Puzzle 17
What number comes next in this sequence:
1 23 124 1251 26127 128129 ?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Try removing the spaces from the sequence.
Answer
1301311 or 1210121.
Reasoning
Removing spaces from the original sequence gives:
1 23 124 1251 26127 128129
123124125126127128129
Now adding spaces back in, in the correct place:
123 124 125 126 127 128 129
The next few terms could be:
130 131 132
or
1210 1211 1212
Add these to the end:
123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132
or
123 124 125 126 127 128 129 1210 1211 1212
Remove the spaces again:
123124125126127128129130131132
or
123124125126127128129121012111212
Now break the sequence into chunks of increasing size:
1 23 124 1251 26127 128129 1301311
or
1 23 124 1251 26127 128129 1210121
So the missing term is 1301311 or 1210121.
Puzzle 18
You are running in a marathon and you overtake the person in second place.
What position are you now in?
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Answer
If you think that you are now in first place, then think again!
If you overtake the person in second place, you are now in second place yourself!
Puzzle 19
This BrainBashers safe has a rather unusual control panel.
In order to open the safe, you have to press every single square once only, in the correct sequence, ending on the square marked E.
Each square indicates which square to press next, for example, 2U means move up 2 squares and 3R means move right 3 squares.
Can you determine which square you must start with?
| 4R |
4D |
1R |
1D |
2D |
4L |
1D |
| 1R |
4D |
5D |
2R |
2D |
1L |
4L |
| 2R |
1D |
1L |
2R |
2R |
2D |
2U |
| 2R |
2R |
3U |
3D |
1R |
3U |
6L |
| 3U |
3R |
1D |
2U |
4L |
2D |
3L |
| 3U |
1L |
1R |
1R |
1R |
1R |
2U |
| 6U |
E |
2U |
2L |
4L |
1L |
2U |
Note: this puzzle is not interactive, and the safe buttons cannot be clicked.
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Start on any square, and see how far you get.
Answer
Start from the 2U in the bottom right-hand corner.
Puzzle 20
At a recent BrainBashers party, I noted the ages of the children who attended.
Billie was 3, James and Keith were 4, Frankie and Rebecca were 5.
How old was Lara?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Look at the vowels (AEIOU).
Answer
2.
Consonants are worth 2 and vowels (AEIOU) are worth –1.