Full of T
What begins with T, ends with T, and is full of T?
SOLUTION
The answer is TEA POT.
Difficulty: Medium
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Plinks, Plonks, and Plunks
If all plinks are plonks and some plunks are plinks, which of these statements must be true?
- All plinks are plunks.
- Some plonks are plunks.
- Some plinks are not plunks.
Remark: “Some” means more than 0.
SOLUTION
The first statement says that the set of plonks contains the set of plinks, and the second statement says that there is at least one plunk-plink. Therefore, that plunk-plink must also be a plonk, and the second statement is true.
The first and the third statements, however, do not need to be true. Indeed, it is possible that there is a plink that is not a plunk, or that all plinks are plunks.
Lost Without Moving
In 1972 there was a chess game between two famous players. One of them lost the game without moving any pieces. How?
SOLUTION
It was the game in 1972 between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky, when Bobby Fischer’s clock ran out of time. Fischer himself even did not appear for the game due to his protest against the cameras installed in the playing hall.
A Dream Last Night
The director of a company wakes up early for a morning flight. He realizes that he forgot some papers at work and goes there. In the office, he meets the night watchman who is leaving for home. The watchman stops the director and tells him that he shouldn’t fly. “I had a dream last night,” the watchman says, “I saw you crash. I saw you die sir, please do not fly today.”
The director listens to the advice of the watchman and decides not to travel. On the next day, the director returns, gives the watchman a generous bonus, and then he fires him. Why?
SOLUTION
The plane indeed crashed, so the watchman saved the director’s live. However, apparently, he has been sleeping during his shift, which is the reason the director fires him.
Thoka’s Rebus 5
Can you figure out which word is depicted by this rebus?
SOLUTION
The singers on the picture represent a CHORUS. If you replace letters 4-6 with COLA, you get CHOCOLA. Finally, add NOTE with no NO and get CHOCOLATE.
Big on Saturday
I am big on Saturday and Sunday.
I am small on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
I am not on Monday and Friday.
What am I?
SOLUTION
The answer is the letter S.
Surrounded by Rooks
White to play and mate Black in 20 moves.
SOLUTION
The moves are as follows:
- Qb7+ Rc5c6
- Qa5+ Rc4c5
- Qb3+ Rd4c4
- Qd2+ Re4d4
- Qf3+ Re5e4
- Qg5+ e5
- Qf7+ Rd6e6
- Qd8+ Rc6d6
- Qb7+ Rc5c6
- Qa5+ Rc4c5
- Qb3+ Rd4c4
- Qd2+ Re4d4
- Qf3+ e4
- Qg5+ Re6e5
- Qf7+ Rd6e6
- Qd8+ Rc6d6
- Qb7+ Rc5c6
- Qa5+ Rc4c5
- Qb3+ Rd4c4
- Qd2x
Murdered Wife
One night, a man received a call from the Police. The Police told the man that his wife was murdered, and that he should get to the crime scene as soon as possible. The man immediately hung up the phone and drove his car for 20 minutes. As soon as he got to the crime scene, the Police arrested him, and he got convicted for murder.
How did the Police know that the man committed the crime?
SOLUTION
The police did not tell the man where the crime scene was.
FEATURED
Five Points in a Square
There are 5 points in a square 1×1. Show that 2 of the points are within distance 0.75.
SOLUTION
Split the unit square into 4 small squares with side lengths 0.5. At least one of these squares will contain 2 of the points. Since the diagonals of the small squares have lengths less than 0.75, these 2 points must be within such distance.
Thoka’s Rebus 4
Can you figure out which word is depicted by this rebus?
SOLUTION
The first image on the first row depicts a TEAR. The second image depicts a RAT with a middle letter switched from A to I. From TEARRIT the A is removed, then PILLORY is added, and PILL is removed. The final answer is TERRITORY.