The Big Brain Puzzle Book

Terry Stickels

• Verlag: Dover Publications
• Jahr: 2016
• ISBN:
  9780486810577
• Thema: Mathematics
• Thema: Games in Mathematics

Give your brain a series of workouts that'll make it bigger and better! This colossal collection of more than 200 puzzles simultaneously provides a relaxing atmosphere for mental play and stimulates brain activity. Created by an internationally renowned puzzle-maker, the challenges involve creative thinking, mathematics, logic, language and wordplay, visuals, and general knowledge.
Kick start your neurons at Level 1 with puzzles involving hidden words, math calculations, and logical conundrums. At Level 2, fire up your synapses with cryptograms, scrambled sentences, and visual challenges. And activate your brain at Level 3 with fill-in-the-blanks, search-a-words, magic squares, and much more. If you get stumped, an answer key with complete solutions appears at the end.

level 1

KICK START YOUR NEURONS!

Mentally stimulating activities strengthen brain cells and the connections between them, and may even create new nerve cells.

Puzzle 1

WORDPLAY

Below are the names of six states with their vowels removed. How fast can you figure out their full names?

1. KLHM

2. NDN

3. H

4. LLNS

5. W

6. RGN

Puzzle 2

WORDPLAY

The six words below share an unusual characteristic that’s not found in many English words. What is it?

HINT: Look at these words from a different perspective.

animal

deliver

looter

diaper

drawer

straw

Puzzle 3

WORDPLAY

Below are 16 letters that form a common, everyday word. Using each given letter just once, can you figure out what the word is?

Puzzle 4

CREATIVE THINKING

Find the hidden word or phrase!

Puzzle 5

VISUALIZATION

How many cubes are missing from the following stack that was originally 5 × 5 × 5? All rows and columns run to completion unless you actually see them end.

Puzzle 6

LOGIC

You are a prisoner sentenced to death. The Emperor offers you a chance to live by playing a simple game. He gives you 50 black marbles, 50 white marbles, and 2 empty bowls. He then says, “Divide these 100 marbles into these 2 bowls. You can divide them any way you like as long as you use all the marbles. Then, I will blindfold you and mix the bowls around. You then can choose one bowl and remove ONE marble. If the marble is WHITE you will live, but if the marble is BLACK...you will die.”

How do you divide the marbles up so that you have the greatest probability of choosing a WHITE marble?

Puzzle 7

LANGUAGE

The words below share an interesting feature that is common, basic, and known to all. What is it?

HINT: Sound?

abuse

contest

permit

produce

rebel

use

convert

Puzzle 8

WORDPLAY

Five of the six words below share a characteristic not present in the sixth word. Which word is the odd one out?

HINT: Look closely

physiography

ingratiating

entertainment

underground

hotshot

tenement

Puzzle 9

WORDPLAY

You will find out this paragraph is unusual. Why? You’ll find out soon, if you don’t know by now. Thi...