Versatile Word
What four-letter word can be written forward, backward or upside down, and can still be read from left to right?
SOLUTION
The word NOON.
Green House
There was a green house. Inside the green house there was a white house. Inside the white house there was a red house. Inside the red house there were lots of babies. What is it?
SOLUTION
The answer is WATERMELON.
Brick Measurement
Imagine you have three identical bricks and want to find the common length of their main diagonals. What is the easiest way to do this using just a measuring tape?
SOLUTION
PLace the bricks as shown on the image below, then measure the marked segment.
Slicing a Bagel
Get a bagel and a knife, then cut the bagel in two pieces which end up linked to each other.
SOLUTION
The solution is presented HERE.
Non-Transitive Dice
This is a non-transitive dice set, i.e. every dice in it is weaker than some other dice. Can you design a non-transitive set with only 3 dice?
Remark: “Weaker” means that it loses more often than it wins.
SOLUTION
The simplest solution is given by:
2, 2, 4, 4, 9, 9;
1, 1, 6, 6, 8, 8;
3, 3, 5, 5, 7, 7.
Another solution is given by the so-called “Miwin’s dice”. They are as follows:
1, 1, 3, 5, 5, 6;
2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5;
1, 2, 2, 4, 6, 6.
Puzzle Sum 22
What state does this sum spell?
SOLUTION
BEER – BEE + HOD + DAME – DAM + ISLAND = RHODE ISLAND
Socks in the Drawer
You have a drawer with 10 pairs of black socks and 10 pairs of white socks. How many times do you need to blindly reach inside the drawer and take out a sock, so that you get a matching pair?
SOLUTION
Only 3 times. Once you have two socks of the same color, they already form a matching pair.
Two Sisters
Two sisters we are, one is dark and one is fair,
In twin towers dwelling we’re quite the pair,
One from land and one from sea,
Tell us truly, who are we?
SOLUTION
The answer is SALT AND PEPPER.