Maths, logic, trivia, puns, general silliness - an assortment of stuff too disparate to go under any other title. In other words, same old rubbish.


-1. A rebus:
012356789DRACULA

-2. Give me a word that will fit in with the following group and explain why:
settee, raccoon, embarrass

-3. Two travellers spend from 3 o'clock till 9 o'clock in walking along a level road, up a hill, turning round and then following their tracks back home again. Their pace on the level is 4 mph, uphill 3 mph, and downhill 6 mph. Find the distance walked; also find (within half an hour) the time taken to reach the top of the hill.

-4. Which of the following 5 sentences are true?
a) It is not the case that 2 consecutive sentences are both false.
b) There are fewer false than true sentences.
c) It is not the case that 3 consecutive sentences are all false.
d) It is not the case that 2 consecutive sentences are both true.
e) There are exactly 3 false sentences.


-5. I am using a number of 3-ft diameter rollers tp move a long heavy slab. Approximately how far will the slab move for each revolution of the rollers?

-6. (A tricky one I think) You've got 6 marbles. 2 red ones, 2 blue ones and 2 yellow ones. Of each colour pair one marble is slightly heavier than the other but you can't tell them apart without weighing. All 3 light marbles all weigh the same, and all 3 heavy marbles weigh the same. Two marbles always weigh more than one marble. Now, weighing twice with a set of balance scales, can you separate the lighter marbles from the heavier ones?

-7. Whilst you are in the theatre, there is announcement that "Mr Sands is in the foyer". What might be your reaction and why?

-8. The first scientists to study fog were ---------.

8. Mistified???

7. Means that the theater is on fire,so you run

Yes and yes!

1. Count Dracula

2. balloon

two lots of double letters in each word

5. 3 ft. Doesn't matter how many you have, they all roll at the same time so can't move any farther than 3 ft.

Niki - good call!

manxman, Flo - afriad I'm a little more devious than that...

Of course you are but it was worth a try anyway.

Thought so
How about: down for the count

3. Two travellers spend from 3 o'clock till 9 o'clock in walking along a level road,
up a hill, turning round and then following their tracks back home again. Their pace
on the level is 4 mph, uphill 3 mph, and downhill 6 mph. Find the distance walked;
also find (within half an hour) the time taken to reach the top of the hill.

Same distance walked at 6mph and 3mph:
@6mph.......(K hours)@3mph.......(2K hours)
Total above distance = 6K + 3(2K) = 12K
Average speed distance / time = 12K / 3K = 4 (not 4.5!)

So the 6 hours were travelled at 4mph, hence 24 miles.

IF no level walking, then uphill is 12 miles @ 3mph,
so 4 hours to reach top: 7 o'clock.
Since there was at least one step on level(!) at speed 4mph,
then top reached a bit faster, hence between 6:30 and 7.

Cute li'l headacher Rog!

4. Which of the following 5 sentences are true?
a) It is not the case that 2 consecutive sentences are both false.
b) There are fewer false than true sentences.
c) It is not the case that 3 consecutive sentences are all false.
d) It is not the case that 2 consecutive sentences are both true.
e) There are exactly 3 false sentences.

a - F
b - F
c - F
d - T
e - F

manxman - so very, very close

Denis, CCb - great solves!

1. Ok. One more try.......and then I'm
Out for the Count

#6: the marbles. Give 'em weights of 2 and 3 units: r2,r3,b2,b3,y2,y3; if unknown: r?,b?,y?

Compare r? b? to r? y? (2 of 1 color, 1 each of other color...pick your poison!)

IF EVEN; only total weight of 5 is possible on each side; 2 possibilities:
r3 b2 : r2 y3 ; left: b3 y2 [1]
r2 b3 : r3 y2 ; left: b2 y3 [2]
Compare the 2 that are left:
[1] b? heavier, so this one is b3, leaving b2 on scale; others forced as shown
[2] y? heavier, so this one is y3, leaving y2 on scale; others forced as shown

IF LEFT SIDE HEAVY; 3 possibilities:
r3 b3 : r2 y3 ; left: b2 y2 [1]
r3 b3 : r2 y2 ; left: b2 y3 [2]
r3 b2 : r2 y2 ; left: b3 y3 [3]
Compare the b? and y? on scale to the 2 that are left:
[1] b3 y3 > b2 y2 (6 : 4)
[2] b3 y2 = b2 y3 (5 : 5)
[3] b2 y2 < b3 y3 (4 : 6)
Since the 3 cases are different, then each case is forced as shown.

IF RIGHT SIDE heavy; 3 possibilities:
r2 b3 : r3 y3 ; left: b2 y2 [1]
r2 b2 : r3 y3 ; left: b3 y2 [2]
r3 b2 : r3 y2 ; left: b3 y3 [3]
Compare the b? and y? on scale to the 2 that are left:
[1] b3 y3 > b2 y2 (6 : 4)
[2] b2 y3 = b3 y2 (5 : 5)
[3] b2 y2 < b3 y3 (4 : 6)
Since the 3 cases are different, then each case is forced as shown.

A real "twister", Rog...was sure it couldn't be done!