House this for a Puzzle?

Appeared in Volume 6/2, May 1993

I believe this logic puzzle to be original and to have a unique solution. In fact, I have a solution written in Prolog.

Problem statement

On a certain street there are five houses in a row.

Mr Archer says that Mr Beadle lives next door to him, and Mrs Dickens does not live next door to Mr Beadle. The two women live in adjacent houses, he adds.

Mr Beadle says that Mrs Carver lives next door to Mr Ezekiel. and the rightmost house is occupied by Mrs Dickens.

Mrs Carver says that Mrs Dickens tells the truth, she (Mrs Carver) lives in the middle house, and Mr Archer lives in the first house.

Mrs Dickens says that she lives to the left of Mr Ezekiel and Mr Beadle does not live next door to Mr Ezekiel.

Mr Ezekiel says he lives next door to Mrs Carver. He says he lives to the left of Mr Beadle, and Mrs Dickens lives at one end of the street.

All the residents either tell the truth consistently or lie consistently.

Who lives in which house?

Ken Johnson
ken@aiai.ed.ac.uk