Random Puzzles 

Workings

Hint
One of the words is PALM.

Answer
Trip, Trio, Open, Pale, and Palm.

Workings

Hint
There are two different methods, one involves a cube root, and the other doesn't require a calculator.

Answer
9 x 11 x 13.

Reasoning #1
We're after three numbers that multiply together, so a good place to start is the cube root of 1,287, which is roughly 10.88.

Let's try dividing by the closest odd number to 10.88:

   1287 ÷ 11 = 117

We're now after whole divisors of 117. Trying the odd numbers either side of 11 might work.

Trying either 9 or 13 gives the answer:

   9 x 11 x 13 = 1,287

Trying the closest odd number to the cube root always works, and the other two numbers are the odd numbers either side.

Reasoning #2
We after three numbers that multiply together, but none of these can end in 5 (otherwise our answer would end in 0 or 5).

So, they can only end in 7, 9, 1 (e.g. 87, 89, 91), or 9, 1, 3 (e.g. 89, 91, 93).

However, if they ended in 7, 9, 1, the answer would end in 3 (because 7 x 9 x 1 = 63).

Therefore, they end in 9, 1, and 3 (because 9 x 1 x 3 = 27).

The first numbers we can try are 9, 11, 13:

   = 9 x 11 x 13
   = 99 x 13
   = 100 x 13 - 13
   = 1300 - 13
   = 1,287

A calculator is not required!

Workings

Hint
A little bit of algebra might help.

Answer
64 pounds.

The head weighs 24 pounds, the body weighs 32 pounds, and the tail weighs 8 pounds.

Reasoning
The trout is made up of the head, body and tail, H, B and T.

We are told that:

    T = 8

(1) H = T + B ÷ 2

(2) B = H + T

Placing T into (1) and (2) we get:

(3) H = 8 + B ÷ 2

(4) B = H + 8

Using (4) in (3) we get:

    H = 8 + B ÷ 2

(5) H = 8 + (H + 8) ÷ 2

Multiplying (5) by 2 we get:

 2H = 16 + H + 8

 2H = 24 + H

  H = 24

Therefore, by (2):

 B = H + T

 B = 24 + 8

 B = 32

Giving:

 H = 24
 B = 32
 T = 8

And a total of 24 + 32 + 8 = 64 pounds.

Workings

Hint
The answer to 'long root vegetable' is the longest word.

Answers
parsnip = long root vegetable
sprain  = twisted ankle
Paris   = capital of France
rasp    = coarse file
asp     = snake
as      = equally
a       = single article