Two houses are on fire. The first one belongs to Mr. Richards–a wealthy, elderly man. And the second one belongs to Mr. Lawrence–an art dealer who just started his business. Which house fire should the police officers extinguish first?
Think about the value of what's inside the houses, but not just in terms of money...
The police officers shouldn't extinguish either house fire because it's not part of their job! Police officers don't fight fires; that's what firefighters do!
Every day, some of America's finest fall into enemy traps and are captured and placed behind bars. The olive-green and greenish-brown camouflage uniforms they wear don't appear to be effective in protecting them against these enemies. Once caught, there is rarely any chance of escape for any of these prisoners. In fact, nearly all of them are executed by their captors, but never once has even one of them ever revealed any state secrets before dying. Each prisoner is systematically removed from his/her cell by an executioner wearing a white uniform and hat. This killer appears to have no conscience, as he ends the lives of many of these captives each day by scalding them to death. However, there are many Americans who want to honor these and celebrate the lives of the fallen. In fact, 44 U.S. states have erected monuments to remind us of those who have given their lives to serve us. Who are these captives, and what are these monuments which have been erected to help us remember them?
Think about something you might find in a kitchen, and a common practice people do with it...
The captives are lobsters, and the monuments 44 states have erected to help us remember them are Red Lobster seafood restaurants. Just so everyone knows, lobsters only turn red after being boiled.
Colin recently bought a new motorbike. One morning, he polished the bike for his evening bike ride, closed the garage, and went to work. When Colin came back, he found that the motorbike was gone. The man called the police, and the officers questioned three neighbors. Jessica said that she had stayed home all day because she was sick. Elizabeth said that when she was walking her dog, she saw that the motorbike was still in the garage. Pete said that he had come to Colin's house to ask for some garden tools, but when nobody opened the door for him, he simply left. Who stole the motorbike?
Think about who had a reason to lie about their whereabouts that day...
Elizabeth stole the motorbike. She couldn't possibly see that the bike was still in the garage because Colin closed the garage before leaving to go to work.
Shirley grew up in a family that loved desserts ------ especially one dessert! Many arguments occurred during dessert time in Shirley's family, and on a few occasions, these disputes nearly led to blows. The person serving the dessert was usually the one accused of creating the contentious atmosphere. The accusations usually centered around the color distribution allotted to each family member. People were always o.k. with the amount of orange, white, light green, and yellow they received, but the distribution of the red was always a major point of contention. God help anyone who dared to pass out more of the red part of the dessert to any one person sitting at the table, for if they did, all hell would break loose! It's amazing to think a simple canned desert could cause such an uproar, but it did, and in certain families, still does today. What is this common dessert which caused such a commotion in Shirley's family?
Think about a classic, canned dessert that has distinct colored segments, and the red part is the most coveted...
Fruit cocktail. If the red cherry pieces are not evenly distributed, people sometimes get upset. The Del Monte company actually had to add a separate can to their lineup of fruit cocktails to appease their customers due to this problem. They call it Very Cherry, and it contains more cherries than their original can.
A bizarre ritual occurs, often when the weather is hot, and it has been happening for over 100 years. Two men bring two cups to a place where a large plate is located. They do not drink anything from their cups and eat nothing from the plate. Soon, a third man joins the other two, and he brings with him his cup and a wooden object. Strangely, two of the three men wear masks, despite the fact all three of them know each other. Over the next two to three hours, only one of the men remains near the large plate, while various other men continue to take their cups and wooden objects to and from their meeting place with the other two men. Just what is this strange ritual?
Think about a popular outdoor activity that people enjoy during the summer months, and a specific role that three individuals play in this activity...
The two masked men are the home plate umpire and the two catchers taking turns coming to the plate. One at a time, the hitters from both sides come to the plate to hit. All the players and the umpire always wear protective cups.
Aidan is looking for a girl to invite out. He goes onto an app and finds three girls pretty quickly. He texts each of them, asking if they'd each like to go out with him. Amber says: "Yes, I made a reservation at my favorite restaurant. You have to be there at exactly 8:00 PM,". Julie says, "How about dinner, and then a movie? I could pick you up at 6:00 PM if you'd like,". Francesca says, "I have a huge collection of records at my house, would you like to come and visit?" Only one of these girls is safe to invite. Which girl should Aidan invite out?
Pay attention to the details of each girl's response... one of them is making assumptions about Aidan that might be a red flag.
Aidan should invite Julie out. Amber didn't even ask if Aidan wanted to go to the restaurant or not. Besides, she's too rude and bossy. Aidan barely knows Francesca; it's unsafe to go to her place alone. Aidan should go with Julie because she seems the safest and the most polite.
A man and a woman enter a crowded room where many people they have seen before are present. The man and the woman enter the room separately, but only one of them enters to a musical serenade. Another man speaks to each of them for a few minutes when the two get together in the room. The crowd has been quiet for the most part, and the familiar people seem to be in a happy mood, but when the man and the woman leave the room, they find the crowd is now outside waiting for them. When the crowd sees the man and the woman, they begin shouting and throwing food at the two as they try to depart the area. What was going on here, and why did the crowd pelt the man and the woman with food?
Here's a hint: Think about a specific type of event where people often gather, and a certain tradition that involves music, conversation, and food...
The man and the woman were getting married, and the food being thrown at them was rice.
There are three doors. In each door is a way to die. The first door has fire and lava. The second door has lions that haven't eaten in 5 years. In the third door, there is a 1,000-foot drop into alligators. Which door will you likely survive?
Think about the lions' situation...
The second door with the lions. Since they haven't eaten in 5 years they will have died.
In camps about the centre I appear;
In smiling meadows seen throughout the year;
The silent angler views me in the streams,
And all must trace me in their morning dreams,
First in the mob conspicuous I stand,
Proud of the lead, and ever in command.
What am I?
You are in a car hungry, thirsty, and broken. You come across three doors on the side of the road. One is full of food, one is full of glasses of water, and one is filled with millions of dollars. Which door do you open first?
Think about the order of priority when you're in a car and in a state of distress...
There are two rooms in front of you. On the door to each room, there is a sign; only one of the signs tells the truth. The sign on the door to the first room says, "There is treasure here. A monster lurks in the other room,". And the sign on the door to the second room says, "The treasure and the monster are in different rooms,". Where is the treasure?
Think about what would happen if the sign on the first room was telling the truth... would the sign on the second room still make sense?
The treasure is in the second room. If the first sign is true, then the second sign is true, too. This contradicts the terms of the game. Therefore, the first sign is false, and the second sign is truthful.
Chris wants to enter an exclusive club, but the security guard in front of the door always asks for a password. Chris decides to eavesdrop on clubgoers, and this is what he sees: A woman walks up to the security guard. The guard says "12", and the woman replies "6". The woman is granted access. A man walks up to the security guard. The guard says "6", and the man replies "3". The man is granted access. Another woman walks up to the security guard. The guard says "10", and the woman replies "5". This woman is NOT granted access. Chris thinks he's seen enough, and he walks up to the security guard. The guard says "4". What should Chris say to get into the club?
Pay attention to the numbers and the responses, but also think about the characteristics of the people who were granted access...
To get into the club, Chris should say "4". The task was not to divide the number by two (after all, not all numbers are divisible by two). Instead, the task was to say how many letters are in the number the security guard says. "Twelve" has 6 letters. "Six", in turn, has 3 letters. "Ten" also has 3 letters, so the second woman should have said "3", not "5". Chris should say "4" because "four" consists of 4 letters.
Lauren and Alice are talking long distance on the phone. Lauren is in an East-Coast US state which borders the Atlantic Ocean, and Alice is in a West-Coast state which borders the Pacific Ocean. Lauren asks Alice: "What time is it?" Alice replies and Lauren says: "That's really odd. It's the same time here!" How can this be?
Think about the International Date Line and its effect on time zones...
Alice is in Eastern Oregon (in Mountain time) and Lauren is in Western Florida (in Central time). It is the night that daylight-savings time changes back to standard time any time after 1:00 and before 2:00 AM.
It's true if you think of Roman numerals. FIVE, take away the F and the E and you are left with IV, half of the word FIVE, which is the Roman number for Four.
Which number would be bigger: the product of all of the numbers on your calculator, or the SUM of those numbers?
Think about the number 0...
The sum would be bigger because multiplying any number by zero always results in zero. Yes, you have to include zero; it is also a number on your calculator.
A woman is walking down a street night at a constant pace. As she passes the street light, she notices that her shadow becomes longer. Does the top of her shadow move faster, slower or the same when the shadow is longer as when it is shorter?
This point maintains a constant speed, independent of the lenght of the shadow.
Simon Simpleton was born in London, England. His mother was Welsh and his father Scottish. When Simon was eight his mother died. When Simon was ten his father married an Irish women and suddenly Simon had an Irish sister. When Simon was twenty four he graduated as a lawyer and took a job in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is now sixty six. Why can he not be buried on the banks of Loch Lomond in his favourite village of Luss, in Bonnie Scotland?
Think about Simon's nationality and the laws that govern burial in Scotland...
I have no voice and yet I speak to you, I tell of all things in the world that people do. I have leaves, but I am not a tree, I have pages, but I am not a bride or royalty. I have a spine and hinges, but I am not a man or a door, I have told you all, I cannot tell you more. What am I?
Think about something you might find in a library or a bookshelf, something that conveys information and stories, but isn't a living thing...
I'm fatherless and motherless and born without sin. Roaring when entering the world, I never speak again.
What am I?
Think about something that makes a loud noise when it's "born" or appears, but then remains silent afterwards. It's not a living thing, but it's often associated with a dramatic entrance...
I have an eye in the middle of me, but as you see, I cannot see. I am dark and not far away. You don't see me every day. I am not night and I am not bright. I can have twists and water and scares. What am I?
Think about a natural phenomenon that can have a "center" or "eye", and is often associated with darkness, water, and even fear...
I fly in the air, But I am not always there. I cannot be touched, But I can be felt or held. Think very hard, But if you live near the equator, You may have a tough time seeing me. What am I?
"Look up to the sky, but think about the seasons..."
I build up castles. I tear down mountains. I make some men blind, I help others to see. What am I?
Think about something that can be used to create grand structures, yet also has the power to destroy or alter the natural landscape... and has a profound impact on human perception.
I am the fountain from which no one can drink. For many I am considered a necessary link. Like gold to all I am sought for, But my continued death brings wealth for all to want more. What am I?
Think about something that's highly valued and sought after, yet its "death" or depletion is what actually makes it valuable to people. It's a bit of a paradox!
Out of a man's mouth it comes forth, lightening hearts and inspiring souls to be steadfast. Tales of old it tells, of warriors and kings, of castles and dungeons. It tells of sunshine and hills, flowers and grass. Of food and drink it encourages you to press on, of fantasies it gives you rest and delight. It carries on through ages and never an ending does it find. What is it?
Some try to hide, and some try to cheat, but time will show, and we always will meet. Try as you might, to guess my name, I promise you'll know when you I do claim. Who am I?
Think about something that is inevitable, unavoidable, and will eventually catch up with everyone...
A father and son were in a car accident where the father was killed. The ambulance brought the son to the hospital. He needed immediate surgery. In the operating room, a doctor came in and looked at the little boy and said I can't operate on him he is my son.
Who is the doctor?
The hint is: Think outside the traditional family structure.
Every month someone dies, and there are five suspects. The suspects are, Jason, Lily, Nathan, Elizabeth, and Erin, and the months of the murders are July, August, September, October, and November. Who's the murderer?
Think about the names of the months and the names of the suspects... there's a clever connection between them.
Jason. J, July. A, August. S, September. O, October. N, November.
Two ladies were detained by security officers at an airport–one of whom claimed to be a computer scientist, and one of whom claimed to be a geographer. One of them was secretly a smuggler! A security officer asked the supposed computer scientist, "Do you know about the Gava computer program?". The woman answered, "Do you mean Java?". The security officer then asked the supposed geographer, "Have you ever been to the capital of Spain, that is, Granada?". The geographer said, "Yes! It's a beautiful city!". Who was the smuggler?
Think about the answers the women gave... did they really answer the questions they were asked?
The capital of Spain is Madrid, not Granada. If the second woman was really a geographer, she would know this; she must be the smuggler!