Wholly Cow! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Both of these are true

Clue B tells us right off the bat that the Guernsey placed higher than Sal's cow, who placed higher than Daisy.
Clues E and D together tell us that the Hereford placed higher than Al's cow (clue E), who placed higher than Hal's cow (clue D).
Therefore, both statements are true.

Answer: Rosie

Clue A tells us that Sal does not own Lilac, period.

Clue F tells us that Petunia placed first or last.
Clue B tells us Sal's cow had someone ranked above and below her, so Sal's cow must be either second or third.
Therefore, Petunia cannot be Sal's cow!

That leaves either Daisy or Rosie for Farmer Sal.
Clue B eliminates Daisy (Sal's cow placed higher than Daisy).
Therefore, Sal owns ravishing Rosie!

Answer: Cal's

Clue B tells us Sal's cow had someone ranking above and below, so she must be either second or third.
Clue D tells Hal's cow ranked lower than Al's. Clue E tells us Al's cow ranked lower than the Hereford. So Al and Hal are bother eliminated from 1st prize.
That leaves only Cal's bovine beauty to win the blue ribbon.*

*(FYI: The Quizzyland County Fair is using USA colors this year. It's not important to figuring out the puzzle, but added for interest.)

Answer: Hal

Clue B eliminates Sal (his cow ranked higher than Daisy).
Clue D eliminates Al (his cow ranked higher Hal's).
We know from question 1 that Cal won the top prize for his cow.
That leaves only Hal for the yellow ribbon. There were a dozen cows showing, so fourth of twelve is still respectable!

Answer: Al

We just learned from question 4 that Hal's cow placed last (fourth). Clue D tells us that Al's cow placed one rank higher than Hal's. Therefore, Al's cow came in third and took the white ribbon.

Answer: Sal

We've eliminated all the other farmers:
Cal's cow came in first (see question 3, which used clues B, D & E).
Hal's cow came in last (see question 4 if necessary).
Al's cow came in third (see question 5 if necessary).
That leaves Sal as the second-place owner!

Answer: 2nd (red)

We know from question 2 that Sal owns Rosie.
We know from question 6 that Sal's cow took second prize.
Ergo, Rosie the runner-up won took the red ribbon!

How appropriate, given that red is the most popular color of rose, especially in the USA! Cleopatra is said to have used red roses to seduce Mark Antony.

Answer: Guernsey

Clue B tells the Guernsey placed higher than Sal's cow.
We learned from question 6 that Sal's cow took second prize.
Therefore, the Guernsey garnered first prize.

Guernsey cattle, usually fawn with white markings, developed in the British Channel Island of Guernsey. It is well known for its rich milk, golden in color due to its high beta-carotene content.

Answer: Yes

Cal's entry won first place (question 3), and the Guernsey took first place (question 8). Therefore, Cal owns the Guernsey.

Unfortunately, in the USA, if you buy milk with the Golden Guernsey trademark, you are likely not getting milk from Guernseys, but from Holsteins. Since the 1970s, it is difficult, if not impossible, to find 100% Guernsey milk in the States.

Answer: Sal

Clue E states that the Hereford placed higher than Al's cow.
Question 5 tells us that Al's cow came in third (review if necessary).
Therefore, the Hereford must place first or second.
Question 9 tells us that Cal owns the Guernsey, so he can't own the Hereford.
Since the Hereford can't be first, it must be second.
Sal's cow came in second (question 6).
Therefore, Sal owns the Hereford!

We also know that since Sal owns Rosie as per question 2, she is the Hereford! By the way, Hereford cattle originated in Herefordshire, England, and are found all over the world in temperate climes.

Answer: Al

Cal owns the Guernsey (question 9).
Sal owns the Hereford (question 10).
That leaves us with Hal and Al.
Clue G states that Hal does not own the Angus.
Therefore, Al owns the Angus. How alliterative!
(Also by elimination, Hal owns the Shorthorn.)

Angus cattle, also called Aberdeen Angus, originated in the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus, Scotland. George Grant introduced the breed to America in 1873.

Answer: last

You had a 50-50 shot with this one! Did you make a wild guess or could you use logic?
Clue F tells us Petunia placed either first or last (fourth).
The Guernsey came in first (see question 8).
Clue C tells us that Petunia is not the Guernsey.
Petunia, therefore, did not place first, and consequently, she must be last.

The decorative petunia plants come in many colors and were developed in South America. They are actually closely related to tomatoes, potatoes, and tobacco.

Answer: Shorthorn

If Al owns the Angus (question 11)*, and Sal owns the Hereford (question 10), and Cal owns the Guernsey (question 9), then Hal must own the Shorthorn.
Hal's cow came in last (question 4).
Petunia came in last (question 12).
Therefore Petunia is the Shorthorn!

Shorthorn cattle originated in the northeast of England in the late 1700s for both dairy and meat production. Shorthorns were among the first cattle brought to Australia, in 1800.


*(Or, if you couldn't solve question 11, clue G states that Hal does NOT own the Angus. That still leaves only the Shorthorn.)

Answer: Daisy

Clue B tells us that Daisy placed lower than Sal's cow.
Sal's cow is 2nd-place winner Rosie (questions 6 & 7).
So Daisy must be third or fourth.
We know Petunia placed last (question 12).
So that leaves only third place for delightful Daisy, who proudly wears the white ribbon, the same color as her namesake!

The common daisy, also known as bruisewort, represents children and innocence, and is a corruption of "day's eye", as the flower's head closes at dusk and opens at dawn.

Answer: 1st

It's a simple elimination. Petunia placed fourth (question 12), and Daisy placed third (question 14), and Rosie placed second (question 7). Therefore, Lilac is the bovine beauty who took the blue ribbon!

We congratulate Lilac for winning the top prize. She will be featured in the parade on the last day of the fair. Her float will be decorated with sweet-smelling lilacs from Rochester, NY, which holds a Lilac Festival each May. Lilacs were originally brought to Europe courtesy of the Ottoman Empire in the late 1500s.

In summary:
1st prize - Farmer Cal - Lilac - Guernsey
2nd prize - Farmer Sal - Rosie - Hereford
3rd prize - Farmer Al - Daisy - Angus
4th prize - Farmer Hal - Petunia - Shorthorn