Puzzle 69
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
workings
hint
answer
print
Share link – www.brainbashers.com/puzzle/znth
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 70
Starting in the bottom left corner, and moving either up, or right, adding up the numbers along the way, what is the largest sum you can make?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
Share link – www.brainbashers.com/puzzle/zqio
Hint
You can only go up or right.
Answer
28.
Puzzle 71
Yesterday I went for a short bicycle ride around the local lakes. As the weather was very hot, I rode in shorter stages than I'd normally ride.
In the first stage, I rode half of the overall distance.
Stage two saw half of the remaining distance plus 35 metres covered.
Stage three covered three-quarters of the remaining distance.
Stage four completed half of the remaining distance plus 75 metres.
Stage five completed the journey with a final burst of 150 metres.
How far did I cycle in total?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
workings
hint
answer
print
Share link – www.brainbashers.com/puzzle/zofe
Hint
Try working backwards.
Answer
7,340 metres.
Reasoning
Stage 5's clue tells us that 150m was left. So the distance left at the start of Stage 4 must have been:
Dist4 = Dist4 + 75 + 150
—————
2
Which simplifies to give Dist4 = 450m.
Stage 3's clue tells us that 450m was one quarter of the remaining distance, so Dist3 = 1,800m.
Stage 2's clue tells us that the distance at the start of Stage 2 was:
Dist2 = Dist2 + 35 + 1800
—————
2
Which simplifies to give Dist2 = 3,670m.
Stage 1's clue tells us that 3,670m was half the overall distance, which means the entire ride was 7,340m.
Double-Checking
Starting with 7,340m:
Stage 1: cycled 3,670m, leaving 3,670m
Stage 2: cycled 1,870m, leaving 1,800m
Stage 3: cycled 1,350m, leaving 450m
Stage 4: cycled 300m, leaving 150m
Stage 5: cycled 150m, leaving 0m
Puzzle 72
- Place letters into the grid such that every row, column, and 2x2 block has letters (in any order) that form a common word.
- Each letter is only used once, and no letter is repeated in the rows / cols / blocks.
- Letters allowed: W A R M T H.
Puzzle Copyright © Alan Stillson and Frank Longo
workings
hint
answer
print
Share link – www.brainbashers.com/puzzle/zuii
Hint
Row 1's missing letter is A which makes Column 4 a little easier to think about.
Answer
| V |
O |
L |
A |
| S |
W |
I |
H |
| T |
B |
M |
O |
| A |
R |
E |
L |
Across: OVAL, WISH, TOMB, REAL
Down : VAST, BROW, LIME, HALO
Boxes : VOWS, HAIL, BRAT, MOLE
Other anagrams of these words are OK as long as they don't change the answer grid.
< previous next >
Note: BrainBashers has a Dark Mode option – I recommend not using your browser's dark mode or extensions for BrainBashers
