The 500 Mile Race

Mike, Jimmy, Nader, Kevin, and Larry were the top five finishers in the regional 500-mile race. They drove yellow, orange, green, red and blue cars but not necessarily in that order.

Neither Kevin nor Larry drove the green car.
Kevin finished faster than Mike and Larry.
The blue car finished earlier than Larry’s and Nader’s car.
The yellow car finished faster than the green car and the orange car.
Mike’s and Larry’s car finished ahead of the orange car.
Jimmy’s car finished before the blue and the yellow car.

Who drove what color car and what place did each driver finish?

1st – Jimmy, red car
2nd – Kevin, blue car
3rd – Larry, yellow car
4th – Mike, green car
5th – Nader, orange car

Posted in Brain Teasers

$63 Exactly

A man owed his friend $63 and repaid him the exact amount in cash without using coins or $1 bills (no online transfers, checks, credit cards or any other tricks) and without requiring change. How did he do it?

A $50 bill, a $5 bill and four $2 bills.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Tends To Overlook

I am something everybody tends to overlook, no matter how careful they are. What am I?

Your nose.

Posted in Riddles

Reading in the Dark

Jim and his wife Patty were sitting in bed together one evening while a thunderstorm raged outside. After a bolt of lightning followed by a loud clap of thunder, the lights went out. Jim stopped reading and went to sleep, but Patty continued reading in the dark. How did she do it?

Darkness

Patty is blind and was reading a Braille book so she didn’t need the light to begin with. Of course this also meant she didn’t know Jim snuck downstairs to get some cookies, but we’ll just keep that quiet.

Posted in Brain Teasers

What Boys Use, Girls Like and Parents Hate

Boys use it, girls like it, parents hate it. What is this 5-letter word?

The phone.

Posted in Riddles

Twenty from Three 3s

What’s the simplest way to make 20 using only three 3s (no other digits) and a combination of mathematical operations using any of these symbols?

+ – × / ^ ! √ . ()

(3 + 3) / .3 = 20

Posted in Brain Teasers

No One Can Reach It

It’s red, blue, purple and green, no one can reach it, not even the queen. What is it?

A rainbow.

Posted in Riddles

Loud Linda

Linda is 31 years old, single, outspoken, and very bright. She majored in philosophy. As a student, she was deeply concerned with issues of discrimination and social justice, and also participated in anti-nuclear demonstrations.

Which is more probable?

1) Linda is a bank teller.
2) Linda is a bank teller and is active in the feminist movement.

1) Linda is a bank teller.

Most people guess number two, but the probability of two events occurring together is always less than or equal to the probability of either one occurring alone. This problem is known as the Conjunction Fallacy.

Posted in Riddles

A Final Screech

I saw a strange creature,
Long, hard, and straight,
Thrusting in a round, dark, opening,
Preparing to discharge its load of lives,
Puffing and squealing noises accompanied it,
Then a final screech as it slowed and stopped.

Note: This may not be appropriate for younger ages.

A subway train.

Posted in Riddles
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Often Talked Of But Never Seen

Often talked of, never seen,
Ever coming, never been,
Daily looked for, never here,
Still approaching, coming near,
Thousands for it’s visit wait,
But alas for their fate,
Tho’ they expect me to appear,
They will never find me here.

Tomorrow.

Posted in Brain Teasers