Puzzle 1
I recently went to the shop and purchased 4 items.
Three of the items cost:
$1.50
$3.00
$4.00
There was quite a long queue, and as I was quite bored, I was playing with my pocket calculator while I waited.
Very curiously, the 4 prices added to the same number as I got when I multiplied the 4 prices together.
What was the price of the 4th item?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
www.brainbashers.com
/puzzle/zapy
share
Hint
What do the 3 numbers add to, and multiply to, so far?
Answer
$0.50.
Reasoning
The three prices add to 1.50 + 3.00 + 4.00 = 8.50.
The three prices multiply to 1.50 x 3.00 x 4.00 = 18.00.
You might be able to see that adding another 0.50 will take the total to 9.00, and multiplying by another 0.50 will take the product to 9.00.
The answer can also be found using algebra. If we call the missing price P, we have:
1.50 + 3.00 + 4.00 + P = 1.50 x 3.00 x 4.00 x P
8.50 + P = 18.00 x P
8.50 = 18.00 x P − P
8.50 = 17.00 x P
8.50 ÷ 17.00 = P
P = 0.50.
Puzzle 2
Which three letters come next in this sequence:
pes · gua · luj · nuj · yam · rpa · ?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
www.brainbashers.com
/puzzle/zvtq
share
Hint
Do the words make any sense when read another way?
Answer
Ram.
These are the first three letters of the months in reverse order.
Therefore, RAM are the first three letters of March.
Puzzle 3
Using the letters EEIIIISSSTTT complete this grid. The grid reads the same across as down.
Note: this puzzle is not interactive, and the squares cannot be clicked.
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
www.brainbashers.com
/puzzle/zimz
share
Hint
The last letter of the last word is T.
Answer
| S |
T |
I |
R |
| T |
I |
R |
E |
| I |
R |
I |
S |
| R |
E |
S |
T |
Puzzle 4
Can you find every occurrence of the word SEPTEMBER that appears in this grid (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally)?
The hint will reveal the number of times it occurs, but where are they?
Note: this puzzle is not interactive, and the letters cannot be selected.
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
www.brainbashers.com
/puzzle/zgix
share
Hint
The word SEPTEMBER appears 17 times.
Answer
The word SEPTEMBER appears 17 times.
