are staying, and I need your help to find them.

Santa has sent me some postcards in which he talks about a game called Diplomacy. I know you are a master of the game, so I hope you can deduce Santa's and the reindeers' location.

May postcard:

"After a long and dreadful voyage we have finally arrived here in Europe. We have each chosen a different country in which to stay. Then we can spend the long summer telling each other and you back home about the country we visit.

The only positive thing about the trip was that we learned a new game called Diplomacy. It is very exciting, and we will play it as often as we can, at least once each month. We will therefore stay in cities where we can find fast overground transportation, so we can visit each other for a game."

"...and our Diplomacy games are very interesting. Last time we played at Comet's hotel. Dasher and Vixen arrived twice as fast as the rest of us. The game ended with a three-way draw among the three of them. We suspect they had conducted some pre-game diplomacy. So we have agreed that we will meet at Cupid's place next time. There we will all arrive at the same time."

"Last Sunday we played the seventh Diplomacy game, here in my city. The reindeer arrived in pairs, just as they do when they pull my sleigh. Dasher has proven to be the fastest of the reindeer. He is always among the first to arrive where ever we meet for a game. Prancer, on the other hand, is getting slow. He never arrives before Dancer.

I won the game, but couldn't enjoy it much as I'm beginning to feel homesick. And soon we will have to go to work. We don't have any money left, so please send each of us a ticket home."

Thanks and Merry Christmas.

P.S. If you can help us with the problem, you will be granted the title Sleigh Master, as you then will know in which order the reindeer are pulling the sleigh.

Rudolph c/o Brian Kieslich ([email protected])

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