A Snail's Journey Logic Puzzle

Early one morning, four snails, Annie, Betty, Christi and Deanna, set off together down the garden path. Annie and Betty kept the same steady pace, slithering only 8 meters by the time Christi and Deanna had already reached the azalea.

Christi was winded and had to stop for an hour to rest. Although Deanna was tired, too, she pressed on, but reduced her pace to be the same as Annie's and Betty's.

Christi started off again just as Annie and Betty got even with her. She raced off at her original pace. Annie promptly sped up to the same speed as Christi and kept even with her. Betty just kept going at her original pace.

When Annie reached the end of the path, she was 1 meter ahead of Betty, but she was a half hour later than Deanna was.

How many meters long was the path?

Adapted from New Scientist

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