A well-known seven-letter word can be created, by starting with a single letter and adding a letter, one at a time, then mixing the letters, each time making a proper word. Using the clues below, which are not necessarily in the correct order, can you find all seven words? For example, A, AT, TAR, RATE, etc.
Expressing position within limits of space and time. The subject of self-consciousness. Frozen atmospheric vapour falling to earth. To utter musical sounds with the voice. Cause to oscillate. Scattering on the earth. The breaking of divine law.
Hint
The longest word is the answer to 'Frozen atmospheric vapour falling to earth'.
Answers
Snowing, sowing, swing, sing, sin, in, I.
snowing – frozen atmospheric vapour falling to earth
sowing – scattering on the earth
swing – cause to oscillate
sing – to utter musical sounds with the voice
sin – the breaking of divine law
in – expressing position within limits of space and time
I – the subject of self-consciousness
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Puzzle 2
Alex and Billie have to empty all of the bookshelves in the library, and move the books into storage.
Alex, on her own, can empty the bookshelves in 18 hours.
Billie, on her own, can also empty the bookshelves in 18 hours.
Unfortunately, Drew likes to move the books from storage back onto the bookshelves, and she can refill the bookshelves in 36 hours.
How long will it take the three of them, working at the same time, to empty the bookshelves?
Reasoning
In 36 hours, Alex could empty 2 lots of bookshelves, Billie could also empty 2 lots of bookshelves, and Drew could refill 1 lot of bookshelves.
So, 2 + 2 − 1 = 3 lots of bookshelves in 36 hours. Which is 12 hours for one lot of bookshelves.
Alternative Reasoning
Alex and Billie can each empty 1/18 of the bookshelves in 1 hour, but Drew will refill 1/36 of the bookshelves in one hour.
So in one hour we have 1/18 + 1/18 − 1/36 = 1/12.
So it would take 12 hours to empty the bookshelves.
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Puzzle 3
I was quite bored yesterday, so I visited my local animal sanctuary.
To pass the time, I counted 612 legs.
This came from an equal number of beetles, spiders, and mice.
Can you work out the total number of animals I counted?
