Puzzle 577
What number comes next in this sequence:
42 · 1412 · 11141112 · 31143112 · 132114132112 · ?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Say each number, one digit at a time.
Answer
11131221141113122112.
Reasoning
Each term describes the previous term.
For example, 42 = one four, one two = 1412.
And, 1412 = one one, one four, one one, one two = 11141112.
Puzzle 578
Which are there more of: ounces in gross pounds, or …
… seconds in an hour?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
There are 16 ounces in a pound, and 144 in a gross.
Answer
Seconds in an hour.
Reasoning
There are 16 x 144 = 2,304 ounces in gross pounds.
There are 60 x 60 = 3,600 seconds in an hour.
Puzzle 579
If I give you seven apples, you will then have five times as many as I would then have.
However, if you give me seven apples, we will then both have the same number of apples.
How many apples do I currently have?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
A little bit of algebra might help.
Answer
I have 14 apples and you have 28 apples.
Reasoning
We can work this out with a little algebra. I have A apples and you have B apples, then
[1] 5 x (A − 7) = B + 7
[2] A + 7 = B − 7
From [1] we have:
5A − 35 = B + 7
[3] 5A = B + 42
From [2] we have:
[4] A + 14 = B
We can then use [4] in [3] to give:
5A = (A + 14) + 42
5A = A + 56
4A = 56
A = 14
Which gives B = 28 (by [4]).
Puzzle 580
Only using the letters A I O S T, what is the longest word you can find?
You may use each letter more than once.
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
The word begins with the letter T.
Answer
Tattooists.
Which has 10 letters.