23 word brain teasers with answers
Solve each question before opening its explanation. Print the set with every answer for a group.
23 puzzles · Word brain teasers with answers · answers included
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- 1
Forward gaps grow by one letter at a time in B, E, I, N. Which letter is next?
medium
Hint: The gaps are 3, 4 and 5 letters. Move forward 6 from N.
AnswerT. The forward gaps are 3, 4, 5, then 6 letters.
B to E is 3, E to I is 4, I to N is 5, and six letters after N is T.
Source: OpenStax, College Algebra 2e, Sequences https://openstax.org/books/college-algebra-2e/pages/9-1-sequences-and-their-notations
- 2
Backward gaps grow by one letter at a time in Z, W, S, N. Where do you land next?
medium
Hint: Count back from N by one more letter than last time.
AnswerH. Move back 3, then 4, then 5, then 6 letters.
N is the 14th letter; moving back 6 positions reaches the 8th letter, H.
Source: OpenStax, College Algebra 2e, Sequences https://openstax.org/books/college-algebra-2e/pages/9-1-sequences-and-their-notations
- 3
You pass the runner currently in second place. Which place do you now hold?
easy
Hint: You did not pass the leader.
AnswerSecond place.
Passing the second-place runner puts you in that runner's former position.
Source: NRICH, Using NRICH Tasks to Develop Key Problem-Solving Skills https://nrich.maths.org/articles/using-nrich-tasks-develop-key-problem-solving-skills
- 4
Two fathers and two sons share three oranges so that each person receives one. How many people are there?
medium
Hint: One person can be a father and a son at the same time.
AnswerThree: a grandfather, his son, and his grandson.
The middle person is both a father and a son, satisfying all four role descriptions among three people.
Source: NRICH, Using NRICH Tasks to Develop Key Problem-Solving Skills https://nrich.maths.org/articles/using-nrich-tasks-develop-key-problem-solving-skills
- 5
One match is available beside a candle, a lantern, and a fireplace. What must be lit first?
easy
Hint: What do you need before you can light anything at all?
AnswerThe match.
The match must be burning before it can light any listed object.
Source: NRICH, Using NRICH Tasks to Develop Key Problem-Solving Skills https://nrich.maths.org/articles/using-nrich-tasks-develop-key-problem-solving-skills
- 6
Rearrange LISTEN into a word associated with quiet.
easy
Hint: Use all six letters. A quiet room is...
AnswerSILENT.
LISTEN and SILENT each contain E, I, L, N, S, and T exactly once.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "silent" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silent
- 7
The letters of EARTH can name a body organ. Name it.
easy
Hint: It beats in your chest.
AnswerHEART.
EARTH and HEART use the same letters: A, E, H, R, and T.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "heart" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart
- 8
Turn COLD into a precious metal by changing one letter.
easy
Hint: Change the first letter.
AnswerGOLD.
Replacing C with G changes COLD to GOLD.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "gold" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gold
- 9
A one-letter change turns MOUSE into a building. Which word results?
easy
Hint: Change the first letter to make somewhere people live.
AnswerHOUSE.
Replacing M with H changes MOUSE to HOUSE.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "house" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/house
- 10
Delete the first letter of PLANE to name a narrow road.
easy
Hint: Think of a narrow country road.
AnswerLANE.
PLANE without its first letter P is LANE.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "lane" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lane
- 11
From TRAIN remove one letter to get precipitation.
easy
Hint: It falls from clouds.
AnswerRAIN.
Removing T from TRAIN leaves RAIN.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "rain" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rain
- 12
Insert one letter into PLAN to make a flying vehicle.
easy
Hint: The new letter goes on the end.
AnswerPLANE.
Adding E after PLAN produces PLANE.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "plane" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plane
- 13
Which letter can be added to STAR to mean the beginning of something?
easy
Hint: A race has one of these, and so does a film.
AnswerAdd T to make START.
Appending T to STAR spells START.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "start" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/start
- 14
Change one letter at a time from COLD to WARM, making a word after every change. Give a four-move route.
medium
Hint: Start by changing the L in COLD.
AnswerCOLD, CORD, CARD, WARD, WARM.
Each adjacent pair differs in exactly one position, and every listed form is a word.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "cold" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cold
- 15
Build a five-move word ladder from HEAD to TAIL, changing one letter per move.
hard
Hint: Change the D of HEAD first, to make a word meaning to get better.
AnswerHEAD, HEAL, TEAL, TELL, TALL, TAIL.
Each adjacent pair changes exactly one letter: D/L, H/T, A/L, E/A, then L/I.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "head" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/head
- 16
Find a body organ hidden across the words "the artist."
medium
Hint: Ignore the space and read across both words.
AnswerHEART.
tHE ARTist contains the consecutive letters H, E, A, R, T.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "heart" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart
- 17
An animal is hidden in eduCATION. Which one?
easy
Hint: Look at the capital letters.
AnswerCAT.
eduCATION contains C, A, T consecutively.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "cat" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cat
- 18
Decode alphabet positions 8-5-1-20 as a word.
easy
Hint: 8 is H, the eighth letter.
AnswerHEAT.
Alphabet positions 8, 5, 1, and 20 are H, E, A, and T.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "heat" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heat
- 19
Using A=1 through Z=26, what word is 13-1-16?
easy
Hint: 13 is M, the thirteenth letter.
AnswerMAP.
Alphabet positions 13, 1, and 16 are M, A, and P.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "map" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/map
- 20
Rearrange BELOW to name a joint in the arm.
easy
Hint: It bends in the middle of your arm.
AnswerELBOW.
BELOW and ELBOW each contain B, E, L, O, and W exactly once.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "elbow" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elbow
- 21
Reverse DRAW to name an area in a hospital.
easy
Hint: Read the word from right to left.
AnswerWARD.
Reading the letters D-R-A-W from right to left gives W-A-R-D.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "ward" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ward
- 22
Take the first letters of Bright Owls Observe Keenly. What word appears?
easy
Hint: Read only the capital letters.
AnswerBOOK.
The initial letters of Bright, Owls, Observe, and Keenly are B, O, O, and K.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "book" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/book
- 23
A word meaning to observe sounds like a large body of salt water. Give both spellings.
easy
Hint: What do you do with your eyes?
AnswerSEE and SEA.
SEE means to perceive or observe, while SEA names a large body of salt water; both are pronounced the same way.
Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "see" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/see
Timer and team scores
8 turns × 60 seconds = 8 minutes of play, plus instructions and breaks.
60
Pause whenever the group needs more time.
Team Lime's turn
Team Lime: 0
Team Violet: 0
Team Tangerine: 0
Team Sky: 0
Team Lemon: 0
Team Bubblegum: 0
Use this set with a group
Read a prompt, allow thinking time, then invite an answer or a pass. For a timed round, choose a turn length before starting. A host can keep the printed answers out of view until the round ends.