How To Increase Brain Power | Tricky Puzzles

1. Where did Chinese gooseberries originally come from?

Answer:

New Zealand - "Chinese gooseberry" is another name for the kiwi fruit. Its fuzzy exterior reminded somebody of a gooseberry.

 

2. Where are Panama hats made?

Answer:

Ecuador - Panama hats have always been made in Ecuador, from the leaves of the panama-hat palm. The origin of the name is uncertain, but made popular when Teddy Roosevelt wore his while visiting the Panama canal.

 

3. How many years did the "Hundred Years War" last?

Answer:

116 years - It was a conflict between England and France, from 1337 to 1453.

 

4. What color is the "black box" in jet airplanes?

Answer:

Orange - The term "black box" means a device that is viewed primarily in terms of its input and output characteristics (you can't see inside it). On planes these are orange to make them easier to find after a crash.

 

5. What was the first name of King George the sixth?

Answer:

Albert - (Albert Frederick Arthur George) He was King of the United Kingdom (1936- 1952), the last Emperor of India until 1947, and the last King of Ireland until 1949.

 

6. Which animals do we get catgut from?

Answer:

Horses and Sheep - A tough cord used for musical strings, surgical stitching and more, it has never been made from cats. The intestines of horses, sheep, goats, mules, pigs and donkeys have been used.

 

7. When do Russians celebrate the October Revolution?

Answer:

November - It refers to the events of late October, 1917, but the anniversary of the October Revolution is November 7, and was an official holiday in the Soviet Union. This is due to the different calendars used at the time. The Julian calendar was still used in Russia but western countries used the Gregorian calendar, which was later adopted by the Soviet Union.

 

8. What is used for the bristles of a "camels hair brush?"

Answer:

Squirrel Hair - The hair of goats, ponies, bears, and sheep are also used, alone or in combinations. Hair from camels is considered too woolly for brushes, and is never used.

 

9. What animal is thought to be the source of the name "Canary Islands?"

Answer:

Dog - Insula Canaria, a Latin name meaning Island of the Dogs, was applied originally to the island of Gran Canaria. Apparently there were wild dogs that populated many of the islands when they were first visited by ancient Romans.

 

10. What color are purple finches?

Answer:

Red and Brown - Males (adult) are normally red on the head, breast, and back. Females are light brown above, white below, and with dark brown streaks throughout.

Brain Teasers 1

Question 1 New Shoes:

One day, two mothers and two daughters went shopping for shoes. Their shopping spree was successful — each bought a pair of shoes, and all together, they had three pairs. How is this possible?

Answer:

Only three people went shopping: a grandmother, a mother, and a daughter — but remember that the mother was the grandmother's daughter!

 

Question 2:

The rope ladder of a boat hangs over the side of the boat and just reaches the water. Its rungs are 8 inches apart.

How many rungs will be under the water when the tide rises 4 feet?

Answer:

When the tide rises 4 feet, the boat and its ladder will also rise. So no rungs will be under the water.

 

Question 3 Outsmarting the Donkey:

Amir tied two sacks of salt to the back of his donkey and headed for the market to sell the salt. On the way, Amir and the donkey passed a stream. The donkey jumped in to cool himself. As a result, much of the salt dissolved into the water, ruining the salt for Amir but improving matters for the donkey because his load became much lighter. Amir tried to get to the market on the following days, but the donkey always ruined the salt. Finally, Amir decided to teach the donkey a lesson. He once again set out with the donkey and the two sacks.

What did Amir do differently this time so that after that day the donkey stopped taking a swim?

Answer:

Amir loaded the sacks not with salt but with sand. When the donkey jumped in the stream and got the sacks wet, they became much heavier.

Lateral Thinking 6

Question 7 Crossing the River:

Jake was standing on one side of the river, and his dog Scruffy was standing on the other side. "Come on Scruffy, come, boy!" shouted Jake. Scruffy crossed the river, ran to Jake, and got a treat for being a good dog. The amazing thing was that Scruffy didn't even get wet! How did Scruffy do that?

Answer:

1.The river was frozen.

2.There was a bridge over the river, and Scruffy crossed the bridge.

Question 8 Digging Dirt:

How much dirt is in a round hole that is 9 feet deep with a diameter of 3 feet? (Hint: You don’t have to do any math to get the answer. Just use your head!)

Answer:

None. You make a hole by digging out the dirt, so the hole is empty.

Question 9 Minus Two:

How many times can you subtract the number 2 from the number 32?

Answer:

Once. After you subtract 2 from 32, you subtract 2 from 30, from 28, and so on.

Question 10 Name the Dog:

Once a dog named Nelly lived on a farm. There were three other dogs on the farm. Their names were Blackie, Whitey, and Brownie. What do you think the fourth dog’s name was?

Answer:

Nelly. (If there are only four dogs on the farm, the fourth one must be Nelly!)

Lateral Thinking 5

Question 1:

Two students are sitting on opposite sides of the same desk. There is nothing in between them but the desk. Why can't they see each other?

Answer:

The two students have their backs to each other.

 

Question 2:

There are only two T's in Timothy Tuttle. True or false?

Answer:

True. There are only two T's (upper case). There are also three t's (lower case).

 

Question 3:

Train A and train B are crossing the country, from coast to coast, over 3,000 miles of railroad track. Train A is going from east to west at 80 miles per hour, and Train B is going from west to east at 90 miles per hour. Which train will be closer to the west coast when they meet?

Answer:

When the trains meet, they will be at exactly the same point. Therefore, they will each be the same distance from the west coast.