Puzzle 1
How many cubic feet of earth are removed …
… to make a hole 4 feet wide by 7 feet long by 2 feet deep?
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Hint
Read the question carefully.
Answer
56 cubic feet (= 4 x 7 x 2).
We usually ask how much earth there is in a hole, which of course there is none!
Puzzle 2
Can you find three consecutive odd numbers that …
… total 7,644,585 when multiplied together?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Try starting with the cube root of the number.
Answer
195 x 197 x 199.
Reasoning
Since we're after three numbers that multiply together, a good place to start is the cube root of 7,644,585, which is roughly 196.99.
Let's try dividing by the closest odd number to 196.99:
7644585 ÷ 197 = 38805
We're now after whole divisors of 38,805, so trying either odd number either side of 197 might work.
Trying either 195 or 199 gives the answer.
Double-Checking
195 x 197 x 199 = 7,644,585
Note
Trying the closest odd number to the cube root always works, and the other two numbers are the odd numbers either side.
Puzzle 3
If Malcolm, Laura, John, Alan, Brenda and Kevin like chocolate …
… and Norman, Steve, Thomas, Zebedee do not …
… does Peter like chocolate?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Think about the alphabet.
Answer
No.
Only people with initials A-M do like chocolate, others do not.