BrainBashers : Brain Teasers and Puzzles

A 'complete' word is a word in which any single letter can be replaced by another to form a new word. For example, SEND is a complete word as we can replace the S with an L to make LEND, the E with an A to make SAND, the N with an E to make SEED, the D with a T to make SENT. Which 2 of the following words are not complete words?

HARD
PORT
DUCK
HANG
BAIL
MAST
THIN
LEAN
FIRE
READ

HANG and LEAN. The remaining 8 words can be changed as follows:

HARD >> CARD, HERD, HAND, HARP
PORT >> FORT, PART, POET, PORE
DUCK >> MUCK, DECK, DUSK, DUCT
BAIL >> HAIL, BOIL, BAWL, BAIT
MAST >> CAST, MOST, MALT, MASK
THIN >> SHIN, TWIN, THAN, THIS
FIRE >> HIRE, FARE, FIVE, FIRM
READ >> BEAD, ROAD, REED, REAL

You have to be able to change EVERY letter to make a new word, so from HANG you can change H to make SANG, the A to make HUNG, and the G to make HAND, but you can't change the N to make a new word.

At last month's pre-Olympic rehearsal, four top athletes competed in two qualifying 400 metre races. As the results were expected to be mislaid, various notes were taken to ensure the accuracy of the overall placings:

No-one finished both races in the same position. John beat Mr Donald in both races. Steve Curtail came third in the second race and Dave came last in the first race. In the second race, Mr Arnold won and Mr Bowler came last. In the first race, Steve beat Kev, but Kev beat John.

Can you determine who finished where in each of the races?

Athlete        #1  #2
Steve Curtail  1   3
Kev Bowler     2   4
John Arnold    3   1
Dave Donald    4   2

Last week, I travelled from Birmingham to Kansas. On the first day I travelled one quarter of the distance. On day two, I travelled one half of the remaining distance. On day three, I travelled three quarters of the remaining distance. Yesterday I travelled one third of the remaining distance. I now have 21 miles left to travel. How far is it from Birmingham to Kansas in total?

What is represented by this BrainBat?

1. Tune
2. Tune
3. Tune
4. Chune

Using the BrainTracker grid below, how many words can you find? Each word must contain the central M and no letter can be used twice, however, the letters do not have to be connected. Proper nouns are not allowed, however, plurals are. There is at least one nine letter word. Excellent: 41 words. Good: 28 words. Average: 22 words.

A
M
N

E
M
N

D
T
E

Common words: am, amen, amend, AMENDMENT, dam, dame, damn, deem, em, enema, ma, mad, made, madmen, man, mane, maned, manned, mat, mate, mated, me, mead, mean, meant, meat, meet, men, mend, met, meta, mete, meted, name, named, tame, tamed, tandem, team, teamed, teem.

All words: adeem, admen, am, amen, amend, AMENDMENT, ament, dam, dame, damn, deem, deme, demean, dement, edema, em, eme, emend, emmet, enema, ma, mad, made, madmen, mae, man, mane, maned, manned, mat, mate, mated, me, mead, mean, meant, meat, meated, meatmen, med, meed, meet, mem, men, menad, mend, menta, met, meta, mete, meted, mm, nam, name, named, neem, nema, tam, tame, tamed, tandem, team, teamed, teem.