Brainteaser Activities For The Office

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Johnny’s mother had three children. The first child was named April. The second child was named May. What was the third child’s name?

1

Answer: ____________________________

Verbal–linguistic

In the basement there are 3 light switches in the "off position." Each switch controls one of three light bulbs on the floor above. You may turn on any of the switches, but you may only go up stairs one time to see which light(s) were affected. How can you determine which switch controls each particular light bulb?

2

Answer: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Logical–mathematical

Change the direction of the fish by moving only 3 matchsticks.

3

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Visual-spatial

A blind man is alone on a deserted island. He has two blue pills and two red pills. He must take exactly one red pill and one blue pill or he will die. How does he do it?

4

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Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Logical–mathematical

How many squares are in this picture?

5

Answer: ________________________________________________

Visual-spatial

Grandpa: "My grandson is about as many days as my son is weeks, and my grandson is as many months as I am in years. My grandson, my son and I together are 120 years. Can you tell me my age in years?"

6

Answer: ________________________________________________

Logical–mathematical

MARRY NO OILMEN (7,6) (actress) A: __________________________________________

HOMBURG THERAPY (8,6) (actor) A: ____________________________________________TEN ELITE BRAINS (6,8) (physicist) A: ___________________________________________A COOL ROMP (5,4) (explorer) A: ______________________________________________ADMONISH TOES (6,6) (inventor) A: ____________________________________________SILVERY SLEEP (5,7) (singer/actor) A: ____________________________________________ART CHEF HID CLOCK (6,9) (director) A: __________________________________________A WALTZ OR FUN GAMES GO MAD (8,7,6) (composer) A: _____________________________EXTERNAL HATE RAGED (9,3,5) (conqueror) A: _____________________________________CASUAL JURIES (6,6) (emperor) A: _______________________________________________PUBLIC SO MUCH SHORTER (11,8) (explorer) A: ____________________________________PEARL COAT (9) (queen) A: ____________________________________________________LOCATED MENU (6,5) (painter) A: _______________________________________________ERA LOST IT (9) (Greek philosopher) A: ___________________________________________HERO GETS IN WAGGON (6,10) (former US president) A: _____________________________LIKE A WEE SHRIMP ALAS (7,11) (playwright) A: ____________________________________

7Verbal–linguistic

An anagram is the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phraseto produce other words, using all the original letters exactly once.

Answers

A3.

A2. Turn any one switch to the on position for 5 minutes. Then turn that switch off and quickly turn on one of the other two switches to the on position. Then run upstairs and touch the two lights that are on One of them will be hot because is was turned on for 5 minutes. Obviously the hot bulb is controlled by the first switch you turned on. The light that is currently on is controlled by the switch you last turned on The cold bulb that is off is controlled by the only switch left.

A1. Johnny

A5. 40

Answers

A4. Break every pill in half. Throw one half of each pill and take the rest.

A6. 72 years is my age

g = grandson's age s = son's age m = my age

"My grandson is about as many days as my son is weeks,"s = 7g

my grandson is as many months as I am in years.m = 12g

g + s + m = 120Substitute for m and sg + 7g + 12g = 12020g = 120g = 6 years is grandson's age

thens = 7(6) = 42 years is son's ageandm = 12(6) = 72 years is my age

Answers

A7. Anagram

MARILYN MONROEHUMPHREY BOGARTALBERT EINSTEINMARCO POLOTHOMAS EDISONELVIS PRESLEYALFRED HITCHCOCKWOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZARTALEXANDER THE GREATJULIUS CAESARCHRISTOPHER COLUMBUSCLEOPATRACLAUDE MONETARISTOTLEGEORGE WASHINGTONWILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Answers