Your first answer might be the trap.
No obscure facts. Just ten carefully worded little challenges.
Ten questions, with the answers explained. Try them in your head, then open each answer when you're ready.
Play this quiz →QUESTION 1 / 10
You overtake the runner in second place. What place are you in now?
- First
- Third
- Last
- Second
Show answer & explanation+
Second
Passing the runner in second place puts you in second. The leader is still ahead.
QUESTION 2 / 10
A bat and a ball cost $1.10 together. The bat costs $1 more than the ball. How much is the ball?
- 5 cents
- 10 cents
- 15 cents
- 1 cent
Show answer & explanation+
5 cents
The ball costs $0.05 and the bat costs $1.05. Total: $1.10. Difference: $1.
QUESTION 3 / 10
Five machines make five toys in five minutes. At the same rate, how long do 100 machines need to make 100 toys?
- 500 minutes
- 5 minutes
- 100 minutes
- 20 minutes
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5 minutes
With 100 machines working at once, each makes one toy in the same five minutes.
QUESTION 4 / 10
A pond's lily coverage doubles daily. It is full on day 20. When was it half full?
- Day 18
- Day 5
- Day 19
- Day 10
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Day 19
One day before becoming full, the pond was half covered.
QUESTION 5 / 10
You have three apples and take two away. How many apples did you take?
- One
- Three
- Zero
- Two
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Two
You took two apples. The remaining apple is not what was asked about.
QUESTION 6 / 10
Five people each shake hands once with every other person. How many handshakes happen?
- 10
- 5
- 15
- 20
Show answer & explanation+
10
There are 5 times 4 divided by 2 unique pairs, giving 10 handshakes.
QUESTION 7 / 10
A drawer has only red and blue socks. Without looking, how many socks guarantee at least two of the same color?
- 5
- 3
- 2
- 4
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3
With two possible colors, the third sock must match one of the first two.
QUESTION 8 / 10
Three boxes are labeled A, B, and C. A is left of B, and B is left of C. Which is in the middle?
- C
- Not enough information
- B
- A
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B
Their order must be A, B, C, so B is in the middle.
QUESTION 9 / 10
Two fathers and two sons share exactly three tickets, one each. How can this work?
- One gets no ticket
- One ticket is shared
- There must be four people
- They are a grandfather, father, and son
Show answer & explanation+
They are a grandfather, father, and son
The middle generation is both a father and a son. There are only three people.
QUESTION 10 / 10
Which number comes next: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ...?
- 42
- 36
- 40
- 48
Show answer & explanation+
42
The differences are 4, 6, 8, 10, then 12. Add 12 to 30 to get 42.