[ Brain Teasers Archive 1]
Scroll down for answers

1.
A man has recently escaped from prison and is making his way home on foot. He is walking along a straight rural country lane in bright daylight. He has walked about two miles from the prison, when he sees a police car coming toward him. Despite knowing that all squads would be out looking for him, he ran towards the car for a short while, and only when he was about ten feet away, did he turn and run into the woods to hide. Why did he run towards the police car?
- - - - - - - - - -
2.
What common English verb becomes its
own past tence by rearranging its letters?
- - - - - - - - - -
3.
In a box you have 13 white marbles and 15 black marbles. You also have 28 black marbles outside the box. Remove two marbles, randomly, from the box. If they are of different colors, put the white one back in the box. If they are the same color, take them out and put a black marble back in the box. Continue this until only one marble remains in the box. What color is the last marble?
- - - - - - - - - -
4.

Move just THREE crosses
and flip this triangle upside down?
X
X X
X X X
X X X X

- - - - - - - - - -

5.
In the following line of letters,
cross out six letters so that the remaining letters,
without altering their sequence,
will spell a familiar English word.

B S A I N X L E A T N T E A R S

- - - - - - - - - -

6.
An old farmer died and left 17 cows to his three sons. In his will, the farmer stated that his oldest son should get 1/2, his middle son should get 1/3, and his youngest son should get 1/9 of all the cows. The sons, who did not want to end up with half cows, sat for days trying to figure out how many cows each of them should get.

One day, their neighbour came by to see how they were doing after their father's death. The three sons told him their problem. After thinking for a while, the neighbour said: "I'll be right back!" He went away, and when he came back, the three sons could divide the cows according to their father's will, and in such a way that each of them got a whole number of cows.

What was the neighbour's solution?

- - - - - - - - - -
7.
What is the next 3 letters in this riddle?
o t t f f s s _ _ _

- - - - - - - - - -
8.

On an average day, what mode of transportation
carries more passengers than any other?

- - - - - - - - - -
9.

I am something that nothing is, but yet I have a name.
I am sometimes tall and sometimes short.
I join your talks; I join your sport,
And I play in every game.
What am I?

- - - - - - - - - -
10.

1. Fall To Pieces = _ _ S I N _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2. Cheesehead's home state = _ _ _ _ _ _ S I N
3. Sole heart in a hand = S I N _ _ _ _ _ _
4. Given faulty data = _ _ S I N _ _ _ _ _ _
5. The Taj Mahal, for one = _ _ S I N _
6. Dumber than dumb = _ S I N _ _ _
7. Arabian Nights sailor = S I N _ _ _
8. Trail mix tidbit = _ _ _ S I N

- - - - - - - - - -
11.
Though it appears to go away,
it always finds some place to stay,
devouring colours on the way.
- - - - - - - - - -
12.

Below are thirteen 5 lettered, everyday words, each of which has had two of its letters removed.

In total these 26 letters are A - Z

The remaining letters in each word are in the correct order. There are no words which are spelled differently based upon location (favour/favor, etc) and there are no plurals. Can you determine the original words?

AAE
AVE
UIE
GON
POT
VIE
ACT
MET
BEP
UGE
LAN
RAE
BON

- - - - - - - - - -
13.

What loses a head in the morning,
but gains a head at night?

- - - - - - - - - -
14.

Which one of these sentences
is the odd one out?

David ushered cartooned kittens.
Simon wanted another nail.
Every artistic girl loves Easter.
Badgers rarely eat any more.
Will rabbits eat nettles?
Can rare animals nobble elephants?

- - - - - - - - - -
15.

Using the BrainTracker below, how many words can you find? Each word must contain the central "P" and no letter can be used twice, however, the letters do not have to be connected. Proper nouns are not allowed, however, plurals are. There is at least one nine letter word.

Excellent: 22 words. Good: 18 words. Average: 15 words.

U. R. G
A. P. T
A. H. O
- - - - - - - - - -
16.

What do these 3 have in common?

Superman
Moses
The Cabbage Patch Kids
- - - - - - - - - -
17.

What types of animals can jump
higher than a house.

- - - - - - - - - -
18.

I have one, you have one.
If you remove the first letter, a bit remains.
If you remove the second, bit still remains.
After much trying, you might be able to remove the third one also, but it remains.
It dies hard!

- - - - - - - - - -
19.

What phrase is this?
1. Stop & -
2. Start & +
3. Stay & /
4. Go & x
- - - - - - - - - -

20.
Two men went deep into the Dutch Forest: one, a small, meek man; the other, a monster.

They walked for days, until, out of food, they got desperate. The monster murdered the meek man, and ate him for dinner!

He left no remains, whatsoever, and was seen by no one. On his return to civilisation he told no one.

Who was the murdering, canniballistic monster?
- - - - - - - - - -

21.
Take away my first letter; take away my second letter; take away
all my letters, and I would still remain the same. What am I?
- - - - - - - - - -

22.
What is put on a table, cut, but never eaten
- - - - - - - - - -

23.
Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?
- - - - - - - - - -
24.
The Pope has it but he does not use it.
Your father has it but your mother uses it.
Nuns do not need it.
Arnold Schwarzenneger has a big one,
Michael J. Fox's is quite small.
What is it?
- - - - - - - - - -
25.
What force and strength cannot get through,
I with a gentle touch can do.
And many in the street would stand,
were I not a friend at hand.
What am I?

- - - - - - - - - -
26.
What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes,
windshield wipers and laser printers
all have in common?
- - - - - - - - - -
27.
There is a barrel with no lid and some wine in it.
"This barrel of wine is more than half full," said Curly.
"No it's not," says Mo. "It's less than half full."
Without any measuring implements and without removing any wine from the barrel,
how can they easily determine who is correct?
- - - - - - - - - -
28.
A well known seven letter word can be created, by starting with a single letter and adding a letter, one at a time, then mixing the letters, each time making a proper word. Using the clues below, which are not necessarily in the correct order, can you find all seven words. For example, A, AT, TAR, RATE, etc.

Expressing position within limits of space and time.
The subject of self-consciousness.
Frozen atmospheric vapour falling to earth.
To utter musical sounds with the voice.
Cause to oscillate.
Scattering on the earth.
The breaking of divine law.
- - - - - - - - - -
29.
An iron horse with a flaxen tail.
The faster the horse runs,
the shorter his tail becomes.
What is it?

- - - - - - - - - -
30.
Who is your mother's
only sister's son's brother's
aunt's daughter's sister's father?
- - - - - - - - - -
31.
Name an eight letter word that has
"kst" in the middle, in the beginning, and at the end ?
- - - - - - - - - -
32.
A man walks into a pub and sits down at the bar,
and simply orders a water.
The bartender looks at the man, and then,
quickly pulls out a shotgun and points it at the man.
The man says "Thank you," and leaves.
Why did they behave this way?
- - - - - - - - - -
33.

At a local bar, three friends, Mr. Green, Mr. Red
and Mr. Blue, were having a drink.
One man was wearing a red suit; one a green
suit; and the other a blue suit.
"Have you noticed," said the man in the blue suit,
"that although our suits have colors
corresponding to our names,
not one of us is wearing a suit that
matches our own names?"
Mr. Red looked at the other two and
said, "You're absolutely correct."

What color suit is each man wearing?

- - - - - - - - - -
34.
Why should you never mention the
number 288 in front of anyone?
- - - - - - - - - -
35.
What 7 letter word becomes longer
when the third letter is
removed?
- - - - - - - - - -
36.
This old tested to tease puzzle is attributed to Einstein.
There are 5 houses in 5 different colours. In each house lives a person of a different nationality. The 5 owners drink a certain type of beverage, smoke a certain brand of cigar, and keep a certain pet.

Using the clues below can you determine
who owns the fish?

The Dane drinks tea.
The Swede keeps dogs as pets.
The Brit lives in a red house.
The owner of the yellow house smokes Dunhill.
The person who smokes Pall Mall rears birds.
The green house owner drinks coffee.
The green house is on the immediate left of the white house.
The Norwegian lives in the first house.
The man living in the house right in the middle drinks milk.
The man who smokes Blend lives next door to the one who keeps cats.
The man who keeps horses lives next door to the man who smokes Dunhill.
The owner who smokes Blue Master drinks beer.
The German smokes Prince.
The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.
The man who smokes Blend has a neighbour who drinks water.

- - - - - - - - - -
37.
I hover out there in darkness unseen.
I will shred things to pieces 'till they're just smithereens.
I might serve as a gateway to places unspoken,
Yet I'm sealed off to man, forever unbroken.
I twist and distort, only darkness escapes,
I destroy all I find
Whatever I take.

- - - - - - - - - -
38.

Find The City

- - - - - - - - - -
39.

Change the words
W A R M
to
C O L D
in 5 changes

SCROLL DOWN FOR ANSWERS

[ ANSWERS]

1.

A man has recently escaped from prison and is making his way home on foot. He is walking along a straight rural country lane in bright daylight. He has walked about two miles from the prison, when he sees a police car coming toward him. Despite knowing that all squads would be out looking for him, he ran towards the car for a short while, and only when he was about ten feet away, did he turn and run into the woods to hide.
Why did he run towards the police car?

The man is on a bridge when he spots the police car.
He's more than halfway across, so the quickest way off the bridge is to run forward.
- - - - - - - - - -
2.
What common English verb becomes its
own past tence by rearranging its letters?

Eat ~ Ate
- - - - - - - - - -
3.
In a box you have 13 white marbles and 15 black marbles. You also have 28 black marbles outside the box. Remove two marbles, randomly, from the box. If they are of different colors, put the white one back in the box. If they are the same color, take them out and put a black marble back in the box. Continue this until only one marble remains in the box. What color is the last marble?

Answer:
The last marble will be WHITE.

Since marbles can only be taken out in pairs and you started off with an odd number of whites there is always going to be one white left over that you'll keep putting back in the box until it's left on it's own.
- - - - - - - - - -
4.
Move just THREE crosses
and flip this triangle upside down?
X
X X
X X X
X X X X

Answer:

X
X X
X X X
X X X X

Move the X
to underneath the bottom row

then move the X & X
up to each side of the new top line

X X X X
X X X
X X
X

- - - - - - - - - -

5.

In the following line of letters,
cross out six letters so that the remaining letters,
without altering their sequence,
will spell a familiar English word.

B S A I N X L E A T N T E A R S

Answer:

B A N A N A

(Cross out the letters: S I X L E T T E R S)

B S A I N X L E A T N T E A R S
- - - - - - - - - -
6.

An old farmer died and left 17 cows to his three sons. In his will, the farmer stated that his oldest son should get 1/2, his middle son should get 1/3, and his youngest son should get 1/9 of all the cows. The sons, who did not want to end up with half cows, sat for days trying to figure out how many cows each of them should get.

One day, their neighbour came by to see how they were doing after their father's death. The three sons told him their problem. After thinking for a while, the neighbour said: "I'll be right back!" He went away, and when he came back, the three sons could divide the cows according to their father's will, and in such a way that each of them got a whole number of cows.

What was the neighbour's solution?

Answer:

The neighbour borrowed an extra cow, to make the total number of cows 18.
Then the oldest son got 1/2 of 18 is 9 cows,
the middle son got 1/3 of 18 is 6 cows,
and the youngest son got 1/9 of 18 is 2 cows.
Since 9+6+2 = 17,
the cows could be divided among the three brothers in such a way that the borrowed cow was left over, and could be returned to its owner.
- - - - - - - - - -
7.
What is the next 3 letters in this riddle?
o t t f f s s _ _ _
Answer:
E N T
They represent the first letter
when writing the numbers one thru ten.
- - - - - - - - - -
8.
On an average day, what mode of transportation
carries more passengers than any other?
Answer:
ELEVATOR
- - - - - - - - - -
9.
I am something that nothing is, but yet I have a name.
I am sometimes tall and sometimes short.
I join your talks; I join your sport,
And I play in every game.
What am I?
Answer:
A HANDSHAKE
- - - - - - - - - -
10.

1. Fall To Pieces = _ _ S I N _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2. Cheesehead's home state = _ _ _ _ _ _ S I N
3. Sole heart in a hand = S I N _ _ _ _ _ _
4. Given faulty data = _ _ S I N _ _ _ _ _ _
5. The Taj Mahal, for one = _ _ S I N _
6. Dumber than dumb = _ S I N _ _ _
7. Arabian Nights sailor = S I N _ _ _
8. Trail mix tidbit = _ _ _ S I N
Answer:
1. Fall To Pieces = Disintegrate
2. Cheesehead's home state = Wisconsin
3. Sole heart in a hand = Singleton
4. Given faulty data = Misinformed
5. The Taj Mahal, for one = Casino
6. Dumber than dumb = Asinine
7. Arabian Nights sailor = Sinbad
8. Trail mix tidbit = Raisin
- - - - - - - - - -
11.

Though it appears to go away,
it always finds some place to stay,
devouring colours on the way.
Answer:
DARKNESS
- - - - - - - - - -
12.

Below are thirteen 5 lettered, everyday words, each of which has had two of its letters removed. In total these 26 letters are A - Z
The remaining letters in each word are in the correct order. There are no words which are spelled differently based upon location (favour/favor, etc) and there are no plurals. Can you determine the original words?

AAE
AVE
UIE
GON
POT
VIE
ACT
MET
BEP
UGE
LAN
RAE
BON
Answer:
Amaze, brave, quiet, wagon, pivot, vixen, yacht,
comet, bleep, judge, flank, grape, bonus.

- - - - - - - - - -
13.

What loses a head in the morning,
but gains a head at night?
Answer:
A pillow
_ _ _ _ _
14.
Which one of these sentences
is the odd one out?

David ushered cartooned kittens.
Simon wanted another nail.
Every artistic girl loves Easter.
Badgers rarely eat any more.
Will rabbits eat nettles?
Can rare animals nobble elephants?
Answer:
Badgers rarely eat any more:
the initial letters of the words spell Bream, a fish.
The other sentences all spell birds.

- - - - - - - - - -
15.

Using the BrainTracker below, how many words can you find? Each word must contain the central "P" and no letter can be used twice, however, the letters do not have to be connected. Proper nouns are not allowed, however, plurals are. There is at least one nine letter word.
Excellent: 22 words. Good: 18 words. Average: 15 words.

U. R. G
A. P. T
A. H. O
Answer:
All words: apart, aport, apt, atap, atop, AUTOGRAPH, gap, gorp, graph, group, hap, harp, hop, hup, op, opah, opt, ouph, pa, pah, par, para, pargo, part, pat, path, phat, phot, pht, phut, poh, port, pot, pour, pout, prahu, prao, prat, prau, pro, proa, prog, pruta, prutah, pug, pugh, pur, put, ragtop, rap, rapt, roup, tap, tapa, tarp, thorp, top, toph, trap, trop, tup, up, upo.

- - - - - - - - - -
16.

What do these 3 have in common?
Superman
Moses
The Cabbage Patch Kids
Answer:
They are all adopted !

- - - - - - - - - -
17

What types of animals can jump higher than a house?
Answer:
ALL ... Houses can't jump
- - - - - - - - - -
18.
I have one, you have one.
If you remove the first letter, a bit remains.
If you remove the second, bit still remains.
After much trying, you might be able to remove the third one also, but it remains.
It dies hard!
Answer:
Habit!
Remove h - a bit remains.
Remove a - bit remains.
Remove b - it remains.
- - - - - - - - - -
19.
What phrase is this?
1. Stop & -
2. Start & +
3. Stay & /
4. Go & x

Answer:
Go forth and multiply
- - - - - - - - - -
20.
Two men went deep into the Dutch Forest: one, a small, meek man; the other, a monster. They walked for days, until, out of food, they got desperate. The monster murdered the meek man, and ate him for dinner! He left no remains, whatsoever, and was seen by no one. On his return to civilisation he told no one. Who was the murdering,
canniballistic monster?
Answer:
Me!
I told no one, therefore no one else could know about the incident. Only the murderer could tell the story!
- - - - - - - - - -
21.
Take away my first letter; take away my second letter; take away
all my letters, and I would still remain the same. What am I?
Answer:
The Mail Man
- - - - - - - - - -
22.
What is put on a table, cut, but never eaten
Answer:
A Pack of Cards
- - - - - - - - - -
23.

Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?
Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow!
- - - - - - - - - -
24.
The Pope has it but he does not use it.
Your father has it but your mother uses it.
Nuns do not need it.
Arnold Schwarzenneger has a big one,
Michael J. Fox's is quite small.
What is it?
Answer:
A Last Name
- - - - - - - - - -
25.
What force and strength cannot get through,
I with a gentle touch can do.
And many in the street would stand,
were I not a friend at hand.
What am I?
Answer:
A Key.
- - - - - - - - - -
26.
What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes,
windshield wipers and laser printers
all have in common?
Answer:
They were all invented by women.
- - - - - - - - - -
27.
There is a barrel with no lid and some wine in it.
"This barrel of wine is more than half full," said Curly.
"No it's not," says Mo. "It's less than half full."
Without any measuring implements and without removing any wine from the barrel,
how can they easily determine who is correct?
Answer:
Tilt the barrel until the wine barely touches the lip of the barrel. If the bottom of the barrel is visible then it is less than half full.If the barrel bottom is still completly coverd by the wine, then it is more than half full.
- - - - - - - - - -
28.
A well known seven letter word can be created, by starting with a single letter and adding a letter, one at a time, then mixing the letters, each time making a proper word. Using the clues below, which are not necessarily in the correct order, can you find all seven words. For example, A, AT, TAR, RATE, etc.

Expressing position within limits of space and time.
The subject of self-consciousness.
Frozen atmospheric vapour falling to earth.
To utter musical sounds with the voice.
Cause to oscillate.
Scattering on the earth.
The breaking of divine law.

Answer:
I, in, sin, sing, swing, sowing, Snowing.

- - - - - - - - - -
29.
An iron horse with a flaxen tail.
The faster the horse runs,
the shorter his tail becomes.
What is it?

Answer:
A needle and thread.
- - - - - - - - - -
30.
Who is your mother's
only sister's son's brother's
aunt's daughter's sister's father?

Answer:
Your Father
- - - - - - - - - -
31.
Name an eight letter word that has
"kst" in the middle, in the beginning, and at the end ?

Answer:
Inkstand
- - - - - - - - - -
32.
A man walks into a pub and sits down at the bar,
and simply orders a water.
The bartender looks at the man, and then,
quickly pulls out a shotgun and points it at the man.
The man says "Thank you," and leaves.
Why did they behave this way?

Answer:
The man had hiccups
- - - - - - - - - -
33.

At a local bar, three friends, Mr. Green, Mr. Red and Mr. Blue,
were having a drink. One man was wearing a red suit; one a green
suit; and the other a blue suit. "Have you noticed," said the man in the blue suit,
"that although our suits have colors corresponding to our names,
not one of us is wearing a suit that matches our own names?"
Mr. Red looked at the other two and said, "You're absolutely correct."
What color suit is each man wearing?

Answer:
Since none of the men are wearing the color of suit that corresponds to their names, and Mr. Red was replying to the man in the blue suit, it had to be Mr. Green to whom he replied. We then know that Mr.Green is wearing a blue suit. Therefore, Mr. Red is wearing a green suit and Mr. Blue is wearing a red suit.
- - - - - - - - - -
34.
Why should you never mention the number 288 in front of anyone?

Answer:
Because it is
TWO GROSS

(144 = 1 gross)
- - - - - - - - - -
35.
What 7 letter word becomes longer
when the third letter is removed?
Answer:
Lounger
- - - - - - - - - -
36.
This old tested to tease puzzle is attributed to Einstein.
There are 5 houses in 5 different colours. In each house lives a person of a different nationality. The 5 owners drink a certain type of beverage, smoke a certain brand of cigar, and keep a certain pet.Using the clues below can you determine
who owns the fish?

The Dane drinks tea.
The Swede keeps dogs as pets.
The Brit lives in a red house.
The owner of the yellow house smokes Dunhill.
The person who smokes Pall Mall rears birds.
The green house owner drinks coffee.
The green house is on the immediate left of the white house.
The Norwegian lives in the first house.
The man living in the house right in the middle drinks milk.
The man who smokes Blend lives next door to the one who keeps cats.
The man who keeps horses lives next door to the man who smokes Dunhill.
The owner who smokes Blue Master drinks beer.
The German smokes Prince.
The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.
The man who smokes Blend has a neighbour who drinks water.

Answer:
The German owns the fish

Norwegain - Yellow - water - Dunhill - cats
Dane - Blue - tea - Blend - horses
Brit - Red - milk - Pall Mall - birds
German - Green - coffee - Prince - fish
Swede - White - beer - Blue Master - dogs

- - - - - - - - - -
37.
I hover out there in darkness unseen.
I will shred things to pieces 'till they're just smithereens.
I might serve as a gateway to places unspoken,
Yet I'm sealed off to man, forever unbroken.
I twist and distort, only darkness escapes,
I destroy all I find
Whatever I take.

Answer:
A Black Hole/Wormhole
(as in ~ out there in the universe, not in your garden or a coalmine)

- - - - - - - - - -
38.

Find The City

Answer:

- - - - - - - - - -
39.
Change the words
W A R M to C O L D in 5 changes

Answer:
One solution for transforming the word
WARM to COLD is

W A R M
W A R E
W A R D
W O R D
C O R D
C O L D

- - - - - - - - - -

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