First Question:
You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position do you finish?

Second Question:
If you overtake the last person, then you arrive...?

Third Question:
Very Tricky math! Note: This riddle must be done in your head only -- do NOT write it down.

• Take 1000 and add:
  • 40;
  • 1000;
  • 30;
  • 1000;
  • 20;
  • 1000;
  • and 10.
• What is the new total?

Brainteaser Quiz #1!

Here's a quick test of intelligence. There are no tricks to the test, and it looks pretty simple. But let's see how YOU do!

Read this sentence:

Now count aloud the F's in that sentence. Count them ONLY ONCE. Do not go back and count them again. What is your answer? Now, check the correct answer below.

1. One day Kerry celebrated her birthday. Two days later her older twin brother, Terry, celebrated his birthday. How could this be?
   
   --- Answer --- ================================ At the time she went into labor, the mother of the twins was travelling by boat. The older twin, Terry, was born first, early on March 1st. The boat then crossed the International Date line and Kerry, the younger twin, was born on February the 28th. In a leap year the younger twin celebrates her birthday two days before her older brother.Another option suggested by one of our visitors is that although he was her "twin" brother, he could have been the twin of another sibling.
   
   
2. Manhole Covers: Why is it better to have round manhole covers than square ones?
   
   --- Answer --- ================================ A square manhole cover can be turned and dropped down the diagonal of the manhole. A round manhole cannot be dropped down the manhole. So for safety and practicality, all manhole covers should be round. Note: A visitor added that the covers should also be round for the simple reason that the manholes are round!
   
   
3. The Deadly Party: A man went to a party and drank some of the punch. He then left early. Everyone else at the party who drank the same punch were poisoned and became very sick. Why did the man not get sick?
   
   --- Answer --- ================================ The poison in the punch came from the ice cubes. When the man drank the punch the ice was fully frozen. Gradually it melted, poisoning the punch. Alternative solution: He could have poisoned the punch after drinking some of it.
   
   
4. Trouble with Sons: A woman had two sons who were born on the same hour of the same day of the same year. But they were not twins. How could this be so?
   
   --- Answer --- ================================ They were two of a set of triplets (or quadruplets etc.) Note: Another visitor added that one son could be adopted.
   
   

1. Do they have a 4th of July in England?
   --- Answer --- ================================ Yes, they have a 4th of July, but they don't celebrate that day!
   
   
2. How many birthdays does the average man have?
   --- Answer --- ================================ One birthday -- the day he was born; but he celebrates it yearly.
   
   
3. Some months have 31 days; how many have 28?
   --- Answer --- ================================ All of them (12) have AT LEAST 28 days.
   
   
4. A woman gives a beggar 50 cents; the woman is the beggar's sister, but the beggar is not the woman's brother. How come?
   --- Answer --- ================================ The beggar is the woman's SISTER!
   
   
5. Why can't a man living in the USA be buried in Canada?
   --- Answer --- ================================ Because he isn't dead if he's LIVING in the U.S.
   
   
6. How many outs are there in an inning?
   --- Answer --- ================================ Six (three for each team per inning) EXCEPT that the LAST inning may have 3, 4, 5, or 6 outs depending on the score. a. If the home team is ahead after 3 outs, the game is over. b. If the home team is behind after 6 outs, the game is over. c. The home team may after 3, 4, or 5 outs score enough runs to win the game. d. If the game is tied after 6 outs, then they play another inning.
   
   
7. Is it legal for a man in California to marry his widow's sister? Why?
   --- Answer --- ================================ No, because he is DEAD, since his wife is his WIDOW!
   
   
8. Two men play five games of checkers. Each man wins the same number of games. There are no ties. Explain this.
   --- Answer --- ================================ The two men were NOT PLAYING EACH OTHER!
   
   
9. Divide 30 by 1/2 and add 10. What is the answer?
   --- Answer --- ================================ 70-- thirty divided by 2 would have made the total 25 but thirty divided by 1/2 = 60, plus 10 = 70
   
   
10. A man builds a house rectangular in shape. All sides have southern exposure. A big bear walks by, what color is the bear? Why?
    --- Answer --- ================================ White -- because a house with southern exposures on all 4 sides must be at the North Pole, where they only have Polar Bears.
    
    
11. If there are 3 apples and you take away 2, how many do you have?
    --- Answer --- ================================ You have two, because YOU took away two!
    
    
12. I have two US coins totaling 55 cents. One is not a nickel. What are the coins?
    --- Answer --- ================================ A fifty cent piece and a nickel -- it said ONE wasn't a nickel, but the OTHER ONE WAS!
    
    
13. If you have only one match and you walked into a room where there was an oil burner, a kerosene lamp, and a wood burning stove, which one would you light first?
    --- Answer --- ================================ The match has to be lit first!
    
    
14. How far can a dog run into the woods?
    --- Answer --- ================================ To the middle of the woods (the halfway point), because after that, he's running OUT. (i.e., "Into" represents the distance from any edge to the middle, and after that point, he is running "OUT OF" the woods.)
    
    
15. A doctor gives you three pills telling you to take one every half hour. How long would the pills last?
    --- Answer --- ================================ One hour -- you take one at the start of the hour one after 30 minutes, and one at the end of the hour
    
    
16. A farmer has 17 sheep, and all but 9 die. How many are left?
    --- Answer --- ================================ Nine are left -- because it said all BUT nine died!
    
    
17. How many animals of each sex did Moses take on the ark?
    --- Answer --- ================================ None -- You're thinking of Noah, not Moses.
    
    
18. A clerk in the butcher shop is 5' 10'' tall. What does he weigh?
    --- Answer --- ================================ He weighs MEAT!
    
    
19. How many two cent stamps are there in a dozen?
    --- Answer --- ================================ 12! A dozen of anything is still 12.
    
    

1. There's one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends. What is it? --- Answer --- ================================ Boxing
   
   
2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward? --- Answer --- ================================ Niagara Falls. The rim is worn down about 2 and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.
   
   
3. Of all vegetables, typically only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. Most other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the two vegetables that are most commonly considered perennials? --- Answer --- ================================ Asparagus and rhubarb
   
   Note: At the suggestion of a visitor, we checked with Oregon State University's Horticulture Department and learned that in addition to the two most common vegetable perennials, we should probably also consider the Jerusalem artichoke (as it is perennial everywhere) and the globe artichoke since it can be a perennial in areas with mild winters. Plus there are many of the solanaceous crops, such as tomato and pepper, that can be perennials given the right variety and a tropical climate; and horseradish and several herbs might be called vegetables as well. So do not be surprised if you hear other answers to this question!
   
   
4. Name the only sport traditionally played in America which the ball is always in possession of the team on defense, and the offensive team can score without touching the ball. --- Answer --- ================================ Baseball(in some other countries, the answer could also be cricket)
   
   
5. What fruit has its seeds on the outside? --- Answer --- ================================ Strawberry
   
   
6. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle? --- Answer --- ================================ The pear grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the whole growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.
   
   
7. Only four words in Standard English begin with the letters "dw". They are all common. Name two of them. --- Answer --- ================================ "Dwarf", "dwell", "dwindle", and "dweeb"
   
   
8. There are fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name half of them? --- Answer --- ================================ Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
   
   
9. Where are the lakes that are referred to in the "Los Angeles Lakers"? --- Answer --- ================================ In Minnesota. The team was originally known as the Minneapolis Lakers and kept the name when they moved west.
   
   
10. There are eight ways a baseball player can legally reach first base without getting a hit. Name them. --- Answer --- ================================ 1. balk (although a player cannot automatically advance to first on a balk, a balked pitch is automatically a ball, and a runner could walk to first base if the balk is the fourth "ball"); 2. walk; 3. hit-by-pitch; 4. defensive interference; 5. fielders choice; 6. dropped third strike; 7. being designated as a pinch runner; and 8. error.
    
    
11. It's the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh. What is it? --- Answer --- ================================ Lettuce.
    
    
12. Name ten or more things that you can wear on your feet that begin with the letter "s". --- Answer --- ================================ Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilettos, and stilts!