The BrainBashers Dictionary of Proverbs is running out of memory.
Below are four proverbs with their vowels missing and the remaining letters are grouped in fours.
dntb tthh ndth tfds y
trth wllt
bslw nchs ngbt slwr nchn gng
thnk frst ndth nspk
Answer
There were 17 children, with 11 sweets each.
Reasoning
If we number the clues: each child had more than one sweetthere were more children than there were sweets per child
187 only has the factors 1, 11, 17, 187. Therefore, the only possible answers are:
1 child, with 187 sweets each, which is not allowed by (2)
11 children, with 17 sweets each, which is not allowed by (2)
17 children, with 11 sweets each (*)
187 children, with 1 sweet each, which is not allowed by (1)
Only one possible answer (*) isn't eliminated.
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Puzzle 3
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.
Reasoning
Q1 can't have A as its answer (otherwise it would contradict itself).
If Q1's answer was C (meaning Q4's answer was A), then Q3's answer would be C. However, Q2's answer should now be A, but this isn't allowed by Q1 (as Q4 is the first answer with A). This is a contradiction.
Therefore, Q1's answer is B (meaning Q3's answer is A).
For Q2's answer to be C, Q4's answer would have to be A, which would contradict Q4. Therefore, Q2's answer is B making Q4's answer B.
