Tried and tested brain teasers
Martin J Willett
somebody who literally rakes in the money, a melting pot, an obsolete measure
defined as approximately 18 obsolete measures and a churlish or miserly person.
Are there a couple of popular words missing? They are on the tip of my
tongue...
Link Yucca brevifolia with law on the cheap and a high flying spy.
What do the following cities have in common: Bruges, Stockholm, St. Petersburg,
Birmingham and Amsterdam?
Which river comes after this sequence of letters?
T A R D M F J O B Q C S G P H K
Hint: We've come full circle.
Which time interval is significantly briefer than it sounds. Defined as the
interval between a green light and the blast of a car-horn in a particular part
of space-time where time is more relative than elsewhere.
Which singer claimed to live at Wrigley Field?
In which year did the man who would be king open the tallest building?
What did Tom and his friend do to gain notoriety with the Audobon Society?
Gutenburg, Plato, Kepler, and Darwin are all on the same side, Jules Verne is
on the other.
Explain.
Who astounded the world in 1954 by achieving the speed of 15 MPH?
What rumour lubricated a bloody mutiny?
What occupational hazard exists for the faggots who play the guitar on MTV?
Who left the backseat of oblivion to learn to fly as the frontman to a group of
relatively harmless high altitude interceptors?
In the sixties I played the son of a man younger than myself in a major film.
More recently I played a doctor on television and my son played my policeman
son. Who am I?
I don't interact strongly, although I do weakly. I can come in different
flavours, but not colours. What am I?
My appetite is such that I prefer to dine early, I am a punctual and
enthusiastic playgoer, and if I don't like someone I don't waste my time on
them. Who am I?
aluminium, argon, ???????, cobalt, gallium, indium, lanthanum, mendelevium,
manganese, molybdenum, neon, protactinium, scandium
Is the missing element number 98 or number 20, and why?
From the following 6 actresses, which is the odd one out and why:-
Morgan Fairchild, Christina Pickles, Marlo Thomas, Kathleen Turner, Brenda
Vacarro and Teri Garr?
On a world surrounded by panic and fear if you look into the sky (if is good)
what colour is it?
Five lads were placed in an order of merit (no ties). They remarked on the
ranking thus:
Alf: Dave was third.
Bob: Ed wasn't first.
Carl: I wasn't last.
Dave: Carl was placed below Bob.
Ed: Bob was second.
The remarks of those who placed first and second were false, although the other
three were true. What were their places?
I have up to 132 million legs and every living thing gets out of my way, or
regrets it. What am I?
Who explained one of his propositions by using an analogy that compared sitting
with a good looking girl to sitting on a hot cooker?
Who got their name from the color (sic) of rotten meat?
What measurably links Helen of Argos to a high flying former US Senator from
Utah?
Who prosecuted the world heavyweight boxing champion for being a homosexual?
Chronomentrophobes and Triskaidekaphobes probably will not get past the first
line of this book. Which one ?
Where would you most likely find a straight line, one end of which is 934.4 cm
away from a line that curves slightly towards it?
Which song started in 1949 and went on for 40 years until the author had had
enough?
========================================
You can puzzle over those questions as long as you want and then go and look up
the answers on my site. These were all questions previously asked in The World
Quiz League.
The World Quiz League is a general knowledge, trivia and logic puzzle quiz for
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The whole exercise is meant to be fun. The only motivation is pleasure, of a
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http://www.mwillett.dabsol.co.uk/Quiz/
===========================
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USA * I stumbled onto your site and I'm glad I did. Very imaginative
questions!
Australia * Great quiz, keep up the good work.
England * If the quiz wasn't fun then I wouldn't do it...doesn't stop it being
bloody frustrating at times though (grin).
USA * Great questions! I had fun searching for these and some got the better
of me.
India * I have been doing quizzes for sometime now, and we (some friends and I)
particularly like the connection questions, the more esoteric the better.
That’s one reason your site is Number 1 on my list.
Scotland * I'm confident of a 12 score, but hopeful for a 15. Good quiz,
sorts out the men from the mice (squeak, squeak).
Martin J Willett,
Author of
http://www.mwillett.dabsol.co.uk/
The Meme Machine
Mark Brader
since they aren't numbered.
16
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9
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3
2
Martin Willett writes:
> An old school dictionary falls open. Across a two page spread I can
> find somebody who literally rakes in the money, a melting pot, an
> obsolete measure defined as approximately 18 obsolete measures and
> a churlish or miserly person.
> Are there a couple of popular words missing? They are on the tip of my
> tongue...
The words found are croupier, crucible, cubit (treating the inch as
obsolete), and curmudgeon. "Cry" (meaning shout, which you use your
tongue when you do) and "curl" (which you can do with your tongue)
may be the answers wanted.
> Gutenburg, Plato, Kepler, and Darwin are all on the same side,
> Jules Verne is on the other.
> Explain.
Lunar craters. Verne didn't get one until they started naming the ones
on the far side.
> Who astounded the world in 1954 by achieving the speed of 15 MPH?
In obsolete units, eh? :-)
He not only achieved it, he maintained that *average* speed for a mile.
Roger Bannister.
> What rumour lubricated a bloody mutiny?
The rumor was that cartridges issued by the British to Indian troops were
greased with pork fat, which was unacceptable to both Hindus and Moslems.
(The solution to issue them without any grease.)
> In the sixties I played the son of a man younger than myself in a major
> film. More recently I played a doctor on television and my son played
> my policeman son. Who am I?
Dick Van Dyke. The TV show was "Diagnosis Murder", and several other
members of his family also appeared in it from time to time.
> I don't interact strongly, although I do weakly. I can come in different
> flavours, but not colours. What am I?
A neutrino.
> aluminium, argon, ???????, cobalt, gallium, indium, lanthanum,
> mendelevium, manganese, molybdenum, neon, protactinium, scandium
> Is the missing element number 98 or number 20, and why?
They're in alphabetical order by symbol. (That's why mendelevium [Md]
precedes manganese [Mn].) 20 is calcium (Ca), which comes between Ar
and Co all right. I don't remember what 98 is, though; if it's
californium (Cf), that would also work and I'm missing something.
> On a world surrounded by panic and fear if you look into the sky
> (if is good) what colour is it?
Panic and fear are Deimos and Phobos. The sky of Mars is variously
reported as pink, orange, and yellow.
> Five lads were placed in an order of merit (no ties). They remarked
> on the ranking thus:
> Alf: Dave was third.
> Bob: Ed wasn't first.
> Carl: I wasn't last.
> Dave: Carl was placed below Bob.
> Ed: Bob was second.
> The remarks of those who placed first and second were false, although
> the other three were true. What were their places?
Say B was 1st/2nd; then B lies, so E 1st, so B must be 2nd; but then E lies,
so B not 2nd. Contradiction. So we know B was 3rd/4th/5th, thus truthful.
But then E is lying, so E was 1st/2nd. But B is truthful, so E not 1st,
so E 2nd.
Say A 1st; then A lies, C and D truthful. C wasn't last but was below B
who was 3rd/4th/5th; then B must be 3rd, C 4th, leaving D 5th. AEBCD.
Is there another solution? Say C 1st. Then he's telling truth; contra-
diction. Say D 1st. Then A is 3rd/4th/5th and telling truth; contra-
diction. So AEBCD is the only solution. Alf first, Ed second, etc.
> Who explained one of his propositions by using an analogy that compared
> sitting with a good looking girl to sitting on a hot cooker?
Einstein, on relativity. I'm not sure this is true, though.
> What measurably links Helen of Argos to a high flying former US Senator
> from Utah?
I'm thinking the senator is Jake Garn, but I don't know the rest of it.
> Chronomentrophobes and Triskaidekaphobes probably will not get past
> the first line of this book. Which one ?
Nineteen Eighty-Four. "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks
were striking thirteen."
> You can puzzle over those questions as long as you want and then go
> and look up the answers on my site.
No, this newsgroup is for puzzles, not for advertising web sites.
--
Mark Brader | "One of these days I'll have to use that ... without the
Toronto | awkward brackets, so that you can quote it that way, too."
m...@vex.net | -- Steve Summit
My text in this article is in the public domain.
Gareth Owen
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> Which singer claimed to live at Wrigley Field?
Jake Blues (or was it Elwood, I forget)
> What did Tom and his friend do to gain notoriety with the Audobon Society?
Poisoned Pigeons In The Park
> Who astounded the world in 1954 by achieving the speed of 15 MPH?
I think "Averaging" would be better (even *I* can achieve 15MPH)
> What occupational hazard exists for the faggots who play the guitar on MTV?
Money For Nothing
> In the sixties I played the son of a man younger than myself in a major film.
> More recently I played a doctor on television and my son played my policeman
> son. Who am I?
Dick Van Dyke. And if you live in the UK and watch "Diagnosis Murder"
... well 10:1 you're a student.
> I don't interact strongly, although I do weakly. I can come in different
> flavours, but not colours. What am I?
Quarks
> Who explained one of his propositions by using an analogy that compared
> sitting with a good looking girl to sitting on a hot cooker?
Einstein
> Who prosecuted the world heavyweight boxing champion for being a homosexual?
Oscar Wilde
> Chronomentrophobes and Triskaidekaphobes probably will not get past the first
> line of this book. Which one ?
1984
--
Gareth Owen
Luminous beings are we. Not this crude matter.
j...@radidelmex.net
> In which year did the man who would be king open the tallest building?
1998?
j...@radidelmex.net
>> Who explained one of his propositions by using an analogy that compared
>> sitting with a good looking girl to sitting on a hot cooker?
> Einstein, on relativity. I'm not sure this is true, though.
From "The Expanded Quotable Einstein" (first time I've used the book!):
Told to Helen Dukas, his secertary, to relay to reporters asking about
relativity ...
"An hour sitting with a pretty girl on a park bench passes like a minute,
but a minute sitting on a hot stove seems like an hour."
Gareth Owen
Can you elucidate (is this really about the Michael Caine movie?)
--
Gareth Owen
By the time you swear you're his, shivering and sighing
and he vows his passion is infinite, undying --
Lady, make a note of this: One of you is lying
Dirk Haar
>
> martinj...@aol.comN0SPAM (Martin J Willett) writes:
> SPOILERS Follow:
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> >is on the other. Explain.
solution
because it's too easy. As Plato is amongth them, it seems neither to be
the religion...
> > What occupational hazard exists for the faggots who play the guitar on MTV?
>
> Money For Nothing
That's the song, but the 'occupational hazard' is a blister on their
finger or thumb.
> >Who left the backseat of oblivion to learn to fly as the frontman to a
> >group of relatively harmless high altitude interceptors?
Are we talking about John Glenn ?
> > In the sixties I played the son of a man younger than myself in a major film.
> > More recently I played a doctor on television and my son played my policeman
> > son. Who am I?
>
> Dick Van Dyke. And if you live in the UK and watch "Diagnosis Murder"
> ... well 10:1 you're a student.
I know the "Diagnosis Murder" and came to the same result, buzt what was
the movie ?
BTW, does anyone know the DvD show ? I liked "Andy" very much, e.g. as
Elvis. What
is the real name of him ?
> > I don't interact strongly, although I do weakly. I can come in different
> > flavours, but not colours. What am I?
>
> Quarks
How do quarks smell ?
chewing gum?
> >I have up to 132 million legs and every living thing gets out of my way, or
> >regrets it. What am I?
graveyards ?
> > Chronomentrophobes and Triskaidekaphobes probably will not get past the first
> > line of this book. Which one ?
> 1984
Please explain why (Triskaidekaphobes).
> >Where would you most likely find a straight line, one end of which is 934.4 cm
> >away from a line that curves slightly towards it?
I didn't prove it but I guess a Basketball field.
Dirk
Lloyd Gilbert
>> > Chronomentrophobes and Triskaidekaphobes probably will not get past the first
>> > line of this book. Which one ?
>> 1984
>Please explain why (Triskaidekaphobes).
Triskaidekaphobes fear the number 13. The opening line of 1984 is:
"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were
striking thirteen."
Lloyd
Gareth Owen
> > I don't interact strongly, although I do weakly. I can come in different
> > flavours, but not colours. What am I?
> > Quarks
> How do quarks smell ?
> chewing gum?
Actually, my limited knowledge of particle physics makes me lean towards Mark
Brader's answer, "neutrino"
"Flavours" are the names given to subdivisions of subatomic particles
(Quarks come in the following flavours IIRC:
Up, Down, Strange, Charm, Top, Bottom
one of those pairs (top/bottom?) is sometimes called "Truth" and "Beauty".
This is all I know (and all I need to know).
> > > Chronomentrophobes and Triskaidekaphobes probably will not get past the
> > > first line of this book. Which one ?
> > 1984
> Please explain why (Triskaidekaphobes).
Triskaidekaphobes fear the number 13. The opening line of "1984" (Orwell) is
"It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen."
--
Gareth Owen
"There are two major products that come out of Berkeley: LSD and UNIX.
We don't believe this to be a coincidence."
j...@radidelmex.net
> j...@radiDELMEx.net writes:
>> Martin J Willett <martinj...@aol.comn0spam> wrote:
>>
>> > In which year did the man who would be king open the tallest building?
>>
>> 1998?
> Can you elucidate (is this really about the Michael Caine movie?)
... vague connection ... Sean Connery filmed 'Entrapment' at the Petronas
Towers ... Catherine Zeta-Jones wiggling between lasers ... circuits going
into overload ...
Mike Williams
>Dirk Haar <dh...@mideal.de> writes:
>> > I don't interact strongly, although I do weakly. I can come in different
>> > flavours, but not colours. What am I?
>> > Quarks
>> How do quarks smell ?
>> chewing gum?
>
>Actually, my limited knowledge of particle physics makes me lean towards Mark
>Brader's answer, "neutrino"
>
>"Flavours" are the names given to subdivisions of subatomic particles
>(Quarks come in the following flavours IIRC:
> Up, Down, Strange, Charm, Top, Bottom
>
>one of those pairs (top/bottom?) is sometimes called "Truth" and "Beauty".
>This is all I know (and all I need to know).
Quarks don't fit because they feel the Strong nuclear force, and do come
in "colours" (there's a whole theory of Quantum Chromodynamics related
to this, but basically a quark can be red, blue, green, anti-red, anti-
blue or anti-green. A hadron must always be colourless, so, for example,
it could be made of red blue and green quarks or it could be made of a
blue and an anti-blue quark).
I've never heard of the types of neutrino being called "flavours", but
they certainly only interact through the Weak nuclear force and don't
have colours.
--
Mike Williams
Gentleman of Leisure
Stephan Bird
Possibly craters on the Moon.
>>> What occupational hazard exists for the faggots who play the
>>> guitar on MTV?
>>
>> Money For Nothing
> That's the song, but the 'occupational hazard' is a blister on their
> finger or thumb.
>
>>> Who left the backseat of oblivion to learn to fly as the frontman
>>> to a group of relatively harmless high altitude interceptors? Are
>>> we talking about John Glenn ?
>
>>> In the sixties I played the son of a man younger than myself in a
>>> major film. More recently I played a doctor on television and my
>>> son played my policeman son. Who am I?
>>
>> Dick Van Dyke. And if you live in the UK and watch "Diagnosis
>> Murder" ... well 10:1 you're a student.
> I know the "Diagnosis Murder" and came to the same result, buzt
> what was the movie ?
Mary Poppins? (recalls vaguely the "I love to laugh" song and scene...
Stephan
--
Stephan Bird MChem(Hons) AMRSC
[Stephan...@Mad.Scientist.ComREMOVE]