The facts essential to solving the problem--which can indeed be solved by combining deduction, analysis and sheer persistence -- are as follows:

1. There are five houses, each of a different color and inhabited by men of different nationalities, with different breeds of dogs, drinks, and favorite books.

2. The Englishman lives in the red house.

3. The Spaniard owns the Doberman.

4. Rum is drunk in the green house.

5. The Ukrainian drinks vodka.

6. The green house is immediately to the right of the ivory house.

7. The Plato reader owns a Bassett.

8. Dickens is read in the yellow house.

9. Wine is drunk in the middle house.

10. The Norwegian lives in the first house on the left.

11. The man who reads The Bible lives in the house next to the man with the Chihuahua.

12. Dickens is read in the house next to the house where the Afghan is kept.

13. The Jane Austen reader drinks beer.

14. The Japanese reads Proust.

15. The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.