An old man wanted to leave all of his money to one of his three sons, but he didn't know which one he should give it to. He gave each of them a few coins and told them to buy something that would be able to fill their living room. The first man bought straw, but there was not enough to fill the room. The second bought some sticks, but they still did not fill the room. The third man bought two things that filled the room, so he obtained his father's fortune. What were the two things that the man bought?
Think about something that can expand or grow to fill a room, and consider the fact that the third son bought two things...
The wise son bought a candle and a box of matches. After lighting the candle, the light filled the entire room.
A woman waved to a man in a taxi. She got into the taxi and told the taxi driver where to take her. He nodded to her and drove. The woman talked a lot and that annoyed the taxi driver. The taxi driver said," Ma'am, I can't hear what you are saying! I am as deaf as a post!" The woman stopped talking for the rest of the ride. Once she got out of the taxi, she realized he was lying. How did she know?
Pay attention to the taxi driver's response to the woman's directions at the beginning of the ride...
There are two ways she figured out: 1. He would have had to hear her to know she was talking as he was focusing on driving. 2. He would not have heard her directions if he was deaf and wouldn't have nodded in response as a way to confirm he got the directions.
Brad stared through the dirty soot-smeared window on the 22nd floor of the office tower. Overcome with depression he slid the window open and jumped through it. It was a sheer drop outside the building to the ground. Miraculously after he landed he was completely unhurt. Since there was nothing to cushion his fall or slow his descent, how could he have survived the fall?
Think about the time of year and the condition of the window...
Brad was so sick and tired of window washing, he opened the window and jumped inside.
Spencer wakes up in the middle of a forest. A few seconds later, a witch and three magic tunnels–a red, a yellow, and a blue–appear in front of the guy. The witch tells Spencer, "Two of these tunnels will make you disappear forever, and the other one will send you back to your house. Listen to these clues VERY carefully,". Clue 1: Choose the red tunnel, and you won't not disappear. Clue 2: It's a lie to say that the yellow tunnel isn't dissimilar. Clue 3: The blue tunnel doesn't have less in common with the red than with the yellow. Which tunnel should Spencer choose?
Think about the clues as statements about the tunnels, and consider what would be true if a tunnel led to Spencer's house versus if it made him disappear forever. Pay close attention to the use of double negatives and words like "dissimilar" to help you decipher the witch's tricky clues.
Spencer should choose the yellow tunnel. If he chooses the red tunnel, he will not NOT disappear; in other words, Spencer WILL disappear if he enters the red tunnel. We can therefore exclude the red tunnel. If he chooses the blue tunnel, he will also disappear; this is because the blue tunnel doesn't have less in common with red than yellow. In other words, the blue tunnel has more in common with red than yellow, so the blue tunnel will also make Spencer disappear. Choosing the yellow tunnel is the safest option because if it's a lie to say that yellow isn't dissimilar, the truth is that yellow IS different from the red and blue tunnels.
One day, Kathy was walking in the park when she stumbled upon two suspicious men. One of them was dressed like a werewolf, while the other one was not. Which of the two men was the real werewolf?
Think about what a "real" werewolf would do if they didn't want to be discovered...
The real werewolf is the guy who DOESN'T look like a werewolf. Werewolves only transform during the time of the full moon, and at night. It's daytime now, so there can't be any moon in the sky, let alone a full one. Therefore, the guy who looks like a werewolf must only be wearing a costume, and the guy who doesn't look like a werewolf is the real werewolf.
My brother has always been the adventurous type. Unlike me, a high ranking government official, my dear brother avoids politics whenever possible, choosing to pursue more dangerous interests. In fact, my brother has many enemies ----- enemies who have tried to kill him by gun, knife, drowning, poison dart, strangulation, and by trying to infect him with a deadly disease. His life has been threatened by a vicious killer dog, a deadly poisonous snake, and a very large rat. To top it all off, my brother is a drug addict. Even his partner, who has some medical knowledge, has been unsuccessful in freeing him from this addiction. So, with all of this information, can you state my name and the name of my brother?
Think about fictional characters, and consider the phrase "high ranking government official" as a clever misdirection.
My name is Mycroft Holmes, and the name of my celebrated brother is Sherlock.
Two teenagers, covered in tattoos and dressed in black leather jackets with chains around their necks, strutted into a local business. Each of the teens was carrying a long, tapered, hardwood stick. When they entered the room, they arrogantly announced in a loud voice, "We are here to beat everyone in this room, and no one can stop us!" Several of the patrons started to leave out the back door, fearing a confrontation was unavoidable. The two, true to their words, proceeded to beat everyone in the room with their sticks, despite being heavily outnumbered. Everyone who dared to stand up to them was beaten in turn, but no one called the police to stop the beatings, and the owner of the establishment thanked them for coming --- and even welcomed them back! Has society completely fallen to pieces, or is there some rational explanation for these events?
Think "profession" rather than "punk rock" when considering the teenagers' attire and behavior.
The two talented teens had gone to either a local youth center, or to a local pool hall, where they successfully challenged and defeated each of the willing patrons there in the game of pool.
Maggie and four of her gang members (A.K.A. the Maulers) cross paths with Big Bertha and four of her minions (A.K.A. The Bombers), and a major conflict ensues. Both gangs find themselves in a real jam, and neither side dare back out and risk losing face at this point. Suddenly, one of Maggie's own gang grabs Maggie by the arm and throws her forward with all of her strength, but Maggie does not feel betrayed, in fact, she is grateful. She does not run but moves ahead with great speed in an effort to sneak up on the opposing gang from behind. Unfortunately, Big Bertha is just behind Maggie, having planned the exact same strategy. Bertha then suddenly bashes Maggie in the thigh with a lowered shoulder, knocking Maggie off her feet, sending her sprawling. Big Bertha and her gang proceed to lay a major beating on Maggie's entire gang. Over 100 people witnessed this confrontation, but not one of them tried to intervene, or at least call the police. How calloused can people be; or is there some less harmful explanation for these events?
Think about a setting where physical conflict is expected and even encouraged, and where the "gangs" are not necessarily violent criminals...
The Maulers and the Bombers are two women’s teams competing against one another in the game of Roller Derby, in front of a bunch of spectators.
A boy was at a carnival and went to a booth where a man said to the boy, "If I write your exact weight on this piece of paper then you have to give me $50, but if I cannot, I will pay you $50." The boy looked around and saw no scale so he agrees, thinking no matter what the carny writes he'll just say he weighs more or less. In the end the boy ended up paying the man $50. How did the man win the bet?
Think about what the man could have written on the piece of paper that would make the boy's strategy of saying "more" or "less" impossible...
The man did exactly as he said he would and wrote "your exact weight" on the paper.
With potent, flowery words speak I, Of something common, vulgar, dry; I weave webs of pedantic prose, In effort to befuddle those, Who think I while time away, In lofty things, above all-day The common kind that lingers where Monadic beings live and fare; Practical I may not be, But life, it seems, is full of me! What am I?
Think about the language and tone used in academic or intellectual settings, and how it can sometimes be overly complicated and confusing.
Steve woke up after a good night's sleep. He wanted to make a big breakfast for himself. He has a dozen eggs in a carton. He breaks two eggs, fries two, and eats two. How many eggs are there in the carton afterward?
Think about what happened to the eggs, but don't forget to consider what didn't happen to the eggs...
Afterwards, there are 10 eggs in the carton. Steve broke, fried, and ate the same two eggs. This is because: 1) cooking the egg while it is still in its shell would be considered boiling the egg, not frying it; after all, you would need to break the egg into a pan before frying it, and; 2) you cannot eat a raw egg while it is still in the shell because of the risk of foodborne illnesses.
There is a dead man in the middle of a field, nothing is around him and there are no footprints of any sort. There is an unopened package next to him. How did he die? HINT: As he approached the field he knew he was going to die.
While on my way to St. Ives, I saw a man with 7 wives. Each wife had 7 sacks. Each sack had 7 cats. Each cat had 7 kittens. Kittens, cats, sacks, and wives. How many were going to St. Ives?
Three-fourths of a cross, and a circle complete, An upright where two semicircles meet, A rectangle triangle standing on feet, Two semicircles, and a circle complete. What is it?
Think about a common object you might find in a public place, often with a sign on it...
I am a three-digit number. All of my digits are prime. One of the numbers is even. Each of my numbers are used only once. The total of my first and last digits equals 10. The total of my first two digits equals 5.
Think about the properties of prime numbers... Which prime number is even?
This one is fairly easy if you use elimination if you follow all the first 5 steps you get three options: 525, 327, and 723 but if you followed the last step you would reach your answer. The answer was 327.
A hundred stones are placed, in a straight line, a yard distant from each other. How many yards must a person walk, who undertakes to pick them up, and place them in a basket stationed one yard from the first stone?
Think about the journey, not the destination. Focus on the total distance traveled, not the number of trips made.
In solving this question it is clear that to pick up the first stone and put it into the basket, the person must walk two yards, one in going for the stone and another in returning with it; that for the second stone he must walk four yards, and so on increasing by two as far as the hundredth, when he must walk two hundred yards, so that the sum total will be the product of 202 multiplied by 50, or 10,100 yards. If any one does not see why we multiply 202 by 50 in getting the answer, we refer him to his arithmetic.
If a stopper and a bottle cost $2.10 and the bottle costs $2.00 more than the stopper.
Then what does the stopper cost?
Think about it like this: if the bottle costs $2.00 more than the stopper, that means the stopper's cost is being added to $2.00 to get the bottle's cost. Now, how can you set up an equation to represent this relationship?
There was a man who was born before his father, killed his mother, and married his sister. Yet, there was nothing wrong with what he had done. Why?
Think about the context in which these actions took place... it's not a typical family setting.
His father was in front of him when he was born, therefore he was born before him. His mother died while giving birth to him. Finally, he grew up to be a minister and married his sister at her ceremony.
There is a brother and a sister. The boy wants to visit his father in jail, and the sister wants to visit her mother in the hospital. But they both are not allowed in the jail or hospital. All they have is a gun. What do they do?
Think about the situation where they are not allowed to visit their parents, but they have a gun... Perhaps they're not old enough to visit their parents alone?
The boy shoots the girl, and then the boy goes to jail for attempted murder and the girl goes to the hospital due to her injuries.
You're sitting down for breakfast and realize you have 4 bagels left. You know you'll run out in four days so you cut them in half. How many bagels do you have now?
Think about the action of "cutting in half" rather than the quantity of bagels...
I am a word of six; my first three letters refer to an automobile; my last three letters refer to a household animal; my first four letters is a fish; my whole is found in your room. What am I?
I am useless when together but useful when I am broken apart. What am I?
Think about something that loses its purpose or functionality when its individual components are connected or united, but becomes useful or serves a purpose when those same components are separated or divided.
I am as loud as a plane, as precise as a pen, I never run out, even when I'm on end, I can be refilled. But when I stop working, I just need to recharge. I can help you with ink and paper, just tell me when! What Am I?
"Think about a tool that's often used with ink and paper, but doesn't actually hold the ink itself..."
You'll find me all around you;
I can be clear but not seen through;
If I get cut you can glue me shut, but I can do it too.
What am I?
Think about something that's often overlooked, yet omnipresent in our daily lives. It can be transparent, but not necessarily transparent in the classical sense. And when it's "cut" or damaged, it can be repaired, but it can also repair itself in a way...
I cannot be felt, seen or touched; Yet I can be found in everybody; My existence is always in debate, Yet I have my own style of music.
What Am I?
"Think about something that is abstract, yet has a profound impact on individuals, and has been a topic of discussion and creativity throughout history..."
I'm a killing machine used again and again;
I bend a little, but way less than my friend;
For many years I was number one,
But I've been replaced by my modern son.
What am I?
Think about something that's been used for a long time, especially in the past, to accomplish a certain task, and has since been replaced by a newer, more efficient version...
You have me today,
Tomorrow you'll have more;
As your time passes,
I'm not easy to store;
I don't take up space,
But I'm only in one place;
I am what you saw,
But not what you see.
What am I?
Think about something that is always increasing, yet can't be held or kept, and is closely related to the way we perceive time...
Take two numbers, such that the square of the first, plus the square of the second, shall equal 8; while the first, plus the product of the first and second, shall equal 6. What are the two numbers?
Think algebraically, and consider a system of equations involving x and y, where x and y are the two numbers. Pay close attention to the relationships between x, y, x^2, and y^2.
When the day after tomorrow is yesterday, today will be as far from Wednesday as today was from Wednesday when the day before yesterday was tomorrow. What is the day after this day?
Think about the days of the week in a circular fashion, and consider what day would make the given statements true...
Joe has ten coins totaling $1.19. From these coins, he cannot make exact change for a dollar, half-dollar, quarter, dime, or nickel.
What are the coins?
A half-dollar, a quarter, four dimes, and four pennies.
Half of me will mend, the other half will imprison. When I am together, I will poison. Who am I?
Think about something that has two distinct parts, where one part is associated with healing or fixing, and the other part is associated with confinement or restriction...