MadBright
Search games/

Games and printables

Find a game

See every game

23 word brain teasers with answers

Solve each question before opening its explanation. Print the set with every answer for a group.

Updated · 23 questions

23 puzzles · Word brain teasers with answers · answers included

Word brain teasers with answers

Choose a score button to add a point. Scores last for this page visit.

Space shows the answer. Arrow keys move. Keys 1 to 6 add a team point. F fills the screen. Escape closes play.

DifficultyWhat the difficulty bands mean

Showing 23 of 23

  1. Forward gaps grow by one letter at a time in B, E, I, N. Which letter is next?

    medium

    Answer

    T. 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

    Answer

    H. 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

    Answer

    Second 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

    Answer

    Three: 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

    Answer

    The 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

    Answer

    SILENT.

    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

    Answer

    HEART.

    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

    Answer

    GOLD.

    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

    Answer

    HOUSE.

    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

    Answer

    LANE.

    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

    Answer

    RAIN.

    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

    Answer

    PLANE.

    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

    Answer

    Add 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

    Answer

    COLD, 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

    Answer

    HEAD, 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

    Answer

    HEART.

    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

    Answer

    CAT.

    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

    Answer

    HEAT.

    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

    Answer

    MAP.

    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

    Answer

    ELBOW.

    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

    Answer

    WARD.

    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

    Answer

    BOOK.

    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

    Answer

    SEE 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

Plan the round 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 is acting

Team Lime: 0

Team Violet: 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.