A diverse mix of lateral thinking, creative, and visual puzzles specifically mixed to stimulate your creative energies
Puzzles for children and/or adults
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1/. The allowance puzzle challenge!
(This puzzle has two parts. Scroll down to see the answers)
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Part A
There is an unlimited supply of $1 coins that are all the same size and shape. Your parents tell you that your allowance is the least number of coins required in order to make sure each and every coin touches exactly three other coins. That number of coins is your allowance, but only if you give the correct answer.
How much allowance do you get?
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Part B
Double your allowance puzzle
Only if you got the “Part A” answer correct, you can DOUBLE your allowance if you can answer this:
How are the coins positioned so they touch every other coin?
The answers appear just below this message.
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An important message for Mom and Dad.
Creativity is something that can easily be learned. On this website, I have built 14 free lessons in creativity that will not only change your lives … but MOST importantly, they will bring a brighter future for your children.
I have worked and reworked the lessons so that they neatly fit into the most powerful boardrooms in the land, but also the family home.
Consider doing the lessons WITH your child 9 years and above.
Also, please check out these lateral thinking games and activities for children.
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Answer Part A: Four
Answer Part B: Similar to a three-sided pyramid with a base.
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2/. What’s this? Creative riddle
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Answer: Man overboard
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3/. Only one glass can be moved! Lateral thinking puzzle
There are six glasses of equal size and shape lined up in a row.
The first three glasses are full of liquid. Glasses 4, 5, and 6 are empty.
By moving ONE GLASS ONLY, can you arrange them so that there are alternating full and empty glasses?
Seriously kids, if you get this one, you’re definitely worth more allowance!
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Answer: Take the second glass full of liquid and pour the liquid into glass number 5, then return it to its original position.
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4/. What’s this? Riddle
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Answer: I understand
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5/. How many fruits riddle
The box is full of fruits.
All but four are pears,
all but four are bananas,
and all but four are apples.
How many of each fruit is in the box?
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Parents . . . imagine this!
Try thinking back to your childhood.
Do you remember the moment your parents opened your eyes to the creative world of differentiated thinking?
No?
But your children might.
Seriously. All parents should consider working through this completely free course in creative skills and management … WITH their kids.
I promise you, it is a powerful thrust in the right direction for their futures.
Lateral thinking for kids to learn WITH their parents or teachers.
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Answer to puzzle 5: Two of each type
6/. What’s this?
/r/e/a/d/i/n/g/
Answer: Reading between the lines
7/. Which EXIT do I take? Puzzle
You are trapped in a room with three exit doors:
- Is guarded by a hungry and ferocious lion that patiently waits for you to come through;
- Explodes if you try to open or move it in any way; and
- Is made of glass shaped like a magnifying glass that instantly fries you with sunlight if you get too close.
Which exit do you choose, and how?
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Answer: Wait until the sun sets and exit through door number three
8/. What’s this?
Answer: Crossroads
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The lateral thinking free course available here is perfect for children NINE PLUS to do with an adult.
Lateral thinking lessons
Check out these lateral thinking games and activities for children.
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9/. A strange puzzle of math
Under what circumstances does the following equation always hold true?
1100 – 40 = 1000 + 20
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Answer: When the calculation is about using a 24hr time clock.
1100 (11am) – 40 = 1020 (10.20am)
1000 (10am) + 20 = 1020 (10.20am)
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10/. What’s this?
cyclecyclecycle
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Answer: Tricycle
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11/. A riddle of days
A cowboy rides into town on Friday.
He spends only one night in town before he departs the next day, Tuesday!
How is this possible?
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Answer: His horse was called “Friday”
12/. What’s this?
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Answer: Two degrees below zero
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13/. A wet puzzle question
A man goes for a walk in the rain. He takes no raincoat or umbrella. When her returns home, he is saturated, but not a single hair on his head is wet?
How is this possible?
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Answer: He’s bald
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14/. What’s this?
This lateral thinking puzzle gets a little harder for those that are doing well.
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Answer: Neon light (knee – on – light)
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It’s never too early (or late) to start:
Lateral thinking lessons for ages NINE PLUS
Check out these lateral thinking games and activities for children.
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15/. This riddle makes no sense as all!
You’re driving a city bus that picks up many passengers.
At the first stop, a girl with blonde hair gets on. She sits on the kerb-side of the bus.
At the second stop, another woman with blonde hair gets on. She also sits on the kerb-side of the bus.
At the third stop, a man with brown hair and two children with red hair get on. The man snears and sits behind the driver, while the two children sit at the very back of the bus.
What color is the bus driver’s hair?
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Answer: You are the bus driver, so it is the color of your own hair.
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16/. What’s this?
This lateral thinking puzzle is a little easier.
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Answer: Six feet underground
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17/. The riddle of saving pets
There is a flood, you are caught on a tiny piece of land, and the water is rising rapidly. You need to carry your three pets across to the safety of higher land across the floodwaters, but you can only carry one pet at a time. the problem is that:
- The dog will kill the cat if left alone;
- The cat will eat the mouse if left alone.
How do you get all three pets to the other side?
- On the first trip, you carry the cat across and return empty-handed;
- On the second trip, you carry the dog across, but this time, you return with the cat;
- On the third trip you, carry the mouse across, and then return again empty-handed; and
- On the fourth trip, you bring the cat across again.
18/. What’s this?
he’s/himself
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Answer: He’s by himself or he’s beside himself
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19/. The bathwater brain teaser
You are sitting in a bathtub full of water nearly to the top. You have a bucket, a glass, and a spoon.
Which is the best way to empty the bath?
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Answer: Pull the plug.
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20/. What’s this? Puzzle for creative stimulation
ecnalg
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Answer: Glance backwards
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21/. The bus drive puzzled by trigonometry
The bus company has a very strict rule … no parcels or luggage are allowed onboard that are over 4 feet in length.
You’ve just purchased a single-piece kite that is 5 feet long. The kite can’t be folded or disassembled. You try to board the bus.
“That kite is too long,” says the bus driver.
You take the kite (fully assembled and without alteration) and put it into the box it originally came in.
“No, it’s not,” you say. “It’s within the 4 feet limit.”
The bus driver takes a tape measure and checks the length of the box.
“My mistake,” says the bus driver. “It’s only 4 feet long and meets our requirements. Come aboard.”
How is this possible?
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The kite originally came in a box that was 4 feet X 3 feet. The kite was packed diagonally in the box.
The sum of the squared sides equals the sum of the hypotenuse.
16 + 9 = 25
A 5 feet length kite exactly fits diagonally in a 3 X 4 box.
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22/. What’s this?
Death . . . . . . . . . . . . life
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Answer: Life after death
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23/. The puzzle of correct passwords.
Read the following conversation and answer the question at the end.
You: “Mom, I can’t log in to my computer. My password is altered.”
Your Mom: “I needed to change it to a word with 8 letters instead of 7. Your password is now distinct and contains two of the letters of your previous password.”
What is your new password?
What was your old password?
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I encourage you to appreciate the simple power of creative thinking in daily life. Take a look at these real-life examples here
Check out these lateral thinking games and activities for children.
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Answer: Your new password is “distinct”. Your old password was “altered”.
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24/. What’s this?
THINK
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Answer: Think BIG!
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25/. What’s this?
HISTORY
HISTORY
Answer: Rewriting history.
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26/. What’s this?
abbbaaaa abbabbbab aaaaaaba baaab
Answer: Long time no “C”
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Creativity is a tremendous gift to give the children in your life.
Take the time for them:
Lateral thinking lessons you can do WITH your kids
Check out the concise definition: What is lateral thinking?
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New and original lateral thinking puzzles
Michael Muxworthy - Lateral Thinking Author of Fiction 