Brainfood Page Archive: 2008
You can browse the selection of puzzles and problems below, or choose other options from the navigation bar to the right.
| Like Peas in a Pod
This poem riddle is actually a sonnet. I will leave it up for the next three weeks, while everyone is busy celebrating Christmas and New Years. See you in 2009!
As steadfast mutes, we utter not a sound,
Yet in our silence speak the words of God;
With steady stance we lightly touch the ground,
My twin and I, like peas that share a pod.
And though I seem to be the same as him,
Some diff'rences the watchful will divine;
His face, though lovely to be sure, is dim,
When placed beside the brilliant cheer of mine.
Though I'm the lesser one - I must admit -
I say with kind and brotherly affection,
He is my perfect mirrored opposite,
A haunting, strange, ephemeral reflection.
I wonder, can you solve the mystery
Of who or what my twin and I might be?
view solution |
Dec 14, 2008 | Clever Yet Crazy
Clever yet crazy,
Beautiful as can be;
I live in the woods,
Though you see me on TV.
view solution |
Dec 7, 2008 | A Verb and a Noun
A verb and a noun,
And it's also a letter,
A game for a student
And a very small critter.
view solution |
Nov 30, 2008 | Stirred Word: Past and Present
Past and present
Of a daily task
When stirred and iced
Can fill a tall cool flask.
view solution |
Nov 23, 2008 | Your Hair, the Air, and the Sea
It's in your hair,
And bounces through the air,
It's in the sea,
And shared by you and me.
Each line is a clue, so 5 points possible - one for getting the answer, and 4 for explaining the 4 clues.
view solution |
Nov 16, 2008 | Stirred Word: A Nuisance and an Animal
I'm a nuisance, my friend,
I'm a cat or a dog,
I'm also a walk
Or a run or a jog.
3 points possible
view solution |
Nov 9, 2008 | Stirred Word: The Name of a Girl
The name of a girl,
A directional sheet;
I'm a maker of sound
That is quite indiscreet.
3 points possible
view solution |
Nov 2, 2008 | Many Different Types
I come in many diff'rent types:
I'm popular at Halloween,
I'm also just a kind of drink,
A worm, as well, that stays unseen.
view solution |
Oct 26, 2008 | A Giant Among Men
I'm the largest of men,
With the largest of loads,
And I'll guide you along
On your journey's long roads.
3 points possible - 1 for the word, 2 more for explaining the clues.
view solution |
Oct 19, 2008 | Stirred Word: A Favorite Pet
Here is another Stirred Word Puzzle. If you missed how to do these, click "Previous Problem" on the right to read the explanation.
I'm your favorite pet,
Or a part to portray.
I'm the midst of a game
That is easy to play.
3 points possible.
view solution |
Oct 12, 2008 | Stirred Word: A Luxurious Place
This is a Stirred Word puzzle. What word, when its letters are mixed up, can be made to fit each of the clues below?
A luxurious place,
Or a poisonous snake,
I'm a sweet tasting juice,
And a step in ballet.
view solution |
Oct 5, 2008 | A Cutter and a Binder
I cut things apart,
Yet I hold them together,
I make all sorts of music;
I'm birds of a feather.
view solution |
Sep 28, 2008 | A Catchword or Phrase
I'm a catchword or phrase...
Here's a clue that is better:
I'm a braiding of hair;
I'm a line, or a letter.
view solution |
Sep 21, 2008 | Perpendicular and Invisible
I'm invisible, yes,
Perpendicular, too;
I'm a measure of wind,
And I slice things right through.
view solution |
Sep 14, 2008 | An Unknown Name
If you missed last week's puzzle, click 'Previous Problem' for a review of what I'm looking for in solutions.
Well, my name is "unknown";
I'm a note, and some money.
I'm a wild woodland creature;
And occasionally runny.
view solution |
Sep 7, 2008 | A Girl and a Nail
Welcome to the new set of puzzles for the fall of 2008. These puzzles are all poems that are also riddles. The number of points you can earn each week will vary depending on how many of the clues you correctly explain. You'll get one point for the correct answer, and one point for each clue correctly explained. Please note: this fall I am only accepting one solution per user, so think carefully before you submit!
I'm a girl, and a nail,
And I'm worth just a tad.
And although I am pretty,
I am also quite bad!
view solution |
Aug 31, 2008 | A Mysterious Sequence
Can you figure out the next number in this sequence?
1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221, ???
Please note that you MUST give an explanation in order to get credit for a correct answer.
This problem will remain up through the entire summer. I will grade all submitted solutions at the end of the summer, so my response will serve as a reminder to check for a new puzzle in September!
Congratulations to the following, who were high scorers for this past year:
AlphaSigChainsaw (96 points)
yoi55 (85 points)
lewanj (83 points)
beckyh (76 points)
view solution |
Jun 1, 2008 | Word Equation: Comfort, Sun and Cards
How can you make sense of the following Word Equation?
COMFORT = THE SUN + PLAYING CARD
view solution |
May 25, 2008 | From Hair To Bald
Here's another word ladder: How can you get from HAIR to BALD, changing just one letter at a time?
view solution |
May 18, 2008 | Hink Pink: A Shy Plaything
Find two rhyming words with one syllable each, which mean: A SHY PLAYTHING
view solution |
May 11, 2008 | Word Equation: Mythology, Rats and Sticks
How can you make sense of this Word Equation?
RATS = STICK + MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES
view solution |
May 4, 2008 | Hink Pink: A Confident Criminal
Thanks to one of our members for pitching in with a couple puzzles to help me keep things going this month! One of these puzzles appears this week, another in a couple weeks.
We're looking for two rhyming words with one syllable which mean:
CONFIDENT CRIMINAL
view solution |
Apr 27, 2008 | A Mediterranean Criminal - A Word Equation
How can you make sense out of this word equation?
SIDEWALK = CRIMINAL + MEDITERRANEAN
Note: once again, this problem will remain up for two weeks. I will try to get back into my weekly rhythm with the next problem!
view solution |
Apr 13, 2008 | A Disease, an Offer and a Mythological Deity
I'm leaving this one up for a couple weeks, because these days I'm very very busy working on the Fifteen Minute Anthology. Expect a new puzzle midway through the month!
Here is your word equation...how can you explain this?
DISEASED = A MYTHOLOGICAL DEITY + AN OFFER
view solution |
Mar 30, 2008 | Word Equation: Conviction Is A Canine Parent
How can you make sense of the following Word Equation?
CONVICTION = CANINE PARENT
view solution |
Mar 23, 2008 | Hinky Pinky: A Plant That's Making Music
Give me two rhyming two-syllable words that mean:
A PLANT THAT'S MAKING MUSIC
view solution |
Mar 16, 2008 | Hinky Pinky: Middle Eastern Clunker
I'm looking for two rhyming two-syllable words for the following phrase:
MIDDLE EASTERN CLUNKER
view solution |
Mar 9, 2008 | Word Ladders: From Head To Toes
Can you create a Word Ladder from your head to your toes? Start with the word HEAD, and change it one letter at a time to obtain TOES.
view solution |
Mar 2, 2008 | Word Equation: I Doubt Fog Causes Oxidation
Would it be foolish to doubt that fog causes oxidation? How can we make sense of the following Word Equation?
DOUBT = FOG + OXIDATION
view solution |
Feb 24, 2008 | Word Equation: A Limb at Last becomes a Myth
Here's another Word Equation for you. How can you make sense out of the following:
LIMB + LAST = MYTH
view solution |
Feb 17, 2008 | A Paradoxical Word
Oh my, this word's in a very odd state;
It has a peculiar and inexplicable trait:
It brings things together, from the very start,
But ends by slicing what's joined apart!
What is the paradoxical word?
view solution |
Feb 10, 2008 | A Friend and A Card Live In A Fine Abode
Here's another word equation for you. Can you make sense of it?
A FRIEND + A CARD = A FINE ABODE
view solution |
Feb 3, 2008 | Word Ladders: From Flour To Bread
Begin with the word FLOUR. Change one letter at a time in such a way that the result is always a word, until you arrive at the word BREAD.
What was your sequence of changes?
view solution |
Jan 27, 2008 | Hinkety Pinkety: A Frozen Mode Of Transportation
A hinkety pinkety is two three-syllable rhyming words which complete a clue. Here's your clue:
I made the mistake of not parking my vehicle in the garage during the winter, and NOW look what it's become!
view solution |
Jan 20, 2008 | Burned Up Minerals No Longer Out To Sea
The following Word Equation may seem to make no sense, but maybe you can explain why it is true?
BURNED UP + MINERAL = NO LONGER OUT TO SEA
Note: if you aren't sure how 'Word Equation' puzzles work, be sure to check entry in the Puzzler Blog: New Brainfood Problems!
view solution |
Jan 13, 2008 | Star, Post, Tea - Three Interesting Words
STAR, POST, and TEA are three very interesting words that share a very unusual common trait. What is that common trait?
view solution |
Jan 6, 2008 |
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