05/01/2014 - 12th Day (**)

This puzzle is rated 2 star (medium).

Description

Here's another classic puzzle that we've yet to look at.

The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a cumulative song, meaning that each verse is built on top of the previous verses. There are twelve verses, each describing a gift given by "my true love" on one of the twelve days of Christmas.

...and so forth, until the last verse:

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

12 Drummers Drumming

11 Pipers Piping

10 Lords-a-Leaping

9 Ladies Dancing

8 Maids-a-Milking

7 Swans-a-Swimming

6 Geese-a-Laying

5 Gold Rings

4 Colly Birds

3 French Hens

2 Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

So, on the first day the true love gave 1 item (a Partridge in a Pear Tree).  On the second day he gave 3 items (2 Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree), summing to 4 items in total!

Puzzle

What is the total sum of all the gifts by the end of the twelfth day?

Check the solutions for the correct answer.

24/12/2013 - Mince Pies (*)

This puzzle is rated 1 star (easy).

Description

Father Christmas has to visit a lot of homes on Christmas Eve when he is out delivering presents. He usually gets a glass of sherry and a mince pie at each house too. 

Now, Father Christmas can manage the sherry, but finds eating all those mince pies quite difficult. So Rudolph helps him out.

Last year Father Christmas finished his rounds with lots of mince pies to spare. He gave 25 million (25 000 000) to Rudolph. 

It takes Rudolph just 10 seconds to eat a mince pie. 

Puzzle
How long did it take Rudolph to eat all 25 million mince pies, without stopping? 

An hour? A day? A week?

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

25/03/2013 - When? 2 (**)

This puzzle is rated 2 star (medium).

Description

Nine days ago, the day before yesterday was three weeks before a party.

Puzzle
If it is Sunday, what day of the week is the party on?

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

21/03/2012 - Countdown (**)

This puzzle is rated 2 star (medium).

Description
Here in the UK there is a TV programme called "Countdown".  Countdown is primarily about creating words from randomly chosen letters, but there is a couple of rounds based around numeracy.  Basically the contestant picks a random set of numbers and using only the numbers a maximum of 1 time and the operations add, subtract, multiply and divide he has to make a total.

Sometimes these are hard to get...

Puzzle
Using the rules of Countdown outlined above to make 446 using the numbers 100, 6, 2, 8, 9 and 5.

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

20/03/2013 - Dominoes 2 (**)

This puzzle is rated 2 star (medium).

Description

Use above and imagine (or use) 4 dominoes labelled 6:6, 6:2, 2:5, 3:1, 1:5, 4:6, 5:6, 3:3 and 2:1.

Puzzle
Place the dominoes 6:6, 6:2, 2:5, 3:1, 1:5, 4:6, 5:6, 3:3 and 2:1, so that the correct numbers are covered by the dominoes.

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

17/03/2013 - Four Times Table (*)

This puzzle is rated 1 star (easy).

Description

For this puzzle you need to know your 4 times table.

The sequence is 4 + 8 + 12 + 16, etc (adding multiples of 4).  Giving totals of 4, 12, 24, 40, etc.

Puzzle
What is the first number past 200 that you reach?

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

07/03/2013 - True Number (**)

This puzzle is rated 2 star (medium).

Description

I am thinking of a 6-digit number. The sum of the digits is 43. 

And only two of the following three statements about the number are true: 

1. It's a square number,
2. It's a cube number, and
3. The number is under 500000.

Puzzle
What is the number?

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

06/03/2013 - Four 4s (10-19) (**)

This puzzle is rated 2 star (medium).

Description

During this puzzle you can only use the following mathematical functions:

• Addition
• Subtraction
• Multiplication
• Division
• Decimal point
• Square-root
• Brackets
• Power (e.g. 4 to the power 4 is 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 = 256)
• The number of 4 exactlyf 4 times.
  

Puzzle
Using only the mathematical functions and the number 4 (EXACTLY 4 times) construct the numbers from 10 to 19.

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

05/03/2013 - Adding It Wrong! (**)

This puzzle is rated 2 star (medium).

Description

This is an additional table that seems to follow a different pattern.

Puzzle
Work out the missing number.

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

01/03/2013 - What Symbol? (*)

This puzzle is rated 1 star (easy).

Description

Write out the numbers seven and eight, with a space between them.

Puzzle
What mathematical symbol can you put between the seven and the eight, to get a number bigger than seven but smaller than eight?

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

25/02/2013 - Cards (*)

This puzzle is rated 1 star (easy).

Description

This is a classic puzzle.  You need to know there are 4 lots of 13 different types of card in a standard 52 card deck.

Puzzle
In two decks of cards, what is the least amount of cards you must take to be guaranteed at least one four-of-a-kind?

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

23/02/2013 - Bad Shop (*)

This puzzle is rated 1 star (easy).

Description

George was buying a set of garden furniture, which costs $70.

He gave the attendant what he thought were two $50 notes, but actually handed over two $100 notes.

The attendant was sleepy and didn't notice either, so he gave George what he thought were three $10 notes, but actually handed over three $50 notes.

Puzzle
Who ended up better off than they should?

Check the solution page for the correct answer.

18/02/2013 - Missing Number (**)

This puzzle is rated 2 star (medium).

Description

The above 4 triangles are completed by using the same rules.

Puzzle
What is the missing number from the centre of the forth triangle?

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

17/02/2013 - 53 Steps (**)

This puzzle is rated 2 star (medium).

Description

Construct the grid above exactly.

Puzzle
Move from the highlight number 5 in the bottom left to the highlight number 4 in the top right, so that the sum of all the squares you land on equal 53.

You can only move horizontally and vertically, not diagonally.

Check the solution for the correct answer answer

11/02/2013 - Number Circle (*)

This puzzle is rated 1 star (medium).

Description

Copy the diagram above.

Puzzle
Place the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the circles so that no number is next to a number that is one more or one less than itself.

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

10/02/2013 - Even Triangle (*)

This puzzle is rated 1 star (easy).

Description

Construct the triangle above.

Puzzle
Put the numbers 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 in to the triangle so that all of the sides are equal to each other.

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

08/02/2013 - Dominoes 1 (*)

This puzzle is rated 1 star (easy).

Description

Use above and imagine (or use) 4 dominoes labelled 3:4, 5:3, 4:2 and 3:2.

Puzzle
Place the dominoes 3:4, 5:3, 4:2 and 3:2 onto the grid above, so that each side has numbers summing to 10.

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

07/02/2013 - A Dozen Apples (***)

This puzzle is rated 3 star (hard).

Description

It was the day before Christmas, and a shopkeeper was feeling rather generous, so he said to his assistant:

“Today you may sell these apples for a pound a dozen less than they were. That will mean that customers will get one more apple for a pound.”

Puzzle

What were the old and new prices for a dozen apples?

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.

03/02/2013 - Fifteen (*)

This puzzle is rated 1 star (easy)

Description

Write down the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

Puzzle
How many ways can you add 3 of the number 0 to 9 (inclusive) to make 15?

Check the solutions page for the correct solution.

02/02/2013 - It Equals 1 (***)

This puzzle is rated 2 star (medium).

Description

Use the fraction layout shown above, where there is one digit "over" two others.

Puzzle
Using the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 construct three fractions were one digit is over two others (e.g. 1/23) so that when the three fractions are added together equal 1.

You must use each number once and once only.

Check the solutions page for the correct answer.