Puzzle 201
I recently went to the shop and purchased 4 items.
Three of the items cost:
$1.50
$3.00
$4.00
There was quite a long queue, and as I was quite bored, I was playing with my pocket calculator while I waited.
Very curiously, the 4 prices added to the same number as I got when I multiplied the 4 prices together.
What was the price of the 4th item?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
What do the 3 numbers add to, and multiply to, so far?
Answer
$0.50.
Reasoning
The three prices add to 1.50 + 3.00 + 4.00 = 8.50.
The three prices multiply to 1.50 x 3.00 x 4.00 = 18.00.
You might be able to see that adding another 0.50 will take the total to 9.00, and multiplying by another 0.50 will take the product to 9.00.
The answer can also be found using algebra. If we call the missing price P, we have:
1.50 + 3.00 + 4.00 + P = 1.50 x 3.00 x 4.00 x P
8.50 + P = 18.00 x P
8.50 = 18.00 x P − P
8.50 = 17.00 x P
8.50 ÷ 17.00 = P
P = 0.50.
Puzzle 202
Below you will find 15 well-known six-letter words, with only their endings remaining.
Can you find the words?
---amt
---nue
---rtz
---oze
---mth
---iek
---gry
---thm
---koo
---spy
---sip
---lem
---uid
---tyr
---meg
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hints
The first 6 words begin with the letters D, A, Q, S, W, S.
Answers
---amt = dreamt
---nue = avenue
---rtz = quartz
---oze = snooze
---mth = warmth
---iek = shriek
---gry = hungry
---thm = rhythm
---koo = cuckoo
---spy = crispy
---sip = gossip
---lem = emblem
---uid = liquid
---tyr = martyr
---meg = nutmeg
Puzzle 203
Each of these words can be split in half, and two letters can be placed in the middle to create a new six-letter word.
The four added pairs of letters, in order, spell an 8-letter word. What is that word?
lend
liar
pale
coin
For example:
door + ct = do + ct + or = doctor
suit + nl = su + nl + it = sunlit
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
The 8-letter word begins with the letter G.
Answer
Generous.
lend + ge = le + ge + nd = legend
liar + ne = li + ne + ar = linear
pale + ro = pa + ro + le = parole
coin + us = co + us + in = cousin
Puzzle 204
Three builders are laying a brick wall.
Freddie can lay 1,000 bricks in three hours, Jimmy can lay 1,000 bricks in two hours and Kevin can lay 1,000 bricks in six hours.
On average, how long will it take Freddie, Jimmy, and Kevin to lay 1,000 bricks if they all work together?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
How many bricks are laid in six hours?
Answer
1 hour.
Reasoning
How many bricks are laid in six hours?
In six hours, Kevin lays 1000 bricks, Freddie lays 2000 bricks, and Jimmy lays 3000 bricks.
So, in six hours, we have a total of 6000 bricks laid.
Which means, on average, that it will take one hour to lay 1000 bricks.
