Puzzle Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. You are facing north. You turn right, turn right again, and then turn left. Which direction are you facing?
North
South
East
West
2. A 3×3 magic square uses each whole number from 1 through 9 once, with every row totaling the same amount. What must each row total?
18
12
15
27
3. In a code, each letter moves two places forward in the alphabet, wrapping around after Z. How is MAP written?
NBO
OCR
OCS
KYN
4. Eight identical-looking balls include one that is heavier. Using a balance scale, what is the fewest number of weighings needed to guarantee finding the heavier ball?
1
4
3
2
5. All Rens are Tovas, and no Tovas are blue. Which conclusion must be true?
Some Rens are blue
No Rens are blue
All blue things are Rens
No Rens exist
6. Two ropes each take exactly 60 minutes to burn from one end, but they burn at uneven rates along their lengths. Which method measures exactly 45 minutes?
Light the first rope at both ends and the second at one end; when the first finishes, light the other end of the second
Light the first rope at both ends, then light the second at both ends when the first finishes
Light the first rope at one end and the second rope at both ends, then stop when the second finishes
Light both ropes at one end and wait until the first finishes
7. What letter comes next in the sequence A, C, F, J, O?
U
T
V
S
8. Three switches outside a closed room control three traditional bulbs inside. The bulbs become noticeably warm when lit, and you may enter the room only once. Which strategy identifies every switch?
Leave one switch on for several minutes, turn it off, turn a second switch on, and enter; compare the lit, warm, and cold bulbs
Turn all three switches on, enter immediately, and compare brightness
Turn each switch on briefly in sequence, switch all of them off, and enter to compare bulb positions
Leave every switch off, enter, and test which bulb is loosest
9. Three boxes are labeled APPLES, ORANGES, and MIXED. Every label is wrong. You may take one fruit from one box to determine all three contents. Which box should you sample?
The box labeled APPLES
The box labeled ORANGES
Either single-fruit box, but not the mixed box
The box labeled MIXED
10. A code replaces every letter with the next letter in the alphabet, so CAT becomes DBU. How is DOG written?
EOG
EPH
FQI
CPH
11. At a puzzle event, 25 people solved a word puzzle, 20 solved a number puzzle, and 10 solved both. How many people solved at least one of the two puzzles?
30
35
45
15
12. A bag contains one red token and two blue tokens. Two tokens are drawn without replacement. What is the probability that both are blue?
1/6
2/3
1/2
1/3
13. A row in a standard Sudoku already contains 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Which number belongs in its empty cell?
4
6
5
8
14. What number comes next in the sequence 2, 6, 12, 20, 30?
36
40
44
42
15. Which word can be rearranged to use exactly the same letters as LISTEN?
SILENT
LENTIL
LISTER
SIGNET
16. One guard always tells the truth, another always lies, and only one of two doors leads to the exit. You ask either guard, “Which door would the other guard say leads to the exit?” What should you do?
Choose the door the guard indicates
Choose the left door regardless of the answer
Choose the opposite door from the one indicated
Ask the same question again and follow the second answer