Puzzle 1
Below is a very special grid, around each shaded number are 8 white squares.
However, each white square should have a number from 1 to 7.
Once filled in, these 8 numbers will sum to the shaded number.
In addition, once completed correctly, no row nor column will contain a duplicate number within a white square.
For example, the top row may be 5 6 4 2 3 1 7, etc.
This is a very difficult puzzle, and many people resort to using a computer to help them, which is a challenge in itself.
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
This puzzle almost certainly requires trial-and-error to solve, and there is more than one solution.
Answer
There are a number of correct solutions, this is just one of them.
Puzzle 2
Below, 10 countries have been broken into chunks of letters.
The chunks have been moved around, no chunk is used twice, and all of the chunks are used.
Can you determine what the 10 countries are?
ezu itz zil ela bra gi ia
fi pan mba bel and ber zi
nl bo cam ven dia and um
sw bwe mex erl ico ja li
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
The countries begin with the letters: B, M, B, J, C, S, Z, V, F, L.
Answers
bel-gi-um = Belgium
mex-ico = Mexico
bra-zil = Brazil
ja-pan = Japan
cam-bo-dia = Cambodia
sw-itz-erl-and = Switzerland
zi-mba-bwe = Zimbabwe
ven-ezu-ela = Venezuela
fi-nl-and = Finland
li-ber-ia = Liberia
Puzzle 3
What number comes next in this sequence:
1 23 124 1251 26127 128129 ?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Try removing the spaces from the sequence.
Answer
1301311 or 1210121.
Reasoning
Removing spaces from the original sequence gives:
1 23 124 1251 26127 128129
123124125126127128129
Now adding spaces back in, in the correct place:
123 124 125 126 127 128 129
The next few terms could be:
130 131 132
or
1210 1211 1212
Add these to the end:
123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132
or
123 124 125 126 127 128 129 1210 1211 1212
Remove the spaces again:
123124125126127128129130131132
or
123124125126127128129121012111212
Now break the sequence into chunks of increasing size:
1 23 124 1251 26127 128129 1301311
or
1 23 124 1251 26127 128129 1210121
So the missing term is 1301311 or 1210121.
Puzzle 4
Using all of the letters A to Z, each once only, complete these common words. There are currently 3 different answers, can you find them all?
--ust
-ue-n
o-o-e
--and
-a-er
id-o-
-uc-y
e-i-t
hea--
tou--
-rie-
-ry-t
h-m-n
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
The first word begins with the letter J.
Answers
--ust = joust (JO)
-ue-n = queen (QE)
o-o-e = ozone (ZN)
--and = brand (BR)
-a-er = water (WT)
id-o- = idiom (IM)
-uc-y = lucky (LK)
e-i-t = exist (XS)
hea-- = heavy (VY)
tou-- = tough (GH)
-rie- = fried (FD)
-ry-t = crypt (CP)
h-m-n = human (UA)
Alternative Answers
Joust, queen, ozone, brand, wafer, idiom, lucky, exist, heavy, tough, tried, crypt, human.
Joust, queen, ozone, bland, wafer, idiot, mucky, exist, heavy, tough, drier, crypt, human.
Can you find another?
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