Random Puzzles 

Workings

Hints
The first letters of the words are: M, C, C, S, V, G, A, T, S, T, S, F, S, D, O.

Answers
---rix = matrix ---osy = choosy ---few = curfew ---oze = snooze ---uum = vacuum ---wth = growth ---nda = agenda ---nis = tennis ---tem = system ---pod = tripod ---reo = stereo ---hom = fathom ---gan = slogan ---amt = dreamt ---gen = oxygen

Workings

Hint
Start by working out the pairings of the flowers.

Answer
Gardener Red
   yellow + blue

Gardener Green
   yellow + red

Gardener Yellow
   blue + green

Gardener Blue
   red + green

Stage 1 – Pairings
First, we work out the possible flower pairings (BGRY = blue, green, red, yellow).

By (8), Y can only be paired with B and R.

   YB YR

By (5), we have RG.

   YB YR RG

By (9) and (10), the remaining pairing can only be BG.

   YB YR RG BG

Stage 2 – Matchings
Next, we match the flower pairings to the gardeners.

By (3), Gardener Red = Y + B

By (1), Gardener Green = Y + R (as YB has already been determined).

By (2), Gardener Yellow = B + G (as this is the only remaining pairing without R).

Leaving, Gardener Blue = R + G.

Workings

Hint
What must the middle temperature be? Remember that the temperature are in degrees Celsius.

Answer
The temperatures were -6, -2, 2, 6, 10 °C.

Each day increased by a steady 4 degrees.

Reasoning
As the temperature rose steadily each day, we know that the middle temperature (Day 3) was 2 degrees (because the average was 2 degrees).

Since Day 3 was 2 degrees, and there were two negative temperatures, we know that the daily increase must have been at least 3 degrees (otherwise Day 2 would not have been negative).

If we check a daily increase of 3 degrees, the sequence would be -4, -1, 2, 5, 8, but this doesn't work as the product is less than 500.

If we check a daily increase of 4 degrees, the sequence would be -6, -2, 2, 6, 10, which does matches all of the requirements.

If we check a daily increase of 5 degrees, the sequence would be -8, -3, 2, 7, 12, but this doesn't work as the product is more than 2000.

Any larger increase makes the product even larger, so we can stop checking.

So the only possible answer is -6, -2, 2, 6, 10.

Workings

Hint
Who is in last place?

Answer
This cannot happen, you cannot overtake the person who is in last place, as there is no-one behind them!

Ovetaking = passing someone who is ahead on the same lap, this is a change of position, e.g. 4^th moves up to 3^rd.

Lapping = passing someone who is a full lap behind, this isn't a change of position, e.g. 4^th stays 4^th.