Brainteasers

Compiled by Julianne Scibetta, University at Albany

Answers to March's brainteasers:

  1. The letter "r" can be seen in the middle of March and April, but not at the beginning or end of either month.
  2. Fold your arms, pick up the string, and unfold your arms.
  3. 4 seconds. If the time between the clapper striking the bell for the first peal and the second peal is 2 seconds, then it will be a further two seconds before it strikes for the third peal.

Congratulations to Cindy Levis of Lehigh Carbon Community College (PA) who submitted two correct answers. Honorable mention to Robert Biviano of Herkimer County Community College (NY). Thanks for entering, Cindy and Robert!

To get you in shape for the warmer weather, here are some simple brain exercises! Feel the burn!

  1. If something funny is spelled JOKE and people can be spelled FOLK, how do we spell the white of an egg?
  2. Can you guess the next letter in this sequence? CYGTNLIT ? .
  3. Was that one too easy? Here's another sequence: OTTFFS ? .
  4. Complete the following calculation without the aid of pen, paper, calculator, or abacus. Take a million. Divide it by four. Divide the result by five. Divide the result by two. Divide the new result by twenty. Subtract fifty. Divide by three. Divide that result by eight. Subtract one. Divide the result by seven. Add two. Divide the result by three. Add two. Divide the result by five. What do you get?
  5. How can you make 100 using six nines only?

If you have a suggestion for a type of problem to try, or if you'd like to submit your own teasers for the future, email me! I eagerly await your answers!
jscibetta3@hotmail.com