# Every label is wrong: visual puzzle and solution | SwaVid

Three boxes say APPLES, ORANGES, and MIXED. Every label is wrong. One fruit draw must fix all labels. Which box? See the complete step-by-step solution.

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Source: https://www.swavid.com/puzzles/mislabeled-boxes

# Every label is wrong

## Draw from the box labelled MIXED.

### Open the MIXED box

### Use the wrong-label rule on the next box

### The last box is forced

SwaVid visual puzzle

Three boxes say APPLES, ORANGES, and MIXED. Every label is wrong. One fruit draw must fix all labels. Which box?

Detailed solution

Because the MIXED label is wrong, that box contains only one kind of fruit, so a single draw reveals its true contents.

It cannot be mixed, so it is all apples or all oranges. Say you draw an apple: this box is APPLES.

The box labelled ORANGES cannot be oranges, and apples are taken, so it must be MIXED.

Only oranges remain for the box labelled APPLES.

Drawing from APPLES or ORANGES could give a fruit from a mixed box, which tells you nothing definite.

- 1 Open the MIXED box It cannot be mixed, so it is all apples or all oranges. Say you draw an apple: this box is APPLES. MIXED → APPLES
- 2 Use the wrong-label rule on the next box The box labelled ORANGES cannot be oranges, and apples are taken, so it must be MIXED. ORANGES → MIXED
- 3 The last box is forced Only oranges remain for the box labelled APPLES. APPLES → ORANGES

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