Puzzle 1
A 'complete' word is a word in which every letter, in turn, can be replaced by another to form a new word.
For example, RUG is a complete word because:
-ug = hug
r-g = rig
ru- = run
How many of the following words are not complete words? Proper nouns and names are not allowed.
hard
port
duck
bugs
bail
mast
thin
lean
fire
read
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
Share link: www.brainbashers.com/puzzle/zsgj
Hint
Another example, PEN is a complete word because:
-en = ten
p-n = pin
pe- = pea
Answer
Two of the words are not complete: bugs, lean.
Reasoning
The remaining 8 words can be changed as follows:
hard:
-ard = card
h-rd = herd
ha-d = hand
har- = harp
port:
-ort = fort
p-rt = part
po-t = poet
por- = pore
duck:
-uck = muck
d-ck = deck
du-k = dusk
duc- = duct
bugs:
-ugs = hugs
b-gs = bags
bu-s = buys
bug- = ----
bail:
-ail = hail
b-il = boil
ba-l = bawl
bai- = bait
mast:
-ast = cast
m-st = most
ma-t = malt
mas- = mask
thin:
-hin = shin
t-in = twin
th-n = than
thi- = this
lean:
-ean = mean
l-an = loan
le-n = ----
lea- = leaf
fire:
-ire = hire
f-re = fare
fi-e = five
fir- = firm
read:
-ead = bead
r-ad = road
re-d = reed
rea- = real
Puzzle 2
Alex and Billie were rowing their canoe along the River Trent.
In the morning, they managed to row upstream at an average speed of 2 miles per hour.
They then stopped for a spot of lunch and a nice rest.
In the afternoon, the pace was a little easier as they were now rowing downstream back to their starting point, and managed an average speed of 4 miles an hour.
The morning trip took them 3 hours longer than the afternoon.
How far did they row upstream?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
Share link: www.brainbashers.com/puzzle/zoty
Hint
You can either fix the distance rowed and see what numbers work, or you can fix the number of hours.
Answer
12 miles.
In the morning, rowing at 2 miles per hour, they rowed for 6 hours. In the afternoon, rowing at 4 miles per hour, they rowed for 3 hours.
There are a number of ways of working this out, and here are two of them:
Method 1
If we assume the distance the rowed upstream to be D miles, we know the morning took (D ÷ 2) hours, and the afternoon took (D ÷ 4) hours, with a difference of 3 hours. So:
D D
- – - = 3
2 4
Multiplying throughout by 4 gives:
2D – D = 12
So:
D = 12 miles
They rowed 12 miles upstream.
Method 2
If we assume they rowed for H hours upstream, we know they travelled H x 2 miles in the morning. In the afternoon, they rowed for (H – 3) hours, and travelled (H – 3) x 4 miles. We know these distances are the same, so:
2H = (H – 3) x 4
Giving:
2H = 4H – 12
Rearranging gives:
12 = 2H
So:
H = 6 hours
They rowed for 6 hours upstream at 2 miles per hour, which is a total of 12 miles.
Puzzle 3
Starting in the bottom left corner and moving either up or right, adding up the numbers along the way, what is the largest sum which can be made?
Note: this puzzle is not interactive, and the numbers cannot be clicked.
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
Share link: www.brainbashers.com/puzzle/zwsc
Answer
38.
Puzzle 4
What letter comes next in this sequence:
E O E R E {?}
workings
hint
answer
print
Share link: www.brainbashers.com/puzzle/zczl
Hint
This is a very common sequence.
Answer
X.
The last letters of the words one, two, three, four, five, six.
next >
Note: BrainBashers has a Dark Mode option – I recommend not using your browser's dark mode or extensions for BrainBashers
