I have many feathers to help me fly. I have a body and head but I’m not alive. Your strength determines how far I go. You can hold me in your hand, but I’m never thrown.
There are four pairs of words below. Rearrange one of the words in the pair to form a word that rhymes with the other word. For example, if you had the following pair of words:
FRINGE LINGER
You would rearrange FRINGE into FINGER, which rhymes with LINGER. You can rearrange the letters of either word.
1. MOPIER PERIOD 2. GHOULS SCRUFF 3. JAILED LEVIED 4. WEIGHT ARTIST
The next number in the series counts the previous numbers. Thus the first number is 1, which is one 1, or 11. To describe 11, you have two 1’s, or 21. Now you have one 2 and one 1, so the next number is 1211. The solution is to continue describing the previous number using only numbers.
The numbers must be in ascending order. This can be a fun one to have people work out in person, as they test out three-number series and you can tell them whether or not they satisfy the pattern.
Twenty one points divide and dance, Twirling and leaping about, Ladies, Romans and knights of France, Craving a victor’s rout, Wrought of wood, ivory or bone, An exciting yet vicious pursuit, Ancient, forbidden and crooked, All in search of the loot.
A die. The standard die has 21 pips (or points), divided up on the six sides of the die which dance around when rolled. Ladies, knights and Romans all played dice as a pastime (though not together). Dice can be made of wood, ivory and bone, among other materials. Dice have been used in Asia since before recorded history and many governments tried unsuccessfully to outlaw the game. Professional gamblers were common and often used loaded dice. Desperate German chaps even bet their own liberty on a single roll of the dice.