Puzzle 277
Last week I drove from Aardvark to Beeville.
On the first day, I travelled 1/3 of the starting distance.
On day two, I travelled 1/2 of the remaining distance.
On day three, I travelled 2/3 of the remaining distance.
At the end of day four, after travelling 3/4 of the remaining distance, I was still 5 miles away from Beeville.
How many miles had I travelled so far?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Try working backwards.
Answer
175 miles.
The total distance was 180 miles, but as I still had 5 miles to go, the required answer is 175 miles.
Reasoning
Let's try working backwards.
Day 4: I travelled 3/4, which means that the other 1/4 was 5 miles – so 20 miles were left at the start of day four.
Day 3: I travelled 2/3, which means that the other 1/3 was 20 miles – so 60 miles were left at the start of day three.
Day 2: I travelled 1/2, which means that the other 1/2 was 60 miles – so 120 miles were left at the start of day two.
Day 1: I travelled 1/3, which means that the other 2/3 was 120 miles – so 180 miles were ahead at the start of day one.
The full distance was therefore 180 miles, but we were asked how many miles I had travelled so far, and as I still had 5 to go the answer is 175 miles.
Double-Checking
Start distance: 180 miles.
Day 1: I travelled 1/3 of the distance (60 miles), leaving 120 miles.
Day 2: I travelled 1/2 of the distance (60 miles), leaving 60 miles.
Day 3: I travelled 2/3 of the distance (40 miles), leaving 20 miles.
Day 4: I travelled 3/4 of the distance (15 miles), leaving 5 miles.
Puzzle 278
What are the next five letters in this sequence:
JAJWUTH
TFAPOW
JFDABHC
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Hint
This is a well known nursery rhyme.
Answer
AJCTA.
These are the initial letters from the nursery rhyme 'Jack and Jill went up the hill'. The letters represent 'and Jill came tumbling after'.
Puzzle 279
Where do the biggest potatoes grow?
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Puzzle 280
What well-known saying has been altered below:
lla doog shingt eomc ot ehost ohw taiw
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
There are no missing letters.
Answer
All good things come to those who wait.
The first and last letters of each word have been exchanged.
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