PUZZLING PRODUCTS

 

Mindbending Puzzles
81–90

  

 

 

81.  BRIC-A-BRAC

A small solid toy pyramid is
made up of three different shapes of bricks – green solid cubes for the internal base, blue half-size bricks for the sides and red bricks for the corners. The base of the pyramid is shown. How many more bricks of each size are required to complete the pyramid?

SOLUTION 

 

 

 

82. FOREIGN CURRENCY

In the days before euros an
English businessman went on an international trip. He carried an emergency cash fund of £100, which he exchanged for local currency in each country. His travels necessitated the exchanges shown. On his way to Rome airport his hire car broke down and the garage insisted on a cash payment of 210,000 lire. Did he have enough to pay to have his car mended?

SOLUTION

83. COAL BUNKER

A ladder that is 3.5 meters long is rested against a coal bunker that is as high as it is wide and reaches exactly 2.8 meters up a vertical
wall, as shown. How wide is the
coal bunker?

SOLUTION

84. A TAXING PROBLEM

In the land of Laguna, income tax is paid on income earned every month at the rate of 5% on the first 500 dubloons and at 8% on the balance. Harry has just returned at the end of a month from a four-week holiday to discover that he owes 1145 dubloons in tax. How much income does he need to earn in the next month to pay all his income tax and have 250 dubloons left over to spend?

SOLUTION

85. WALL WIZARD

If a man and a half build a
wall and a half in a day and a half how many walls will nine men build in nine days?

SOLUTION

86. PRIME TIME

Gerald is in his 20s and next to prime. At half his age he was not between primes. When he is double his current age he will also be next to prime. When he is treble his current age he will sit between two primes. How old is Gerald?

SOLUTION

87. THE LIONS OF LAGUNA

In the Laguna game reserve there are 63 lions, divided equally between three prides, Bigroar, Darkmane and Catanga, each with lions, lionesses and cubs. There are three times more lionesses than adult male lions and in each of Bigroar and Darkmane there are 50% more lionesses than in Catanga. There are fewer adult male lions in Darkmane than in either of the other prides. None of the prides has four or more cubs more than those in either of the other prides and none of the prides had the same number of cubs. How many lions, lionesses and cubs are there in each pride?

SOLUTION

88. ROOSTING BIRDS

The strength of the perches in
a birdcage is proportional to their thickness. Three species of bird, yellow canaries, blue budgies
and green finches sit on the perches as shown. A yellow canary flies in to settle on the 2cm perch and it starts to bend. Which species of bird is the heaviest?

SOLUTION

89. THE QUEEN’S JAM TARTS

Four guards were patrolling the rooms of the palace, when it was discovered that some of the Queen’s jam tarts had been stolen from the kitchen. One of the guards confided his indiscretion to one of the others without either of the other two guards knowing. Two of the guards tell the truth and two of the guards lie. From their statements can you work out which guard stole the tarts?

SOLUTION

90. RAT CATCHER

In the rat-infested village of Cattatackya last month, each cat killed the same number of rats as every other cat. The total number of rat fatalities during the month came to 2923. Fewer than 50 cats achieved this remarkable feat. How many cats were there in Cattatackya, and how many rats did each kill?

SOLUTION