Puzzle 1
Alex likes soda very much. At the local convenience store, for every 5 empty soda bottles the reward is a full fresh bottle.
As part of a local recycling initiative, Alex collected 77 empty bottles.
How many bottles of soda could Alex drink in total?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
The answer is not 15.
Answer
19 bottles.
Reasoning
From the initial 77 bottles, 75 bottles can be recycled for 15 new full bottles.
Once those are drunk, Alex will have 17 empty bottles (15 plus the 2 extra empty bottles).
From the 17 empty bottles, 15 bottles can be recycled for 3 new full bottles.
Once those are drunk, Alex will have 5 empty bottles (3 plus the 2 extra empty bottles), which can be recycled for one final full bottle.
Giving a total of 15 + 3 + 1 = 19.
Puzzle 2
Which word is the odd one out?
erah reed yenkom tibbar tac tesomram gip
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Try reading the words backwards.
Answer
yenkom.
Reasoning
The others are the names of animals spelled backwards:
hare, deer, rabbit, cat, marmoset, pig.
But YENKOM is not quite the reverse of MONKEY.
Puzzle 3
Trade Convention #2 – Logic Puzzles
Workers with the surnames Butcher, Baker, Carpenter and Plumber are currently attending an annual convention.
No-one is currently, nor ever has been in the same profession as their name and no-one has had the same profession twice.
Alan is now a butcher, whereas Mr Brian Butcher used to be a baker.
The person who is now a carpenter used to be a butcher.
Charles has never been a baker, Mr Darren Carpenter has never been a butcher and Mr Baker is not now a carpenter.
Can you determine their full names, along with their current and previous professions?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Answer
Current Previous
Brian Butcher Plumber Baker
Alan Baker Butcher Carpenter
Darren Carpenter Baker Plumber
Charles Plumber Carpenter Butcher
Puzzle 4
Are there more loaves in a dozen baker's dozen …
… or points in the highest snooker break?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
There are 13 loaves in a baker's dozen.
Answer
Loaves in a dozen baker's dozen.
Reasoning
A baker's dozen is 13, so a dozen baker's dozen is:
12 x 13 = 156 loaves
There are 15 red balls in snooker, and each of these can be followed by the black ball, and then the colours in order gives:
15 x (1 + 7) + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 147 points
This can rise to 155 if the break follows a foul.
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