Can you complete this paragraph using two words that are anagrams of each other?
While driving their car at a reckless speed, the driver was distracted by their dog ?. Luckily, they managed to complete the ? manoeuvre without crashing.
Hint
There are currently two answers. One answer contains 7 letters, and starts with the letter B. The other contains 4 letters, and starts with the letter S.
Answer
While driving their car at a reckless speed, the driver was distracted by their dog barking. Luckily, they managed to complete the braking manoeuvre without crashing.
Alternative Answer
While driving their car at a reckless speed, the driver was distracted by their dog Spot. Luckily, they managed to complete the stop manoeuvre without crashing.
Here is a snippet of section D of the curious multiple-choice entrance exam into the exclusive BrainBashers puzzle club.
Q1. Which is the first question where c) is the correct answer?
a) Q3
b) Q4
c) Q1
d) Q2
Q2. Which is the first question where a) is the correct answer?
a) Q4
b) Q2
c) Q3
d) Q1
Q3. Which is the first question where d) is the correct answer?
a) Q1
b) Q2
c) Q4
d) Q3
Q4. Which is the first question where b) is the correct answer?
Reasoning
Let's look at Q1 first, and check each possible option:
If Q1's answer was a):
… we'll leave checking this for now, because …
If Q1's answer was b):
… we'll leave checking this for now, because …
If Q1's answer was c):
it would reference itself, and we'd learn nothing new, and we'd then have to check Q2.
So, let's start with Q2 first instead of Q1.
If Q2's answer was a):
an immediate contradiction, as Q4 can't be the first answer with a) as we've assumed Q2's answer is a).
If Q2's answer was b):
an immediate contradiction, as Q2 can't be the first answer with a) as we've assumed Q2's answer is b).
If Q2's answer was c):
Q3's answer would be a)
Q1's answer would be d)
confirming Q2's answer as c)
leaving Q4's only possible answer as b)
no contradiction.
If Q2's answer was d):
Q1's answer would be a) (*)
Q3's answer would be c)
Q4's answer would be d)
Q1's answer would be b)
but this contradicts the section marked (*).
Therefore, the only possible answer with no contradiction is when Q2's answer is c).
We can then follow Q2's answer, which leads to the answers to Q1 to Q3. Q4 must then reference itself.
?
Puzzle 4
At the toy factory, 2 toy makers can make 6 boxes of toys in 3 hours.
By this same reasoning, how many toy makers will it take to make 22 boxes of toys in 5 hours?
Hint
How many boxes of toys can 1 toy maker make in 5 hours?
Answer
Five toy makers.
Reasoning
How many boxes of toys can 1 toy maker make in 5 hours?
2 toy makers can make 6 boxes of toys in 3 hours
1 toy maker can make 3 boxes of toys in 3 hours
1 toy maker can make 1 box of toys in 1 hour
1 toy maker can make 5 boxes of toys in 5 hours
So 4 toy makers could only make 20 boxes of toy in 5 hours, and we require the extra toy maker to make the remaining 2 boxes of toys.
