Puzzle 1
What number is …
… one half of one third of one quarter of 360?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Try working backwards.
Answer
15.
Reasoning
One quarter of 360 is 90.
One third of 90 is 30.
One half of 30 is 15.
Puzzle 2
What number comes next in this sequence:
2 · 5 · 9 · 19 · 37 · ?
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Hint
The sequence involves doubling in some way.
Answer
75.
Alternately double plus one, double minus one.
Puzzle 3
Here is a curious grid! The sums of the shapes are shown at the end of each row, and at the bottom of each column.
What is the missing sum, and what is each shape worth?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Look at the first and third columns first.
Answer
The missing sum is 40.
Circle = 12
Star = 3
Square = 7
Triangle = 9
Reasoning
Looking at Column 1 and Column 3 we have:
[1] Square + Star + Circle + Square = 29
[2] Square + Square + Triangle + Star = 26
If we subtract [1] − [2] we get:
[3] Circle − Triangle = 3
And Row 3 is:
[4] Circle + Circle + Triangle + Circle = 45
If we add [3] + [4] we get:
Circle + Circle + Circle + Circle = 48
So, Circle = 12.
Using [3] we find that Triangle = 9.
Using Column 2 we find that Star = 3.
Using Row 1 we find that Square = 7.
Double-Checking
The rows add to: 35 + 26 + 45 + 25 = 131.
The columns add to: 29 + 36 + 26 + 40 = 131.
The rows and columns must add to the same number, so this could have been used a shortcut to the missing sum.
In total, there are:
5 Squares = 5 x 7 = 35
5 Circles = 5 x 12 = 60
3 Stars = 3 x 3 = 9
3 Triangles = 3 x 9 = 27
Which is also a total of 131.
So all of the totals are the same, as expected.
Puzzle 4
If tomorrow's yesterday is today…
…what day is yesterday's tomorrow?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Tomorrow's yesterday is always today.
Answer
Today.
Reasoning
Tomorrow's yesterday is always today.
And yesterday's tomorrow is also always today.