In each of these sentences, can you replace the missing number.
The number is written as a word (e.g. five, twenty-four, thirty-three), and each sentence is correct after the replacement.
This sentence contains exactly ? E's and not one more. However, this sentence contains exactly ? S's, with a single Z. Finally, to finish, this sentence has exactly ? I's.
Answers This sentence contains exactly eight E's and not one more.However, this sentence contains exactly seven S's, with a single Z.Finally, to finish, this sentence has exactly six I's.
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Puzzle 131
At the local sweet shop, three particularly nice sweets are on special offer.
A Nobbler is over three times the price of a Sparkle. Six Sparkles are worth more than a Wibbler. A Nobbler, plus two Sparkles costs less than a Wibbler. A Sparkle, a Wibbler and a Nobbler together cost 40p.
Can you determine the price of each type of sweet?
Reasoning
By (3) a Nobbler, plus two Sparkles costs less than a Wibbler, therefore a Wibbler must be the most expensive sweet.
By (1) a Nobbler is over three times the price of a Sparkle, therefore a Sparkle must be the cheapest sweet.
So the order of sweets, from the least to most expensive, is Sparkle, Nobbler, Wibbler.
If a Sparkle was 1p, by (2) a Wibbler could only be up to 5p, by (4) a Nobbler would cost at least 34p, which is more than a Wibbler and isn't allowed as the Wibbler is the most expensive sweet.
If a Sparkle was 2p, by (2) a Wibbler could only be up to 11p, by (4) a Nobbler would cost at least 27p, which is more than a Wibbler and isn't allowed as the Wibbler is the most expensive sweet.
If a Sparkle was 3p, by (2) a Wibbler could only be up to 17p, by (4) a Nobbler would cost at least 20p, which is more than a Wibbler and isn't allowed as the Wibbler is the most expensive sweet.
So a Sparkle must be at least 4p.
If a Sparkle was 4p, by (1) a Nobbler must be at least 13p, by (4) a Wibbler would cost 23p – this combination matches all of the clues and is a possible solution.
If a Sparkle was 4p and a Nobbler 14p, by (4) a Wibbler would cost 22p. This would not satisfy (3). And if we increase the price of a Nobbler, (3) is never satisfied.
If a Sparkle was 5p, by (1) a Nobbler must be at least 16p, by (4) making a Wibbler at most 19p. This would not satisfy (3).
If we increase the price of a Sparkle or Nobbler further, (3) is will never be satisfied.
Therefore, the only solution we came across must be the correct one.
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Puzzle 132
Starting with a five-letter word, change one letter to create a new word.
This word is then changed by one letter to create another new word.
These words in turn mean:
a gaggle of geesea device for measuring timewhat you can do with a mousea baby chickena device to prevent wheels from movinga surprisea small housea pile of cardsa small piece of woodunable to move
Answers flock = a gaggle of geeseclock = a device for measuring timeclick = what you can do with a mousechick = a baby chickenchock = a device to prevent wheels from movingshock = a surpriseshack = a small housestack = a pile of cardsstick = a small piece of woodstuck = unable to move
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