Yeah. The problem is that, discounting the ``hint'', there are an infinite number of answers, and, if you assume that ages don't have to be integers, there are an infinite number of answers even making the hint a mandatory part of the puzzle.

That is, the implied equations of

c + 1 = p / 2

and

c + 2 = (p + 2) / 2

are equivalent. They both reduce to the same thing.

Yet the official answer is ``Charlie is 3, Pat is 8''.

That's the problem with this entire calendar. No one seems to have double-checked the puzzles at all. It's very frustrating, especially considering that Mensa put their name on it. You'd think there would be some quality verification -- that someone would have taken the few hours to go through and solve all 365 puzzles. But noooooo.