Puzzle 1
A 'complete' word is a word in which every letter, in turn, can be replaced by another to form a new word.
For example, RUG is a complete word because:
-ug = hug
r-g = rig
ru- = run
How many of the following words are not complete words? Proper nouns and names are not allowed.
hard
port
duck
bugs
bail
mast
thin
lean
fire
read
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Another example, PEN is a complete word because:
-en = ten
p-n = pin
pe- = pea
Answer
Two of the words are not complete: bugs, lean.
Reasoning
The remaining 8 words can be changed as follows:
hard:
-ard = card
h-rd = herd
ha-d = hand
har- = harp
port:
-ort = fort
p-rt = part
po-t = poet
por- = pore
duck:
-uck = muck
d-ck = deck
du-k = dusk
duc- = duct
bugs:
-ugs = hugs
b-gs = bags
bu-s = buys
bug- = ----
bail:
-ail = hail
b-il = boil
ba-l = bawl
bai- = bait
mast:
-ast = cast
m-st = most
ma-t = malt
mas- = mask
thin:
-hin = shin
t-in = twin
th-n = than
thi- = this
lean:
-ean = mean
l-an = loan
le-n = ----
lea- = leaf
fire:
-ire = hire
f-re = fare
fi-e = five
fir- = firm
read:
-ead = bead
r-ad = road
re-d = reed
rea- = real
Puzzle 2
What letter comes next in this sequence:
E O E R E {?}
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Hint
This is a very common sequence.
Answer
X.
The last letters of the words one, two, three, four, five, six.
Puzzle 3
Marathon Warm-up - Logic Puzzles
After the recent BrainBashers annual marathon, the judges were comparing notes to determine who finished where. From their notes, can you help them reconstruct the final result?
Max Merrymood beat Toby Trent and Jesse Jackson.
Pat Piper beat Jesse Jackson, Toby Trent, and Alex Ardle.
Zeb Zebra lost to Pat Piper.
Glenn Goodfellow beat Toby Trent
Zeb Zebra beat Frankie Flint.
Glenn Goodfellow lost to Frankie Flint and Pat Piper.
Toby Trent beat Billie Brick.
Alex Ardle beat Zeb Zebra, Kelly Kingfisher, and Glenn Goodfellow.
Kelly Kingfisher lost to Glenn Goodfellow and Max Merrymood.
Billie Brick beat Kelly Kingfisher.
Max Merrymood lost to Alex Ardle and Zeb Zebra.
Frankie Flint beat Toby Trent, Max Merrymood, and Billie Brick.
Toby Trent lost to Jesse Jackson and Alex Ardle.
Jesse Jackson beat Glenn Goodfellow and Billie Brick.
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Try rewriting the clues so that those who finished ahead are written first.
Answer
Pat Piper (P)
Alex Ardle (A)
Zeb Zebra (Z)
Frankie Flint (F)
Max Merrymood (M)
Jesse Jackson (J)
Glenn Goodfellow (G)
Toby Trent (T)
Billie Brick (B)
Kelly Kingfisher (K)
Reasoning
If we number the clues, write each name using a single letter, and rewrite the clues so that those who finished ahead are written first:
M beat T and J
P beat J, T, and A
P beat Z
G beat T
Z beat F
F and P beat G
T beat B
A beat Z, K, and G
G and M beat K
B beat K
A and Z beat M
F beat T, M, and B
J and A beat T
J beat G and B
By (2): P A
By (8): P A Z
By (5): P A Z F
By (12): P A Z F M
By (1): P A Z F M J
By (14): P A Z F M J G
By (4): P A Z F M J G T
By (7): P A Z F M J G T B
By (10): P A Z F M J G T B K
Puzzle 4
Using all of the letters A to Z, each once only, complete these common words:
ap--e
b-a-e
bo--d
-an-c
-ro-e
--ell
-ra-y
bu-c-
-o-ra
-umb-
s-ua-
lo--l
g-es-
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
The 4th word begins with the letter M.
Answers
ap--e = apple (PL)
b-a-e = brake (RK)
bo--d = boxed (XE)
-an-c = manic (MI)
-ro-e = froze (FZ)
--ell = dwell (DW)
-ra-y = gravy (GV)
bu-c- = bunch (NH)
-o-ra = cobra (CB)
-umb- = jumbo (JO)
s-ua- = squat (QT)
lo--l = loyal (YA)
g-es- = guess (US)
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