Riddles and Brain Teasers

Finley’s Flaky Friends

Finley’s friends all chipped in to buy her a wedding gift. At first, ten friends agreed to contribute the same amount. Then two “friends” dropped out. The remaining eight had to add another dollar each to cover the cost of the gift. How much did the gift cost?

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$40.Let x be the amount the ten friends initially agreed to pay. We can then make the following equation:10x = 8x + 8Solving for x gives us $4, thus the gift cost 10 × $4, or $40.

$40.

Let x be the amount the ten friends initially agreed to pay. We can then make the following equation:

10x = 8x + 8

Solving for x gives us $4, thus the gift cost 10 × $4, or $40.

Posted in Brain Teasers

A Vowel-less Proverb

FLND HSMN YRSN PRTD

This is a well known proverb that has had all of its vowels removed. In addition, the letters have been broken up into groups of four while maintaining their correct order.

What is the proverb?

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A fool and his money are soon parted.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Largest Product

Using all the digits from 1 to 7, what two numbers have the largest product? For example, 1234 x 567 = 699678 but you can do much better than that.

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742 x 6531 = 4,846,002.A similar problem can be found in L.A. Graham’s Ingenious Mathematical Problems and Methods with a range of 1 to 9, but the principle remains the same – the numbers with the smallest difference produce the largest product. You start out with the highest two digits, 7 and 6, then attach 5 and 4, putting the smaller of the two digits with the larger number, giving you 74 and 65. The next two highest digits are 3 and 2, giving you 742 and 653. Finally, you add the 1 to the lower number. Page 80 has the details of that solution.

742 x 6531 = 4,846,002.

A similar problem can be found in L.A. Graham’s Ingenious Mathematical Problems and Methods with a range of 1 to 9, but the principle remains the same – the numbers with the smallest difference produce the largest product. You start out with the highest two digits, 7 and 6, then attach 5 and 4, putting the smaller of the two digits with the larger number, giving you 74 and 65. The next two highest digits are 3 and 2, giving you 742 and 653. Finally, you add the 1 to the lower number. Page 80 has the details of that solution.

Posted in Brain Teasers

I Never Return

What are these three related items? When I am placed somewhere I will never stand up. Whatever you give me I will eat. When I go I never return.

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A stove, fire, smoke.

Essentially a duplicate of A Group of Three but I’m keeping it here to avoid broken links.

Posted in Riddles

Broken Before Use

I am broken before you use me,
I brighten your day until I die.

What am I?

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Glow sticks that you have to break to start glowing, then they fade out (die).

Posted in Riddles

Tagged with What am I?

Many are Perplexed While Seeking Me

Many get perplexed in life while seeking me. Others put their life in danger and others give up. If you find me you are satisfied. What am I?

Hint: It is in every house.

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You. Hundreds of books have been written about people searching for themselves. Some methods are quite dangerous. Still others give up. But if you figure out who you are, you will be satisfied.Lastly, the word you is in the phrase everY hOUse.

You. Hundreds of books have been written about people searching for themselves. Some methods are quite dangerous. Still others give up. But if you figure out who you are, you will be satisfied.

Lastly, the word you is in the phrase everY hOUse.

Posted in Riddles

Shorter Than My Four Siblings

Shorter than my four siblings,
but easily the strongest,
sometimes I wear a funny hat.

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A Thumb.

By Sef Daystrom

Posted in Riddles

Next in the Sequence

Here is a series of numbers. What is the next number in the sequence?

1
11
21
1211
111221
312211

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13112221The 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.

13112221

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.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Tagged with sequence

I Change Stature As I Age

I change stature as I age, but my importance does not differ by age. My importance is manifested mostly when with my boss. When we part, I am of no importance.

What am I?

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A pencil. It gets shorter with use, but is no less important. Its impact is from the person using the pencil to write or draw. Without them, the pencil is just an idle tool.Thanks Keller!

A pencil. It gets shorter with use, but is no less important. Its impact is from the person using the pencil to write or draw. Without them, the pencil is just an idle tool.

Thanks Keller!

Posted in Riddles

Tagged with What am I?

What Is The Longest Word With Horizontal Symmetry

A word with horizontal symmetry is one whose letters are a mirror image of themselves. If you drew a horizontal line across the word and folded it over, it would overlap on itself. For example, EXCEEDED and ICEBOX have horizontal symmetry, but VERTICAL and SIMPLE do not.

What is the longest word with horizontal symmetry?

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CHECKBOOK.

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