Can you find five countries hidden in the following paragraph:
Dominic had a certain way with animals, he could almost talk to them. By tickling it under the chin, a rabbit would roll over and let its belly be tickled. This technique was sometimes used to good effect in gaining trust, and allowed a vital yearly treatment to be performed safely. The removal of nits. Using a vet approved shampoo to clean the fur (and not a blend of malt and water!).
Hint
One of the countries begins with the letter M.
Answers
Chad, China, Togo, Italy, Malta.
Domini[c had] a certain way with animals, he could almost talk to them. By tickling it under the [chin, a] rabbit would roll over and let its belly be tickled. This technique was sometimes used [to go]od effect in gaining trust, and allowed a v[ital y]early treatment to be performed safely. The removal of nits. Using a vet approved shampoo to clean the fur (and not a blend of [malt a]nd water!).
??
Puzzle 19
We have been quite lucky with the weather recently, it has got steadily warmer each day, over the last five days.
By this, I mean that the temperature rose by the same amount each day.
The average temperature was 2 °C, and I know it froze on two occasions (0 °C).
I also know the product of the temperatures was over 500 but below 2,000 and each temperature was an integer.
Hint
What must the middle temperature be? Remember that the temperature are in degrees Celsius.
Answer
The temperatures were -6, -2, 2, 6, 10 °C.
Each day increased by a steady 4 degrees.
Reasoning
As the temperature rose steadily each day, we know that the middle temperature (Day 3) was 2 degrees (because the average was 2 degrees).
Since Day 3 was 2 degrees, and there were two negative temperatures, we know that the daily increase must have been at least 3 degrees (otherwise Day 2 would not have been negative).
If we check a daily increase of 3 degrees, the sequence would be -4, -1, 2, 5, 8, but this doesn't work as the product is less than 500.
If we check a daily increase of 4 degrees, the sequence would be -6, -2, 2, 6, 10, which does matches all of the requirements.
If we check a daily increase of 5 degrees, the sequence would be -8, -3, 2, 7, 12, but this doesn't work as the product is more than 2000.
Any larger increase makes the product even larger, so we can stop checking.
So the only possible answer is -6, -2, 2, 6, 10.
??
Puzzle 20
Using all of the letters A to Z, each once only, complete these common words. There are currently 2 different answers, can you find them both? -ai-es-ua--e-el-o-ed-na-efog--c--mpb--jo-r-it-re-t-av-nmu--cmou--
