Puzzle 1
How should this word be pronounced:
GHOTI
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Hint
Break the word down in this way: GH-O-TI.
Answer
Fish!
Reasoning
The GH as in ENOUGH = F.
The O as in WOMEN = I.
The TI as in MOTION = SH.
Puzzle 2
Four friends were discussing the colours of the flowers they had for the local flower show, from this year, and last.
There were four different colours: red, green, blue and yellow.
No-one entered the same colour flower twice.
The entrant who currently has the green flowers, used to have yellow.
Betty, who is not Mrs Long, currently has the blue flowers.
Mrs Kipper, who now has yellow flowers, used to have blue.
Neither Mrs Annie Ford, nor Mrs Jester, have ever owned yellow flowers.
Cybil is not Mrs Kipper.
Diane and Annie have entered four different colours in total.
Can you determine the full names, and colours of the flowers the ladies currently have, and previously had?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Start with Betty, Mrs Kipper, and Ada, as these are three different people.
Answer
Now Last
Annie Ford Red Green
Betty Jester Blue Red
Cybil Long Green Yellow
Diane Kipper Yellow Blue
Reasoning
By (3), Betty currently has Blue flowers.
Now Last
Betty Blue
By (4), Mrs Kipper currently has Yellow flowers, and used to have Blue.
Now Last
Betty Blue
Kipper Yellow Blue
By (5), we know Annie Ford's name.
Now Last
Betty Blue
Kipper Yellow Blue
Annie Ford
By (6), Mrs Kipper must be Diane, and the remaining person's name is Cybil.
Now Last
Betty Blue
Diane Kipper Yellow Blue
Annie Ford
Cybil
By (2), whoever currently has the Green flowers used to have Yellow, but by (5) this can't be Annie Ford, so this must be Cybil. Which means that Annie must currently have the Red flowers.
Now Last
Betty Blue
Diane Kipper Yellow Blue
Annie Ford Red
Cybil Green Yellow
By (3), Betty isn't Mrs Long, so must be Mrs Jester. Therefore Cybil must be Mrs Long.
Now Last
Betty Jester Blue
Diane Kipper Yellow Blue
Annie Ford Red
Cybil Long Green Yellow
By (1), Annie Ford must have previously had Green, and Betty Jester had Red.
Now Last
Betty Jester Blue Red
Diane Kipper Yellow Blue
Annie Ford Red Green
Cybil Long Green Yellow
Puzzle 3
My current age is the age of my favourite book (which is 14 years old) plus one third of my age.
How old will I be when my favourite book is twice its current age?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
A little algebra might help.
Answer
I will be 35 in 14 years.
Reasoning
I am currently 21.
If X is my current age, then:
X = 14 + X
———
3
so
2X = 14
———
3
and
2X = 42
So
X = 21
I am currently 21 and my favourite book is currently 14 years old, when it is 28 years old (double its age) I will be 35.
Puzzle 4
Starting in the bottom left corner and moving either up or right, adding up the numbers along the way, what is the largest sum that can be made?
| 2 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
| 3 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
| 5 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
| 3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
| 1 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
Note: this puzzle is not interactive, and the squares cannot be clicked.
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Share link: https://www.brainbashers.com/puzzle/zqio
Answer
The largest sum that can be made is 28.
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