Daily Brainteaser

rokapoke · Jun 29, 2009

June 28th - Double Up
Use each of the letters in NITES exactly twice to form a 10-letter word that names some things found in human bodies.

Answer:
Intestines

June 29th - Proverbiage
A well-known proverb is given in fancy language below. Put it back into standard English.

It is not possible to determine the worth or value of a completed published manuscript by examining the manner in which it is finally presented.

Answer:
You can't judge a book by its cover.

turgy22 · Jun 30, 2009

Some students are arranged on the front steps of a school. Paula is standing on the middle step, John is 8 steps above her, Sarah is 3 steps below John, and Tom is 6 steps above Sarah. Tom is also 5 steps from the top.

How many steps are there?

June 28th Answer:

INTESTINES

June 29th Answer:

You can't judge a book by its cover.

rokapoke · Jun 30, 2009

June 30

Some students are arranged on the front steps of a school. Paula is standing on the middle step, John is 8 steps above her, Sarah is 3 steps below John, and Tom is 6 steps above Sarah. Tom is also 5 steps from the top.

How many steps are there?

Answer:
32 steps.

Paula on the middle.
John = P + 8.
Sarah = J - 3 = P + 5
Tom = S + 6 = P + 11
TOP = T + 5 = P + 16

Therefore, the middle step must have 16 steps above and below it. Ergo, 32 steps (and the landing below).

turgy22 · Jul 1, 2009

Cut one letter from each word and "paste" the remaining letters together to spell out a new word. For example, in SPY + THORN, cut the S and the R to get PYTHON.

1. STOP + MATCH
2. PLUSH + CARET
3. WHERE + DIETARY
4. SEQUEL + ACHING
5. COMMITS + SCARY
6. DEATH + PRONE
7. FROWN + TIMER
8. BAILING + DUAL

June 30th Answer:

33 steps.
If N is the number of the top step, then Tom is on step (N-5), Sarah is on step (N-11), John is on step (N-8), and Paula is on step (N-16). Since Paula is on the middle step, there are 16 + 1 + 16 steps in all.

rokapoke · Jul 1, 2009

July 1

Cut one letter from each word and "paste" the remaining letters together to spell out a new word. For example, in SPY + THORN, cut the S and the R to get PYTHON.

1. STOP + MATCH
2. PLUSH + CARET
3. WHERE + DIETARY
4. SEQUEL + ACHING
5. COMMITS + SCARY
6. DEATH + PRONE
7. FROWN + TIMER
8. BAILING + DUAL

Answer:
1. P, T -- Stomach
2. L, E -- Pushcart
3. W, E -- Hereditary
4. E, A -- Squelching
5. T, C -- Commissary
6. A, P -- Dethrone
7. W, M -- Frontier
8. A, D -- Bilingual

turgy22 · Jul 2, 2009

Supply the missing number.

1 4 10 -> 117
5 5 5 -> 75
1 1 1 -> 3
1 3 1 -> 11
1 2 3 -> ?

July 1st Answer:
1. Stomach
2. Pushcart
3. Hereditary
4. Squelching
5. Commissary
6. Dethrone
7. Frontier
8. Bilingual

rokapoke · Jul 2, 2009

July 2

Supply the missing number.

1 4 10 -> 117
5 5 5 -> 75
1 1 1 -> 3
1 3 1 -> 11
1 2 3 -> ?

Answer:
14. The mathematical operator "->" indicates that one must square the three numbers before it and sum the results. Ergo, 1*1 + 2*2 + 3*3 = 14.

turgy22 · Jul 7, 2009

Sorry for the long delay. I had a 4-day weekend and forgot to post an extra puzzle on Thursday. So, there are 5 new ones today.

July 3rd
In the spelling bee, Matthew beat Suzie, Billy beat Lois, Raquel beat Billy, but Suzie beat Raquel.
In what order did they finish?

July 4th - House Party
Seven of these people have something unusual in common. What is it and who is the odd man out?

ELTON JOHN
ARTHUR ASHE
TRUMAN CAPOTE
PIERCE BROSNAN
JACKSON POLLOCK
TAYLOR HICKS
GRANT WOOD
WILSON PICKETT

July 5th
Fit the words crossword-style into this grid. We've given you one letter to get you started. To be tricky, we've added two extra words to the word list that you won't need to use.
._ _ _ _
|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|

AMOK SILO
IOTA STAY
ITSY TELL
OHIO THEM
SEEK YOLK

July 6th

4/2 4/3 1/3 2/3 1/5 3/5 3/3 4/1
These number pairs, so odd, so terse,
So mesmerizing-nay, absurd-
When used initially with this verse
Can help you find the answer word!

July 7th - Capital C's
Of the nearly 200 countries in the world, seven have capital cities that start with the letter C. Name both the city and the country in your answer. Getting four or five is quite commendable. Only geography whizzes will get six or seven.

July 2nd Answer:
14 (the last number in each row is the sum of the squares of the three numbers preceding it)

Spiderman · Jul 7, 2009

July 3rd

In the spelling bee, Matthew beat Suzie, Billy beat Lois, Raquel beat Billy, but Suzie beat Raquel.
In what order did they finish?

Answer:
From first to last: Matthew, Suzie, Raquel, Billy, Lois

rokapoke · Jul 7, 2009

July 3rd
In the spelling bee, Matthew beat Suzie, Billy beat Lois, Raquel beat Billy, but Suzie beat Raquel.
In what order did they finish?

July 3rd Answer:
From worst to first:
Lois, Billy, Raquel, Suzie, Matthew.

July 4th - House Party
Seven of these people have something unusual in common. What is it and who is the odd man out?

ELTON JOHN / ARTHUR ASHE / TRUMAN CAPOTE / PIERCE BROSNAN / JACKSON POLLOCK / TAYLOR HICKS / GRANT WOOD / WILSON PICKETT

July 4th Answer:
I should have realized it would be historical in nature. At least, American historical. Each person's first name is the last name of a former American president, save Elton John. For the record, there was no President Reginald, so his birth name wouldn't cut the mustard, either.

July 5th
Fit the words crossword-style into this grid. We've given you one letter to get you started. To be tricky, we've added two extra words to the word list that you won't need to use.
._ _ _ _
|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|_|

AMOK SILO
IOTA STAY
ITSY TELL
OHIO THEM
SEEK YOLK

July 5th Answer:

ITSY
OHIO
TELL
AMOK

July 6th

4/2 4/3 1/3 2/3 1/5 3/5 3/3 4/1
These number pairs, so odd, so terse,
So mesmerizing-nay, absurd-
When used initially with this verse
Can help you find the answer word!

July 6th Answer:
The number pairs represent the line/word from which to select the first (initial) letter. The answer word: HYPNOTIC.

July 7th - Capital C's
Of the nearly 200 countries in the world, seven have capital cities that start with the letter C. Name both the city and the country in your answer. Getting four or five is quite commendable. Only geography whizzes will get six or seven.

July 7th Answer:
Calcutta, India
Cairo, Egypt
Caracas, Venezuela

Are these three even capitals? Either way, I think that's all I have.

turgy22 · Jul 8, 2009

There is only one common English word that is an anagram of ROASTING.
What is it?

July 3rd Answer:

Matthew, Suzie, Raquel, Billy, Lois

July 4th Answer:

Seven men have first names that are U.S. presidential surnames. Elton John is the odd man out.

July 5th Answer:

ITSY
OHIO
TELL
AMOK

July 6th Answer:

HYPNOTIC.
In each number pair, the number before the slash is the line number of the verse and the number after the slash is the word in that line whose initial letter you use.

July 7th Answers:

Cairo (Egypt), Caracas (Venezuela), Copenhagen (Denmark), Canberra (Australia), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Castries (Saint Lucia), and Chisinau (Moldova).

14 (the last number in each row is the sum of the squares of the three numbers preceding it)

turgy22 · Jul 9, 2009

You have two hourglass sand timers, one that runs for 3 minutes and another that runs for 5 minutes. How do you time 7 minutes using these two sand timers?

July 8th Answer:

ORGANIST

Spiderman · Jul 9, 2009

You have two hourglass sand timers, one that runs for 3 minutes and another that runs for 5 minutes. How do you time 7 minutes using these two sand timers?

July 8th Answer:

Run the 5 minute timer and count 5 minutes. Then run both timers, but start counting minutes from the 5 minute timer when the 3 timer runs out.

EricBess · Jul 9, 2009

You have two hourglass sand timers, one that runs for 3 minutes and another that runs for 5 minutes. How do you time 7 minutes using these two sand timers?

July 9th Answer:

(3 minutes) Run both timers until the 3 minute timer runs out. You now have 2 minutes remaining on the 5-minute timer.

(2 minutes) Turn the 3-minute timer over and wait until the 5-minute timer runs out in 2 more minutes. You now have 1 minute remaining on the 3-minute timer.

(2 minutes) Turn the 3 minute timer over and let it run out.

Spidey - your response doesn't give a continuous 7-minute block of time.

Spiderman · Jul 9, 2009

You have two hourglass sand timers, one that runs for 3 minutes and another that runs for 5 minutes. How do you time 7 minutes using these two sand timers?

July 9th Answer:

Yeah, I drew a blank ('cause this is similiar to the water bottle problem). However, you just gave me another answer.

Run both timers until the 3 minute is empty. You have two minutes left in the 5 minute timer. Pour that into the 3 minute timer.

Refill the 5 minute timer. Now you have seven minutes total (5 minutes in one, 2 minutes in the other).

turgy22 · Jul 10, 2009

July 10th - Film Editing
We've taken the titles of well-known movies and changed one letter in each word and then possibly also rearranged the resulting words. Can you name the movies?

1. STAY WARY
2. GO BANK TIE SUTURE
3. DEMO MINDING
4. LONG RING
5. LURE COAL BAND
6. FAX BAG BY WELDING GREEN
7. CLONE HOPE
8. IF NOT SORE LINE

July 11th - Gridlock
Fill in the grid with the nine letters given so that you form eight common three-letter words: three going across, three going down, and two on the diagonals from top to bottom.
._ _ _
|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|
|_|_|_|

A A B E N P R U Y

July 9th Answer:
The official calender answer coincided with EricBess's answer. Spidey's method (which I came up with) works if you start both timers, wait for the three-minute one to run out and then flip the 5-minute one (with two minutes remaining) and start timing at that point. Then, once it runs out, flip it again for the final five minutes. No need to crack open the timers and move sand around.

Spiderman · Jul 10, 2009

Ah. For some reason, I thought you could open the timers...

EricBess · Jul 10, 2009

July 10th - Film Editing
We've taken the titles of well-known movies and changed one letter in each word and then possibly also rearranged the resulting words. Can you name the movies?

1. STAY WARY
2. GO BANK TIE SUTURE
3. DEMO MINDING
4. LONG RING
5. LURE COAL BAND
6. FAX BAG BY WELDING GREEN
7. CLONE HOPE
8. IF NOT SORE LINE

Answer:
1. Star Wars (very easy)
2. Back to the Future
3. Finding Nemo
4. King Kong
5. Cool Hand Luke
6. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
7. Home Alone
8. Some Like it Hot

turgy22 · Jul 13, 2009

July 12th
What two words, formed from different arrangements of the same six letters, can be used to complete the sentence below?

In the ________ elections, most voters chose the candidate whose views were in the ________ of the political spectrum.

July 13th - The First Shall Be Last
We've removed three letters from the front of common first names and then added them to the words below to create new words. Can you match up the names and words that use the same three letters?

1. ___ELINA
2. ___INICK
3. ___LEY
4. ___NARD
5. ___ERIE
6. ___OTHY

a. INTER___
b. GOO___
c. STAR___
d. MUST___
e. CON___
f. POT___

July 10th Answers:
1. Star Wars
2. Back to the Future
3. Finding Nemo
4. King Kong
5. Cool Hand Luke
6. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
7. Home Alone
8. Some Like It Hot

July 11th Answer:
P U B
E R A
A N Y

Ransac · Jul 13, 2009

July 12th
What two words, formed from different arrangements of the same six letters, can be used to complete the sentence below?

In the ________ elections, most voters chose the candidate whose views were in the ________ of the political spectrum.

July 12 Answer
In the recent elections, most voters chose the candidate whose views were in the center of the political spectrum.

Ransac, cpa trash man

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