Fix This Roman Numeral Equation

This Roman numeral equation is wrong, but you can fix it without changing any of the elements of the equation. How is this possible?

I + XI = X

Look at it upside down. Instead of changing the equation, you can change your perspective.

This is from Dan Brown’s novel, Origin.

Posted in Brain Teasers

What Number Comes Next 6 1 3 1 4

What number comes next?

6 1 3 1 4 _

5. The numbers are the alphabetical positions of the letters in the word FACADE.

F – 6th
A – 1st
C – 3rd
A – still 1st
D – 4th
E – 5th

Posted in Brain Teasers

Sixteen, Twenty-six, Then What?

Fill in the missing numbers in this number series.

16, 26, ?, 43, 50, ?, 61, 65, ?, 70, 71

The method to create the series is start by adding 10, then decrease the addend by 1 for each new number in the sequence. That gives us:

16 + 10 = 26
26 + 9 = 35
35 + 8 = 43
43 + 7 = 50
50 + 6 = 56
56 + 5 = 61
61 + 4 = 65
65 + 3 = 68
68 + 2 = 70
70 + 1 = 71

Posted in Brain Teasers

Short Black Dress

In the day I stand tall in a white petticoat. By evening I’m in my short black dress. What am I?

The wick of a candle.

Posted in Riddles

No New Digits

A six-digit number represented by ABCDEF (each letter represents a different number) can be multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 and yet no new digits appear in the result. As a matter of fact, all the digits are rotated. What is the number?

142857 (The first 6 digits of 1/7)

2 x 142857 = 285714
3 x 142857 = 428571
4 x 142857 = 571428
5 x 142857 = 714285
6 x 142857 = 857142

Posted in Brain Teasers

Whoever makes it, tells it not.

Whoever makes it, tells it not.
Whoever takes it, knows it not.
Whoever knows it, wants it not

Counterfeit money or poison.

Posted in Riddles

The Secret of the Chalk Emerald

A dear old relative passed away recently and her family gathered for the reading of the will. The final item was the Chalk Emerald, a priceless gem. The will bequeathed it to whoever determined where it was hidden. The only clue was it was in a cylinder surrounded by a thousand squares. A young lass of barely six immediately piped up saying she knew where it was hidden and she was correct. Where was the hiding place?

In a roll of toilet paper.

Mark suggested two alternative solutions: A cylindrical chimney or a well, the squares being the bricks. Although most bricks aren’t square, it’s conceivable I guess.

Posted in Brain Teasers

What Gets Wetter As It Dries?

What gets wetter as it dries?

A towel.

Posted in Riddles

A Most Unusual Paragraph

This is an unusual paragraph. I’m curious as to just how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it. It looks so ordinary and plain that you would think nothing was wrong with it. In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is highly unusual though. Study it and think about it. You still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out. Try to do so without any coaching.

The letter “e” is the most common letter in the English language, yet it never appears in the entire paragraph.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Twice in Eternity

I occur twice in eternity,
And I’m always within sight.

What am I?

The letter ‘t’.

Posted in Riddles
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