Puzzle 93
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
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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 94
What letter comes next in this sequence:
E O E R E {?}
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Hint
It's a very common sequence.
Answer
X.
The last letters of the words one, two, three, four, five, six.
Puzzle 95
Using all of the letters A to Z, each once only, complete these common words:
ap--e
b-a-e
bo--d
-an-c
-ro-e
--ell
-ra-y
bu-c-
-o-ra
-umb-
s-ua-
lo--l
g-es-
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
The 4th word begins with the letter M.
Answers
ap--e = apple (PL)
b-a-e = brake (RK)
bo--d = boxed (XE)
-an-c = manic (MI)
-ro-e = froze (FZ)
--ell = dwell (DW)
-ra-y = gravy (GV)
bu-c- = bunch (NH)
-o-ra = cobra (CB)
-umb- = jumbo (JO)
s-ua- = squat (QT)
lo--l = loyal (YA)
g-es- = guess (US)
Puzzle 96
During a recent trip to Scotland, I filled my petrol tank to the top, a total of 10 gallons.
I travelled at 60 mph up the motorway, and I knew that I could average 40 miles per gallon.
However, the moment I started, my petrol tank developed a leak and four hours later I ground to a halt having run out of petrol.
How much petrol had I lost through the leak?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
How far did I travel?
Answer
I had lost 4 gallons in total.
Reasoning
I travelled at 60mph for 4 hours, which is 240 miles.
At 40 miles per gallon this used 6 gallons, which meant the remaining 4 gallons were lost.
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