Question

Which hour is a break hour? (Drama scheduling puzzle)

• A. 5th
• B. 2nd
• C. 4th
• D. 3rd

Hint:

For complex scheduling puzzles, list all constraints first. Then, test the most restrictive conditions (like the position of the break). Create possible timelines based on these conditions and eliminate those that violate any of the other rules. If multiple solutions seem possible, there might be a subtle interpretation or an error in the question.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Let's solve the scheduling puzzle for the 6 hours. Let the hours be H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6.
\[\begin{array}{rl} 1. & \text{Break Hour (Clue 1): The break is in the 3rd or 4th hour.} \\ 2. & \text{Start/End (Clue 2): Cannot start with A. Cannot end with C.} \\ 3. & \text{B and D (Clue 3): D follows B immediately (BD pair). This pair takes two consecutive hours.} \\ 4. & \text{A and D (Clue 4): A cannot be immediately after D. (No BDA).} \\ 5. & \text{A and E (Clue 5): A precedes E immediately (AE pair). This pair takes two consecutive hours.} \\ \end{array}\]

Let's test the two possible break positions. 

Case 1: Break is in H4.
Schedule: _, _, _, BREAK, _, _.
The pairs BD and AE must fit into the remaining slots.
- If BD is at H1-H2, AE must be at H5-H6. Schedule: B, D, _, BREAK, A, E. The remaining drama is C. So, C is at H3.
Final Schedule: B, D, C, BREAK, A, E. Let's check all clues.
- Starts with B (not A) - OK. Ends with E (not C) - OK.
- D follows B - OK.
- A is not after D - OK.
- A precedes E - OK.
This is a valid schedule. The break is in H4.
Case 2: Break is in H3.
Schedule: _, _, BREAK, _, _, _.
The pairs BD and AE must fit.
- If BD is at H1-H2, AE must be at H4-H5 or H5-H6.
- AE at H4-H5: B, D, BREAK, A, E, _. C is at H6. This violates Clue 2 (Cannot end with C). Invalid.
- AE at H5-H6: B, D, BREAK, _, A, E. C is at H4. Schedule: B, D, BREAK, C, A, E. This is a valid schedule. The break is in H3.
- If AE is at H1-H2: Cannot start with A (Clue 2). Invalid.
- If BD is at H4-H5: _, _, BREAK, B, D, _. AE must be at H1-H2 
(invalid) or H5-H6. No, H5 is taken. Must be at H1-H2 which is invalid.
- If BD is at H5-H6: _, _, BREAK, _, B, D. AE must be at H1-H2 (invalid) or H4-H5. No H5 is taken.
We have two possible schedules: 1. B, D, C, BREAK(H4), A, E
2. B, D, BREAK(H3), C, A, E
The question seems ambiguous as both 3rd and 4th hour are possible break hours. Let's re-read the clues.
Clue (1) A break of 1 hour has to be taken in third or four hour. This is a typo, it should be 'fourth hour'. Let's assume the question meant "in the third or fourth hour slot".
Let's re-read clue (4): "A cannot be done immediately after D". In schedule 1: (C is after D, A is after break). OK.
In schedule 2: (C is after break, A is after C). OK.
The problem seems to have two solutions. This is common in flawed exam questions. However, often there is a subtle interpretation. Let's assume the question is well-posed and I missed something.
Let's revisit my logic for Case 2.
Schedule: _, _, BREAK, _, _, _ (Break is H3).
- BD must be H1-H2. Schedule: B, D, BREAK, _, _, _.
- AE must fit. Cannot be H4-H5 because then C is at H6 (not allowed).
- Must be H5-H6. Schedule: B, D, BREAK, _, A, E. C is at H4. This is B, D, BREAK, C, A, E. It's a valid solution.
Wait, let's look at the subsequent questions.
32. Which drama to be staged first? In both solutions, B is first.
33. Which drama is staged immediately after the break? In solution 1, it's A. In solution 2, it's C.
34. Which drama after D? In solution 1, it's C. In solution 2, it's the break.
Given the likely single-answer nature, let's re-examine.
Let's re-assume the first valid schedule is the intended one: B, D, C, BREAK, A, E. Here the break is in the 4th hour.
The other valid schedule is: B, D, BREAK, C, A, E. Here the break is in the 3rd hour.
The question "Which hour is a break hour?" is fundamentally ambiguous as both 3rd and 4th are possibilities according to the rules. However, if we look at the provided OCR answer `Ans:d` which maps to `(d) 3rd`, then the intended schedule must be the second one.
Intended Schedule: B, D, BREAK, C, A, E.
Break hour is the 3rd hour.