PRE-OPENING

How Many Words Can You Find
York Adams Area Council

How many words can you find in the word “Abracadabra”? Hand out half-sheets of paper with the word “Abracadabra” written at the top. See how many words people can list using just the letters in the word.  After the opening, ceremony, check on who has the most words listed and award appropriately—maybe with a special “Word

Magician” pin?

Central New Jersey Council

Build the highest possible tower using all the cards.

Materials: a full pack of playing cards.

Brain Teaser
Central New Jersey Council

There are no tricks - this is a straight forward problem. This is supposed to be one of the questions which potential

Microsoft employees are asked.

U2 have a concert that starts in 17 minutes and they must all cross a bridge to get there. All four men begin on

the same side of the bridge. You must help them across to the other side. It is night. There is one flashlight.

A maximum of two people can cross at one time. Any party that crosses the bridge, either 1 or 2 people, must have the flashlight with them. The flashlight must be carried back and forth, it cannot be thrown, etc. Each band member walks at a different speed. A pair must walk together at the rate of the slower man’s pace:

* Bono: - 1 minute to cross

* Edge: - 2 minutes to cross

* Adam: - 5 minutes to cross

* Larry: - 10 minutes to cross

For example: if Bono and Larry walk across first, 10 minutes have elapsed by the time they get to the other side of the bridge. If Larry then returns with the flashlight, a total of 20 minutes have passed and you have failed the mission.

There is no trick to this. It is a simple movement of resources in the appropriate order. There are two known answers to this problem. Microsoft expects you to answer this question in under 5 minutes!

BRAIN TEASER

Hints

OK - a few clues.

You have to believe it's possible

Then eliminate the impossibilities

There are only four variables

And three constraints

The logistics are simple :

2 people cross

1 goes back

2 people cross

1 goes back

2 people cross

But there are no tricks of people being carried on someone else's back, etc. And OK, which people cross at which time still has to be worked out. There's only 17 minutes. And Larry takes 10 minutes, Adam 5. You can't allow them to cross separately, since that would be 15 mins, and you'll never solve the puzzle. So they cross together.  Which takes 10 minutes. You can't allow either of them to make the return trip with the flashlight either, can you? Since they would still have to get back across again. That would take too long.

OK - Here is the answer

Bono and Edge cross the bridge - 2 minutes

Bono returns with the light - 1 minute

Larry and Adam cross - 10 minutes

Edge returns with the light - 2 minutes

Bono and Edge cross the bridge - 2 minutes.

Total 17 minutes

Quiz
Lorie McGraw

1. What is 5 divided by 1/2 plus 3?
2. I have two coins making 55 cents but one is not a nickel.  How can that be?
3.  Why are 1977 dollars worth more than 1976 dollars?
4. What word in the English language does nearly everyone pronounce incorrectly?
5. In the United States is it legal for a man to marry his widow's sister?
6. How much dirt is there in a hole that measures two feet by three feet by four feet?
7.  Some months have 30 days, some months have 31 days; how many have 28?
8. Which is correct - eight and eight IS fifteen or eight and eight ARE fifteen?
9. A 10 foot rope ladder hangs over the side of a boat with the bottom rung at the surface of the water.  There is one foot between rungs and the tide goes up at the rate of 6 inches per hour.  How long until three rungs are covered?
10. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have six daughters and each daughter has one brother.  How many people in the family?

Easy Quiz Answers

1.        Well, it's supposed to be fun, not work!
13. 5 divided by .5 = 10 + 3 = 13

2.        Only one is not a nickel, because it is a 50 cent piece.  The other is a nickel.

3.        Because $1977.00 is more than $1976.00.

4.        The word 'incorrectly'.

5.        No. If he has a widow, then the man is dead and cannot marry anyone.

6.        There is no dirt in a hole.

7.        All the months.

8.        Neither. Eight and eight equals SIXTEEN.

9.        The rungs will never be covered because the boat rises with the tide

10.      9 family members total. 6 daughters, 1 brother, Mr. Smith and Mrs.Smith