Random Puzzles 

Workings

Hint
You would probably never try this.

Answer
An umbrella.

Workings

Hint
The first letters of the words are: A, P, T, I, P, U, A, R, R, W, D, C, R, B, E.

Answers
----nst = against ----nip = parsnip ----fth = twelfth ----rno = inferno ----dox = paradox ----sil = utensil ----nac = almanac ----iem = requiem ----arb = rhubarb ----ior = warrior ----bey = disobey ----van = caravan ----ipt = receipt ----dth = breadth ----nox = equinox

Workings

Hint
Find how many sheep Drew has first.

Answer
3.

Reasoning
If we denote Alex by A, Billie by B, Charlie by C, and Drew by D and number the clues.

If Alex had three more sheep, then he'd have one fewer sheep than Billie. Whereas Drew has the same number as the other three shepherds put together. If Charlie had three fewer sheep, he'd have exactly three times the number of Alex. If they were evenly distributed, they'd each have eleven sheep.
By (4):
   A + B + C + D = 44

And, by (2), these are shared equally between A + B + C and D.

So D = 22, and A + B + C = 22 (*)

By (1):
   A + 3 = B – 1
   A + 4 = B

By (3):
   C – 3 = 3A
   C     = 3A + 3

Substitute B and C in (*):

A + (A+4) + (3A+3) = 22
            5A + 7 = 22
                5A = 15
                 A = 3

And, B = 7, C = 12.

Double-Checking
A = 3, B = 7, C = 12, D = 22.

(1) 3 + 3 = 7 – 1
(2) 3 + 7 + 12 = 22
(3) 12 – 3 = 3 x 3
(4) 3 + 7 + 12 + 22 = 44, and 44 ÷ 4 = 11 each.

Workings

Hint
Start by filling the 11 gallon container.

Answer
Here are the contents of the containers after each stage:
A  B
0  11  fill B
7  4   fill A from B
0  4   empty A
4  0   fill A from B
4  11  fill B
7  8   fill A from B
0  8   empty A
7  1   fill A from B
0  1   empty A
1  0   fill A from B
1  11  fill B
7  5   fill A from B
0  5   empty A
5  0   fill A from B
5  11  fill B
7  9   fill A from B
0  9   empty A

This leaves 9 gallons in container B.