"Business is Good" - Brain Teaser

Business is Good

Yeah, they keep me locked up, but I guess I'm thankful, in short.
I hand out the beatings, while my neighbors import and export.
We make a good team, especially me as the muscle,
But with two dozen guards, I'm glad we never tussle.
But really, I got a lotta my own connections,
Imports, exports, with thousands collectin'.
But between us, there's really no competition,
I call it harmonizin' cause we're on the same mission.
No one is unnecessary, or, you know, too small,
The guy upstairs is the boss of it all.
He's also incarcerated, but for his good I bet it is,
Business is good, so long as we get the messages.

Question:

Who's doing the talking, and who are the other players in this riddle? (there are a total of 28, minus the narrator's connections)

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Answer


The parentheses are used to number the parts mentioned.

The HEART (1) is the one doing the talking. He is thankful to be "locked up" or guarded by the "two dozen guards," the (24) ribs that normal humans have in 2 pairs. The ribs protect, and guard both the heart and the LUNGS. The LUNGS are the 'neighbors' (2) that have the job of "Importing" and "Exporting" Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide. The heart is- literally speaking- the muscle, and 'hands out the beatings' (heart beats). Of course, the heart itself has many "connections" or veins, arteries, and capillaries that "import" and "export" that valuable fluid we call blood. None of these members' job is unnecessary, or small, and they never compete with each other because they have the one mission of keeping a person alive. And, last but not least, the "guy upstairs" who is "the boss of it all" is 'incarcerated' by-yes-the skull. He is none other than the BRAIN (1), which sends electrical messages to all the other members via nerves, which tell them what to do. Business is good so long as these messages are sent. If they aren't, nothing is moving, and....well, then you're DEAD. (28)

Spazy Croonerisms 19 - Brain Trainer

Spazy Croonerisms 19

A spoonerism is a pair of words that can have their initial sounds switched to form new words. The pairs need only sound the same, not necessarily be spelled the same (power saw & sour paw, horse cart & coarse heart). There may sometimes be one or two connecting words (kick the stone & stick the cone, king of the rats & ring of the cats). Given the following definitions, what are the spoonerisms?

1) a lock's companion and a bright-colored tropical bird & a vegetable and a vegetable
2) a chilly tome & a courageous chef
3) a mournful song & a spoiled cold dish of vegetables served with dressing
4) an excavation of an underground ore deposit in Geneva & the winner of a beauty pageant sponsored by pig farmers



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Solution

1) key and parrot & pea and carrot
2) cold book & bold cook
3) sad ballad & bad salad
4) Swiss mine & Miss Swine

Homonym Sentences - Brain Trainer

Homonym Sentences
Language brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters

The blanks in the following sentences will be filled in with three different homonyms (words that are spelled differently but sound alike) to make valid sentences. The dashes indicate the number of letters in the words. Can you fill in the blanks?

1. The cut on his _ _ _ _ won't _ _ _ _ in time for the race, so _ _ '_ _ have to drop out.
2. The man was so upset about being _ _ _ _ that he regularly _ _ _ _ _ _ himself up on the bed and _ _ _ _ _ _ his eyes out.
3. I couldn't _ _ _ _ _ any of the _ _ _ _ _ _ in the flower shop, because for some strange reason I had 50 _ _ _ _ _ crammed up my nose.
4. A bloodthirsty pirate will wander the _ _ _ _ and essentially _ _ _ _ _ everything he _ _ _ _.

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Solution

1. The cut on his HEEL won't HEAL in time for the race, so HE'LL have to drop out.
2. The man was so upset about being BALD that he regularly BALLED himself up on the bed and BAWLED his eyes out.
3. I couldn't SENSE any of the SCENTS in the flower shop, because for some strange reason I had 50 CENTS crammed up my nose.
4. A bloodthirsty pirate will wander the SEAS and essentially SEIZE everything he SEES.

Brain Teaser: "Decapitation"

Decapitation
Riddles are little poems or phrases that pose a question that needs answering. Riddles frequently rhyme, but this is not a requirement.

Decapitate me and all becomes equal. Then truncate me and I become second. Cut me front and back and I become two less than I started.

What am I?


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Solution

The word Seven.

seven
even (equal)
eve (2nd person, according to the Bible)
v (Roman numeral five; two less than seven)

Now you get it :D

Van Gogh's Relatives [13-10-16]

Van Gogh's Relatives

Language brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters.

David Van Gogh (pronounced "Go") had many relatives. Can you guess by the clues who they are?

Example: His dizzy Aunt?
Answer: Verti-Gogh

How many other relatives can you guess?

A fruit loving cousin?
The Grandfather from Yugoslavia?
The cousin from Illinois?
His Mexican cousin?
His Great Grandfather who drove a stage coach?
The ballroom dancing aunt?
The bird lover Uncle?
A sister who loved disco?
And his niece who travels the country in a van?



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Solution

A fruit loving cousin: Man-Gogh
The grandfather from Yugoslavia: U-Gogh
The cousin from Illinois: Chica-Gogh
His Mexican cousin: Amee-Gogh
His Great Grandfather who drove a stage coach: Wellsfar-Gogh
The ballroom dancing aunt: Tan-Gogh
The bird lover uncle: Flamin-Gogh
A sister who loved disco: Go-Gogh
And his niece who travels the country in a van: Winnie Bay-Gogh

Beethoven's Teaser

Beethoven's Teaser
Language brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters

Beethoven was a lover of teasers of all kinds, and often submitted the following to his friends.

What word can be created when following these directions?

1) Start at D.
2) Go up Eight.
3) Go down Eleven.
4) Go up Five.

What word is it?

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Hint

A little knowledge of Beethoven would help greatly.

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Solution

Deaf.

Beethoven was a composer, obviously, and utilized the Musical Key in this teaser. When he says "Go up Eleven", he is referring to the letters "ABCDEFG." Going up Eight notes from 'D' brings us to 'E' (because, of course, the musical scale simply repeats itself in the next octave). Going down Eleven notes brings us to 'A', and going up Five notes brings us to 'F'. Hence, DEAF (which, incidentally, Beethoven was).

T M C - Brain Trainer

T M C
Rebus brain teasers use words or letters in interesting orientations to represent common phrases.

Can you decipher the following common phrase?

T M C
A U O
H S M
W T E


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Solution

What goes up must come down.

An Upside-Down Spotted Striped Box

An Upside-Down Spotted Striped Box

Trick brain teasers appear difficult at first, but they have a trick that makes them really easy.

Follow these steps and see if you can figure this out.

1) Get a brown, cardboard box.
2) Get purple, orange, and turquoise paints.
3) Paint the box orange.
4) Paint on purple spots.
5) Paint on turquoise stripes.
7) Turn it upside down.
8) Lie on your side.

What is missing from this sequence?



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Hint


The answer isn't to get a paintbrush, wait for it to dry, paint the bottom, or something similar. Remember, this is a TRICK teaser... :)


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Solution

Step 6!

Odd Two Out [15-3-16]

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Odd Two Out

Language brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters

In this teaser, you have to find the odd ones out in the groups of words. BUT WAIT! There's a catch. Each group of words has TWO words which do not belong. Can you find them both?

EXAMPLE:

Lily - Jane - Tulip - Rose

Jane does not belong as it's the only one which is not a flower.

Tulip also does not belong because it's the only one which is not a girl's name.

You're on your own for the rest!

1. Aqua - Hazel - Willow - Cherry

2. Cat - Sword - Hamster - Dog

3. Prince - Double - Queen - King


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Solution

1. Aqua does not belong as it's the only one which is not a tree. Willow does not belong as it's the only one which is not a colour.

2. Sword does not belong as it's the only one which is not a family pet. Hamster does not belong as it's the only one which is not a type of fish.

3. Double does not belong as it's the only one which is not a person of royalty. Prince does not belong as it's the only one which is not a bed size.
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Strange Recipe - Brain Trainer

Strange Recipe
Trick brain teasers appear difficult at first, but they have a trick that makes them really easy.

Susan needed to go to the store to buy some ingredients to cook with. She started writing them down:

• Butter
• Milk
• Eggs
• Baking Soda
• Cashews
• Oranges
• Vinegar
• Lemon Juice

What was Susan making?



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Solution

• A shopping list.

Spazy Croonerisms

Spazy Croonerisms

A spoonerism is a pair of words that can have their initial sounds switched to form new words. The pairs need only sound the same, not necessarily be spelled the same (power saw & sour paw, horse cart & coarse heart). There may sometimes be one or two connecting words (kick the stone & stick the cone, king of the rats & ring of the cats). Given the following definitions, what are the spoonerisms?

1) spoiled Neanderthal child & courageous cougar
2) child of a sorceress & liquid in a trench
3) milk and cheese & fops who are imaginary beings with magical powers
4) fondle feathers & Amsterdam

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Solution

1) cave brat & brave cat
2) witch daughter & ditch water
3) dairy foods & fairy dudes
4) touch down & Dutch town

One Letter of Separation 11 - Brain Trainer

One Letter of Separation 11

Each group of definitions describes three words that are spelled the same, except for one letter (each group describes a different set of words). Example: king, ring, wing. The length of the words in each group is provided.

1) a long step & a conflict or struggle & to hit sharply (6 letters)
2) medicinal ointment & a device that regulates flow through a pipe & to divide into two equal parts (5 letters)
3) not coarse & a musical instrument & a collection of papers (4 letters)
4) meager & sweet baked good & storage room for food (6 letters)

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Solution

1) stride, strife, strike
2) salve, valve, halve
3) fine, fife, file
4) paltry, pastry, pantry

Technobabble I - Brain Trainer

 
Technobabble I

The following are colloquialisms/idioms written in their literal form. Try to find all four.

Example: A Panthera Pardus is incapable of altering its texture. (A leopard can't change its spots)

1. Revert to the first quadrilateral of equal sides and angles.

2. One suffering from Macular Degeneration guiding one with less than 1/10 of normal vision.

3. Restrain your multiple Equus caballus.

4. The writing utensil containing small amounts of ink is more puissant than the iron hand-held weapon.



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Solution

1. Back to Square One--A term meaning to go back to the beginning, or the original idea.

2. Blind leading the blind--Term which means the person in charge knows no more than the person or people he is leading.

3. Hold your Horses--Meaning be patient and to wait.

4. The pen is mightier than the sword--A phrase that means you can get more accomplished by solving your problems in a calm way, than resorting to violence.

Missing Letters - Brain Trainer [14-1-16]

Missing Letters

Customer services at RightWrite headquarters received the following letter recently. Luckily their top puzzle solvers were able to determine the meaning and help Mrs Miggins. Can you work it out what her problem was?

Da S,

ld lk cmlan ab h f m .

hs ls aa n k ccl.

As can s, hs ls a mssng fm hs dcmn.

ld b v gafl f cld cc hs blm fhh.

Man hanks,

Ms Mggns.

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Solution

The letter was written on a typewriter which has a problem with the top row of letters - they did not print. The letter should have read:

Dear Sir,

I would like to complain about the top row of my typewriter.

These letters appear not to work correctly.

As you can see, these letters are missing from this document.

I would be very grateful if you could correct this problem forthwith.

Many thanks,

Mrs Miggins.

Brain Trainer: "Epitaphs"

Epitaphs

Below are four epitaphs (writing on gravestones). From the writings, can you tell the occupation of each person?

1. Here lies Mortimer Bibbs.
He took part of ours and gave it to big brother, but he always had good form.

2. Here lies Dirk McDuff, who toppled giants with weapons of steel. If only he'd heard his partner's shout before the giants found their revenge.

3. Here lies Suzy Smelt. She constructed many a bomb but mostly brought smiles to our faces.

4. Here lies Ethel Grant. She spent her whole life fighting with what she will now become.

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Solution

1. Mortimer was a tax man.
2. Dirk was a lumberjack (and died because he didn't hear his partner yell "Timber!").
3. Suzy was a comedienne.
4. Ethel was a maid, always fighting dust (referring to "ashes to ashes and dust to dust").

Brain Trainer "Lines"

Brain Trainer "Lines"

Birbal was jester, counselor, and fool to the great Moghul emperor, Akbar. The villagers loved to talk of Birbal's wisdom and cleverness, and the emperor loved to try to outsmart him. One day Akbar (emperor) drew a line across the floor. "Birbal," he ordered, "you must make this line shorter, but you cannot erase any bit of it."
Everyone present thought the emperor had finally outsmarted Birbal. It was clearly an impossible task. Yet within moments the emperor and everyone else present had to agree that Birbal had made the line shorter without erasing any of it. How could this be?

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Solution

Birbal simply drew a line longer than the first, which made the first line shorter than the second.

Brain Trainer: "Lord of the Rings?"

Lord of the Rings?
Riddles are little poems or phrases that pose a question that needs answering. Riddles frequently rhyme, but this is not a requirement.

My story whispers ancient lore;
The force at times my rings will hide.
I've sixty minions, maybe more:
Those unseen, these by my side.

Wand'ring far from glowing light,
Shape-shifting puzzles curious eyes;
Oft my glorious rings shine bright,
While men debate my family's size.

My aspect seems to wax and wane,
As the force dictates the deed;
My namesake ruled vast fields of grain,
But, legends tell, devoured his seed.

What am I?


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Hint

Where are those rings?

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Solution

Answer: The planet Saturn

Saturn is named after the Roman god of the harvest. When the force of gravity causes Earth's orbit to take us into the plane of Saturn's rings, they seem to disappear, and the shape of the planet appears to change. Most of Saturn's 60 or more moons are visible only through strong telescopes. The sixth planet from the Sun in the Solar System, Saturn receives little heat and light. There is still controversy about the number of planets in the "family" of the Solar System. With the demotion of Pluto, some say there are eight planets. However, counting Pluto and also the dwarf planets Eris and Ceres, others would say there are eleven known planets. As the god of the harvest, Saturn ruled over all agriculture. Because he feared his children were about to kill him, he devoured them.

Brain Trainer: Largest Pair [28-9-15]

Largest Pair

(Language brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters.)

What is the longest pair of English words that are pronounced exactly the same but share no letter in common?

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Solution

• Ewe and You

 

Brain Teaser: "What's in a Name?"

What's in a Name?

Some people's names (such as "Will Power") suggest a certain personality or career choice. Given below are some last names and professions (in no particular order). For each last name, your task is to think of a common first name, such that it suggests one of the given professions. Each last name and profession must be used just once.
Example: Sonny Day would suggest a meteorologist.

Last Names: Ding, Flay, King, Lynn, Payne, Peace
Professions: Musician, Author, Chef, Comedian, Architect, Politician



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Hint

First Names: Amanda, Bill, Cam, Joe, Sue, Warren

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Solution

Bill Ding - Architect (building)
Sue Flay - Chef (souffle)
Joe King - Comedian (joking)
Amanda Lynn - Musician (a mandolin) [also: Vi Lynn = violin]
Cam Payne - Politician (campaign)
Warren Peace - Author ("War and Peace")
 

Brain Trainer: Planets [26-8-15]

Brain Teaser: Planets

Find the names of 5 planets hidden in the following sentences:
1. "What hurts?" asked the doctor. "It's my ear," the patient cried.
2. "Steven, use the screwdriver to build those shelves."
3. Everyone takes a turn during Monopoly.
4. "Cassie, you ran us over with your bicycle!"
5. "Sam, arsenic is poisonous. I read the definition in the dictionary."

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Solution

1. Earth
2. Venus
3. Saturn
4. Uranus
5. Mars