By St Marlowe
December 21 2011

A Set of Brain teasers for Christmas afternoon - after the Indulgences and before the port kicks in

These questions are unashameddly lifted from my favorite Guru - Andy Bounds. Anyone who is in the business of communicating or in customer facing role should read "The Jelly effect". He is also a really good speaker and facilitator

end of credit!

These questions are for the whole family - all answers will be posted here on Tuesday 27th December

Question 1

You are standing in the middle of an island that is one mile long and fifty yards wide. The island is covered in vegetation that is very dry following a long drought.

The vegetation catches fire at one end of the island, and a strong wind is blowing this wall of fire towards you, burning the whole width of the island.

There's no beach - only sheer cliffs - and the sea is infested with sharks. The ground is too hard to dig a hole, and you have no means of escaping the island.

What can you do?

Question 2

An American who has never been to another country sees the Great Wall of China with his own eyes. He's standing on solid ground.

How is this possible?

Question 3

A man rode from Manchester to Liverpool on Friday. He stayed in Liverpool for three consecutive days and nights, never once leaving Liverpool. He then left on Friday.

How is this possible?

Question 4

A blind beggar had a brother who died. What relation was the blind beggar to the brother who died? (The answer isn't 'brother')

Question 5

Arthur lives with his parents in London.

Last week, while his parents were out, Arthur's next-door neighbour Sophie came round to spend the evening. At 8pm, she popped out to buy a newspaper.

Just then, two robbers broke into the house and, ignoring Arthur, stole the TV, an ipod and a computer.

Arthur had never seen the robbers before. They had no legal right to remove the goods yet he did nothing to stop them. In fact, he didn't even act surprised by what he saw.

Why not?

Question 6

A man went to a party and drank some of the punch. He then left early. Everyone else at the party who drank the punch subsequently died of poisoning.

He didn't put anything in the punch after he drank it, nor did anyone else.

Why did he not die?

Question 7

What is the furthest a dog can run into the woods?

And, some good questions for children (and easier ones for adults!)

Question 8

A man pushed his car. He stopped when he reached a hotel, at which point he knew he was bankrupt. Why?

Question 9

Five pieces of coal, a carrot and a scarf are lying on the lawn. Nobody put them on the lawn.

How did they get there?

Question 10

A man is dressed completely in black - shoes, socks, trousers, coat, gloves... everything. He's also wearing a black ski mask.

He's walking down a back street with all the street lamps off. A black car is coming towards him with its headlights off, but somehow manages to stop in time.

How did the driver see the man?

Question 11

A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires; the second is full of assassins with loaded guns; and the third is full of lions that haven't eaten in three years.

Which room should he choose?