A retired couple had just completed construction on a brand new house. The husband had worked in construction, and his wife had been an interior decorator, so the finished house looked great. They were so proud of their new house, they invited their 12 grandchildren over to see it. Within an hour of their visit, however, the 12 children had broken several windows, pulled decorations from the walls, smashed parts of the white fence surrounding the house, and somehow even managed to destroy parts of the new roof. Shockingly, the retired couple did not try to set any behavioral limits on their grandchildren, and in fact, were observed smiling and laughing as their grandchildren inflicted damage on the house the couple had so carefully created together. Has the world gone mad? What kind of insanity was going on here?
Think about the type of "construction" the husband was involved in...
The retired couple had constructed a small gingerbread house for their grandchildren, and invited them over to eat it.
Two women sit staring and glaring at each other across a small table. Although the two women don't appear to be friendly toward each other, they do eventually hold each other's hands. A man approaches, puts his hand on top of theirs, and says to them, "I hope I don't have to use the strap on you two." A few seconds later he quickly removes his hand, and shouts out one word to the women. Both women immediately become very tense. What is the word the man shouts to the women, and what in the world is going on here?
Think about a situation where two people might be in a tense, competitive relationship, and a third person is overseeing their interaction...
The word the man shouts to the women is, "Go!" This is the way most women's arm wrestling competitions start, and hopefully the wrist straps, to keep their hands from slipping apart, won't have to be used.
Marvin is a typical boy who attends a typical elementary school. However, Marvin is considered by some to be a bit eccentric. His teachers have noted he has a habit of carrying some unusual things in his pockets. Some of these items include: onion skins, some toothpaste, a lifeless bumblebee, a steel ball, pearls, some spaghetti, and a small turtle. The most bizarre item he carries in his pockets though, is far more disturbing --- a cat's eye!!! Why haven't the teachers reported this to the authorities? Where are the animal rights activists when you need them? Why hasn't the school psychologist been contacted so Marvin can receive a mental health evaluation? Of course, it is possible Marvin isn't such a strange little boy after all. What do you think? What's going on here?
Marvin's pockets are not as strange as they seem... Think about the context in which Marvin is carrying these items.
Marvin loves to play the old game of marbles. He always carries some in his pockets, some of which include: onion skins (marbles with a swirled and layered design that resemble an onion); toothpaste (marbles with the colors of red, white, blue, black, and orange inside), bumblebee (a yellow marble with two black stripes on the sides), a ball bearing made of steel called a steelie), pearls (marbles with a mother-of-pearl coating), spaghetti (marbles with entwined lines inside them), a turtle (a marble with green and yellow wavy steaks), and a cat’s eye (a marble which closely resembles the eye of a cat).
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.
Which of the following statements are true, and which are false? 1. Only one of the statements is false 2. Exactly two of the statements are false. 3. Only three of the statements are false. 4. Exactly four of the statements are false. 5. All five of these statements are false.
Think about it like a paradox: if a statement says it's false, is it really false?
The only true statement can be #4. The others are false. #5 can't be true, because it says all the statements are false.
John was very tired after a long day of work. He went to bed at 10 p.m., wound his alarm clock, and set it for noon the next day. Since John fell asleep almost immediately, how many hours of sleep did he get before the alarm woke him?
Think about the word "noon" very carefully...
Two hours. Wind-up clocks can't be set more than 12 hours in advance.
There is a barrel with no lid and some wine in it. "This barrel of wine is more than half full," said Curly. "No it's not," says Mo. "It's less than half full." Without any measuring implements and without removing any wine from the barrel, how can they easily determine who is correct?
"Think about the shape of the barrel..."
Tilt the barrel until the wine barely touches the lip of the barrel. If the bottom of the barrel is visible then it is less than half full. If the barrel bottom is still completely covered by the wine, then it is more than half full.
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.
I have a certain number of candies, X. If I divide them into groups of three, then two candies will be left. If I divide them into groups of five, then three candies will be left. And if I divide them into groups of seven, then two candies will be left. How many candies do I have?
Think about the remainders as a pattern: 2, 3, 2... Does this pattern remind you of a specific type of number?
A nonstop train leaves Moscow for Leningrad at 60 mph. Another nonstop train leaves Leningrad for Moscow at 40 mph. How far apart are the trains 1 hour before they pass each other?
Find four numbers, the sum of which is 45, so that if 2 is added to the first number, 2 is subtracted from the second number, the third number is multiplied by 2 and the fourth number is divided by 2, then the four numbers so produced are all the same. What are the four numbers?
Think about how the operations (add 2, subtract 2, multiply by 2, divide by 2) affect the numbers, and how you can "balance" these effects to get the same result. Consider the relationships between the numbers, rather than their individual values.
(A) Use two digits to make the smallest possible positive integer.
(B) Five 3s can express 37: 37=33+3+3/3
Find another way to do it.
(C) Use six identical digits to make 100. (Several solutions are possible.)
(D) Use five 4s to make 55.
(E) Use four 9s to make 20.
(A) 1 X 1; 1/1;2/2;ect....;1-0;2-1;and many others.
(B) 37=333/3X3; 37=3 X 3 X 3 + 3/.3
(C) 99 + 99/99; 55+55- 5- 5; (666-66)/6
(D) 44 + 44/4=55.
(E) 9 + 99/9=20.
A boy presses a side of a blue pencil to a side of a yellow pencil, holding both pencils vertically. One inch of the pressed side of the blue pencil, measuring from its lower end, is smeared with paint. The yellow pencil is held steady while the boy slides the blue pencil down 1 inch, continueing to press it against the yellow one. He returns the blue pencil to its former position, then again it slides down 1 inch. He continues until he has lowered the blue pencil 5 times and raised it 5 times- 10 moves in all.
Supposed that during this time the paint neither dries nor diminishes in quantity. How many inches of each pencil will be sneared with paint after the tenth move?
Think about the pattern of paint transfer between the two pencils with each move...
At the start, 1inch of the yellow pencil gets smeared with wet paint. As the blue pencil is moved downward, a second inch of the blue pencils smears a second inch of the yellow pencil.
Each pair of down and up movesof the blue pencil smears 1 more inch of each pencil. 5 pairs of moves will smear 5 inches. This together with the initial inch, makes 6 inches for each pencil.
The rungs of a 10-foot ladder attached to a ship are 1 foot apart. If the water is rising at the rate of one foot an hour, how long will it take until the water covers the ladder?
Think about the situation: the ladder is attached to the ship, which means it's moving with the ship...
It will never cover the ladder because as the water rises, so will the floating ship.
I can run constantly without ever getting tired. When I run, I frustrate people and drive them crazy, Yet I don't even have to move to irritate you.
What am I?
Think about something that can "run" in a sense, but doesn't physically move... and is often associated with frustration and annoyance.
I know a word of letters three, add two and fewer there will be?
Think about a common, everyday word that has three letters, and when you add two letters to it, it actually means the opposite, or "fewer" in quantity. The answer is a word that is often used in counting or measuring things.
I look flat, but I am deep, Hidden realms I shelter. Lives I take, but food I offer. At times I am beautiful. I can be calm, angry and turbulent. I have no heart, but offer pleasure as well as death. No man can own me, yet I encompass what all men must have. What am I?
Think about a natural element that can be both serene and violent, providing sustenance while also posing a threat, and is essential for human survival...
I can hold you prisoner Or set you free I can swing with ease (Though not from a tree) I have many shapes I have many sizes Yet, 'til we shake hands I'll hide my surprises. What am I?
Think about something you might find in your pocket or purse, and how it can be used to both restrict and liberate...
I can be any color you can imagine. You see me in everyday life. I have been around for many, many years, look around, you can probably see some of me right now.
What am I?
Think about something that surrounds you, something you might be sitting on, walking on, or even wearing...
You bury me when I'm alive, and dig me up when I die. What am I?
Think about something that's often planted or buried in the ground when it's "alive" or growing, but is later unearthed or dug up when it's "dead" or no longer useful...
I am dead but alive, I eat but am never satisfied, I consume knowledge but gain none. What am I?
Think about something that is often associated with death, but still has a sense of existence or presence. It's something that "eats" or consumes things, but never feels full or content. And although it takes in knowledge, it doesn't truly understand or learn from it...
Known by all without exception, Forever here, for your protection, Sometimes strong, sometimes weak, Right after the night I come - hot and chic. And while millions of miles away, I always get to you, I find my way. No life around could do without me, Can you guess what I might be?
Think about something that is always present, yet its presence can vary in intensity, and is often associated with the morning hours...
I am an object. I move from left to right. Anytime I move, I bleed on what is below me. I can't move without you. I move only when you uses me. What am I?
Think about something you use to write or draw, and the "bleeding" might make more sense...
Think about a fruit that's often associated with a festive and lively atmosphere, and its name has a word that implies a sense of unrestrained energy...
You are a bus driver at a station. 10 get on the bus and no one gets off. You drive 10 miles to another station where 3 people get on and 1 gets off. You drive another 10 miles only to get 25 people on and 5 people go off. Next you drive 3 miles while 12 people exit the bus. You drive back to the place knowing that a couple more stops along the way untill the ride is done. At the 2nd to last station 5 people get on and 2 get off. And at the last station (5.5 miles) 25 people get on for no reason and 1 gets off. What is the bus drivers eye color?
The hint is: You are not given enough information about the passengers, but you are given enough information about the bus driver.
You are the bus driver so, the answer is the color of your eyes.
This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down. What am I?
As destructive as life, As healing as death; An institutioner of strife, Just as prone to bless. It is all that is good, Yet with an evil trend; As it was the beginning of things, It can also be the end. What is it?
"Think about a force that can bring both creation and destruction, and is often associated with contradictory qualities."
My name starts with "rain" and ends with the first letter of my name. I get mistaken for other things a lot. I am usually present in children's stories. I am usually flying in mid-air too. What am I?
Think about something that is often depicted in children's stories and is commonly mistaken for something else... and pay attention to the wordplay in the riddle, especially the part about the first letter of the name!
What is served, but not by a waiter; and an ace but not a card?
A volleyball: A volleyball serve that drops without the opposing team touching it is called an ace. Also, a tennis ball. In tennis, an ace is a legal serve that is not touched by the receiver, winning the point for the server.
Four citizens were accused of robbing a store. Suspect A says, "I didn't rob the store,". Suspect B says, "Suspect C robbed the store,". Suspect C says, "Suspect B is lying,". And Suspect D says, "Suspect A is telling the truth,". Only one suspect is telling the truth. Who robbed the store?
Think about it this way: if Suspect A is telling the truth, then who would Suspect D be supporting?
Suspect A robbed the store; Suspect C is telling the truth. If Suspect B was the thief, then A, C, and D would all be telling the truth. If Suspect C was the thief, then A, B, and D would all be telling the truth. If Suspect D was the thief, then Suspects A, C, and D would all be telling the truth again. Therefore, only Suspect A can be the thief.
The owner of a Lost-and-Found faced a big argument between a man and a blind woman. The two of them were arguing over car keys that they came across simultaneously. The owner decided to tell the two of them to stop arguing because he knew who the car keys belonged to. Who?
Think about the fact that the woman is blind... how would she know what she came across?
The car keys belong to the man. Remember that the woman is blind? Well, you can't drive safely if you're blind!