Brain Teasers and Puzzles 

Workings

Hints
taper = p… (10 letters) heals = s… (9 letters) brows = b… (7 letters) often = f… (8 letters) farce = c… (8 letters) yowls = s… (6 letters) satin = a… (10 letters) awful = l… (6 letters) iotas = t… (10 letters) quiet = e… (9 letters) foils = f… (7 letters) score = s… (11 letters)

Answers
taper = perpetrate (10 letters) heals = seashells (9 letters) brows = borrows (7 letters) often = footnote (8 letters) farce = carefree (8 letters) yowls = slowly (6 letters) satin = assistants (10 letters) awful = lawful (6 letters) iotas = tattooists (10 letters) quiet = etiquette (9 letters) foils = fossils (7 letters) score = sorceresses (11 letters)

Workings

Hint
Look at the first letters of each word.

Answer
Seals are rare and hungry.

The initial letters spell Sarah. All of the other sentences spell boys' names.

Workings

Hint
Look a the letters.

Answer
Michael.

Each name begins with the last letter of the preceding name.

Workings

Hint
Read the question carefully.

Answer
56 cubic feet (= 4 x 7 x 2).

We usually ask how much earth there is in a hole, which of course there is none!