Puzzle 5
Billy has twice as many sisters as brothers.
His sister, Frankie, has one more sister than she has brothers.
How many boys and girls are there in the family?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
www.brainbashers.com
/puzzle/zyvh
share
Hint
The answer isn't very large at all.
Answer
There are four boys and six girls in the family.
If there were B boys, and G girls we know that Billy has twice as many sisters as brothers, so 2 x (b - 1) = g.
And his sister, Frankie, has one more sister than she has brothers, so g - 1 = b + 1.
2(b - 1) = g [1]
g - 1 = b + 1 [2]
Using [1] in [2] gives:
2(b - 1) - 1 = b + 1
Expanding the bracket gives:
2b - 2 - 1 = b + 1
Simplifying the left hand side gives:
2b - 3 = b + 1
Add 3 to each side gives:
2b = b + 4
Subtract b from both sides gives:
b = 4
Using b = 4 in [1] gives:
2(4 - 1) = g
6 = g
Puzzle 6
Eddie The Elephant can eat 110 bananas in 10 minutes, and Hugo The Hippo can eat 56 bananas in 8 minutes.
How long will it take Eddie and Hugo to eat 954 bananas?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
www.brainbashers.com
/puzzle/zipl
share
Hint
Work out how many each can eat in one minute.
Answer
53 minutes.
Reasoning
In one minute, Eddie eats 11 bananas (= 110 ÷ 10).
In one minute, Hugo eats 7 bananas (= 56 ÷ 8).
So in total, they eat 18 bananas every minute.
So it will take 954 ÷ 18 = 53 minutes.
Puzzle 7
Can you complete these common 5-letter words?
-s-g-
--r-f
-zu--
e--x-
-p--c
--ln-
-w--m
---jo
q---a
-v-k-
i--h-
-b-y-
--dt-
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answers
print
www.brainbashers.com
/puzzle/zciv
share
Hint
One of the words begins with the letter S.
Answers
-s-g- = usage
--r-f = serif
-zu-- = azure
e--x- = epoxy
-p--c = optic
--ln- = kilns
-w--m = swarm
---jo = banjo
q---a = quota
-v-k- = evoke
i--h- = itchy
-b-y- = obeys
--dt- = width
Puzzle 8
Can you add two lines to complete this sequence of towers?
Note: this puzzle is not interactive, and cannot be clicked.
Puzzle Copyright © Lloyd King
workings
hint
answer
print
www.brainbashers.com
/puzzle/zknl
share
Hint
Look at the tops of the towers.
Answer
Add the two lines to the second tower from the left to complete the 'X' in the inverted letter sequence U, V, W, X, Y forming the towers' roofs.
next >