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ISBN: Print 978-1-64876-803-3 | eBook 978-1-64876-229-1
R0
 Contents

Hi! I’m Ace . . .

10 Teaser Tips

LEVEL 1 Smarty-pants

LEVEL 2 Prodigy

LEVEL 3 Brainiac

LEVEL 4 Mastermind

LEVEL 5 Genius

Riddle Answers
Clues
Brain Teaser Answers
Final Crystal Challenge Answer
Further Reading
About the Author
 Hi! I’m Ace . . .

I am a wizard from the planet Witloo. My pronouns are they/them. It’s so

nice to meet you. I know you’re just the Earthling to help me solve these 100
brain teasers.
On Witloo, the Beloved Crystal keeps our planet in balance. Prankster
wizards from the planet Flarkspur have taken the Beloved Crystal and hidden
it somewhere here on Earth. Without the Beloved Crystal, my planet would
face endless rainy days. That may not seem like such a bad thing, but most
Witloomites are afraid of water! I don’t think the Flarkspurians know that,
though. They’re really just a bunch of pranksters.
Will you help me find the location of the Beloved Crystal? It’s hidden
under five levels of protection challenges. Each level includes logic puzzles,
math problems, and wordplay that are all designed to stump you. There are
also a few riddles and head-scratching jokes. The levels will get more
difficult as you go on. Since most of these puzzles come from the history and
cultures here on Earth, your knowledge is the key. Working together, I just
know we can find the Beloved Crystal and bring peace to our world.
Do you see that cat? That’s Panther, my trusty sidekick. He will roam the
pages and hunt for clues to help you solve the brain teasers. If you get stuck
on a puzzle, you can find Panther’s clues. Panther has at least one clue for
every puzzle. You can face the challenges in any order, so if you’re
perplexed, just move on to another puzzle and come back later.
Let’s get started! The Crystal awaits!
 10 Teaser Tips

Hi! I’m Panther, and I’ll help you find clues to the Flarkspurians’ puzzles.
Cats are very smart and curious (if I do say so myself), and Witloomite cats
are the smartest around. This isn’t the first time the Flarkspurians have left us
with difficult puzzles to solve. Here are 10 things I’ve learned about their
puzzles. I think these tips will help you as you get started!

1. Think: Do you know what the puzzle is asking you to do? Read the puzzle twice before you start
to solve it to make sure you understand it.

2. Restate: Put the puzzle in your own words. This can help make the puzzle simpler. Oftentimes,
Flarkspurians include extra information to distract you. Putting a puzzle in your own words can
help you identify the unnecessary elements.

3. Consider: Have you solved a simpler version of the puzzle before? Like Ace said, you come
from a species of riddle-makers and problem-solvers. If you’ve solved a version of a puzzle
before, how did you do it? Use this knowledge as a starting place.

4. Draw: Jotting down a grid can help you figure out an answer. Many logic problems can be
solved more quickly if you set up a chart to help you remove the incorrect answers.
5. Experiment: Sometimes you’ll need to use trial and error to solve a puzzle. For example, if you
are asked to find a number between 1 and 10 that meets certain characteristics, try testing a
middle number. Do you need a higher or lower number? Trial and error will help you move
forward.

6. Be careful: If you’re solving a riddle, you’ll want to look out for special riddle tricks. One
common trick that Flarkspurians rely on is to use words with double meanings. For example, a
riddle might ask you to name a thing that roars. This would probably make you think of a lion,
but the answer could be a fire—which roars if it’s very loud.

7. Pause: If you get frustrated by a puzzle, it’s okay to take a break. This is a good rule in life, too,
by the way—it’s okay to step away from a challenge and take a few deep breaths.

8. Ask for help: It’s not cheating to use my hints in the Clues section for help with a puzzle. Don’t
worry! I don’t like spoilers. I’m an expert at giving you just enough help without ruining the
puzzle.

9. Reread: Once you think you have the answer, read back through the puzzle and check to make
sure your answer works.
10. Above all, have fun!
 Level 1

Smarty-pants

Let’s get started on some brain teasers! Don’t forget you can ask
for Panther’s help by going to the Clues section. The Flarkspurians
are tricky but fair—they’ll start by going easy on you. So put on
your thinking cap and dig right into the first puzzle!

1 Amazing Anagrams WORDPLAY

An anagram is a word made from the rearranged letters of another word.

For example, the words HORSE and SHORE are anagrams of each other.
Try to find the anagram below.
The first word is something you do while your friend tells you a story
or your teacher is teaching. The second word describes an old kind of
movie where there was no sound. The answer has six letters.

2 Ditloids: Calendar and Time LOGIC

A ditloid is not some sort of creature from the planet Witloo. It is a little
puzzle that combines wordplay and math. Ditloids are common sayings or
objects that have been turned into numbers and initials. The Flarkspurians
 think this puzzle will stump you, but I know you can figure it out! Here is
an example: 60 M in an H is “60 minutes in an hour.” Can you discover
the meanings of the ditloids below? They all have to do with the calendar
and time.

7 D in a W
28 D in F
10 Y in a D

3 Shelley’s Journey MATH

Shelley the tortoise is at the bottom of a 10-foot-tall hill. She can climb 4
feet per minute, but she can only climb for 1 minute before taking a break.
She needs to rest for 30 seconds before starting again. Each time she
stops, she slides back down 2½ feet. How long will it take Shelley to
climb the hill?

4 Puzzling Palindrome WORDPLAY

A palindrome is a word or number that is the same forward and backward.

LEVEL is an example of a palindrome.
What is a one-word palindrome that describes a vehicle
that goes very fast?
5 Compound Conundrum WORDPLAY

A compound word is made of two smaller words. For example, a

“ballgown” is a gown worn to fancy parties known as “balls.” A
“birthday” is the day of one’s birth.
Find this compound word:
The first word is a hen’s baby. The second word is
something that comes from a pod and might be part of
your dinner. Together, they are a food often used in
Middle Eastern cooking.

RIDDLE A: Why couldn’t the chicken hit a home run?

6 Find the Liar LOGIC

You’ve arrived in a Flarkspurian city where two groups of people live.

One group has only truth-tellers and one group has only liars. In this city,
you meet Bip and Bop. Bip and Bop may both belong to the truth-telling
group, may both belong to the lying group, or may be in different groups.
Based on the statement below, is Bip a liar or a truth-teller?
Bip says, “We are both liars.”
Panther says, “Bip cannot be a truth-teller, because then they would
tell you they were a truth-teller. If you need more clues, just let me know
and I’ll help you out. You can always turn here to seek help.”
FUN FACT: This type of logic puzzle is known as a “Knights and Knaves” puzzle or a “Liars”
puzzle. It was first made popular by mathematician Raymond Smullyan. You’ll see other examples
in this book. These puzzles are common in pop culture and have appeared in movies like
Labyrinth and television shows like Doctor Who.
7 Word Links WORDPLAY

Find the word that makes each set of words into two new words or
expressions. In each puzzle, the first new word will be created with the
first word and the missing middle word. The second new word will be
created with the missing middle word and the last word. Good luck!
Here is an example:

RAIN__________ __________TIE
Answer: BOW
(RAINBOW and BOWTIE)

Try these:
TOOTH __________ __________ TALE
FIRE __________ __________ BALL
MASKING __________ __________ MEASURE

8 What Number Am I? LOGIC

I am a four-digit number whose digits add up to 10.

None of my digits are 0 and none of my digits repeat.
My first number is the greatest and I am even.
My first two numbers and my last two numbers have the same sum.
9 A Terrifying Scenario MATH

Camila was walking on the boardwalk with 15 members of her dance

team. When it started to rain, all but 3 of them squeezed into the Taffy
Shop. How many were left in the rain? (Remember, we Witloomites are
afraid of water. Help!)

10 Mixed-up Baking LOGIC

Jasmine just finished baking to celebrate Eid, and she’s trying to

remember the order she baked everything. She baked almond cookies,
yogurt cake, and meskouta (an orange cake). Jasmine baked the almond
cookies right before the yogurt cake. The meskouta wasn’t last. In what
order did Jasmine bake everything?

RIDDLE B: What is the smartest kind of worm?

11 Flarkspurian Trick sticks: Three Squares LOGIC

Remove three Trick Sticks from the puzzle below so only three squares
remain.
 RIDDLE C: Imagine you’re on a space station in a locked room. The doors
are all sealed, and the only window looks out into space. You have no materials to break out
and no way to call for help. How do you get out?

12 A Remarkable Rebus WORDPLAY

In a rebus puzzle, you “read” the puzzle to figure out the expression that’s
being illustrated. You often have to take the puzzle literally. This is
definitely an Earthling expression, so I’m counting on you!
Example:
_____
READ
_____
Answer: Read between the lines.
Please help me figure out the rebus below:
13 Mystifying Math MATH

The Flarkspurians have left you a math riddle to solve. Hmm . . .

perplexing!
I am a prime number between 1 and 20. Multiply me by 9 and divide
me by 3. Then subtract 3 from the answer and you’ll have 30. What am I?

14 Blankout WORDPLAY

In this puzzle, the Flarkspurians have removed all the vowels from this
quote. Fill in the blanks with vowels to complete the quotation from those
tricksters!
“R__ __D TH__S __ __ T L__ __D:
FL__RKSP__R__
__NS __R__ SM__RT__R TH__N W__TL__
__M__T__S. H__H__!”

RIDDLE D: What do a picnic, playing cards, and pool all have in common?
15 Word Ladder: Changing Sean into Will WORDPLAY

A word ladder is a type of puzzle that challenges you to transform one

word into another in a series of steps. You can only change one letter for
each step. The positions of all the other letters stay the same. Each step
will create a new English word. The Flarkspurians have been nice enough
to give you a clue for each step.

SEAN
__ __ __ __ Close an envelope
__ __ __ __ Get money for an item
__ __ __ __ The bottom part of a window
WILL

16 Odd WORD Out LOGIC

In this type of puzzle, all but one of the objects have something in
common. Can you find the object that is different from the rest?

spinach
lemonade
broccoli
mango
peas

RIDDLE E: What five-letter word becomes tinier when you add two letters to
it?
17 Word Ladder: Changing a Mule into a WORDPLAY

Goat

Here’s another word ladder, like the one you saw here. Change one letter
per step and keep all the other letters in the same positions. Each step
must be an English word. This one is a bit trickier—the Flarkspurians
have left off one of their ladder clues!

MULE
__ __ __ __ A rodent that digs
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ Water around a castle
GOAT

18 Tangled Relations LOGIC

This type of puzzle is known as a relations puzzle, and it has to do with

the connections between different family members. Try figuring this one
out. Remember that Panther is around to help if you need a clue!
If the only brother of your father’s only sister only has
one child, what is that child’s relationship to you?

19 Tricky Change MATH

 Here’s a math puzzle from the Flarkspurians that has to do with American
Earthling coins. Since Witloomites are not familiar with Earthling money,
can you figure it out?
Yeison has six coins that can be pennies or dimes or a
mix of each. What are the possible total amounts of
money he has?

20 Triang 123 MATH

One, three, and six are triangular numbers. Do you see how you can use
them to visualize a triangle? Find the other triangular numbers up to 36.
 Crystal Challenge #1

You did it! You completed the first level of puzzles. Great job!
What’s this? It’s a message for us from the Flarkspurians. It
looks like another puzzle with some symbols below it. Oh! I know
this trick. The Flarkspurians have written the answer in code. If
you figure out the answer to the riddle, you’ll know what letter
each of those symbols stands for. I bet this will help us find the
Beloved Crystal! Keep track of which letters go with each symbol
here. That will make future challenges easier!
Ancient, I am running.
I loom above them all—
Ever down and never up,
With roaring as my call.
 Level 2

Prodigy

You are an amazing partner! You’ve made it to the next level of

puzzles. They’ll get harder from here, but I bet you’ll see some
types of puzzles you’ve already solved. If you get stuck, you can
think about how you solved the easier ones. Panther will help you
find clues as you go. Let’s get to it!

21 Mixed-up Birthdays LOGIC

Jayna, Olivia, and Azeema are all different ages (8, 9, and 10 years old)
and have different birth months (March, August, and October). Find each
person’s age and birth month using the clues below.

1. Jayna is 10 years old.

2. Olivia was not born in March.
3. Azeema is not 8 years old.
4. Azeema was born in October.

This is so fascinating! Your solar years here on Earth are only 365
days, but on Witloo, a year is 1,171 days. I’m only 3 Witloomite years
old.
22 Fun with Spoonerisms WORDPLAY

A spoonerism is any saying with mixed-up words that still makes sense.
Wonder why this teaser has a funny name? Reverend William Archibald
Spooner was famous for mixing up his words! For example, he once said,
“The Lord is a shoving leopard,” instead of “The Lord is a loving
shepherd.” Now these mix-ups are used for humor and wordplay. See if
you can figure out what object this clue is describing.
This is something you could use to get around the
neighborhood, or, according to Spooner, a “well-boiled
icicle.”

23 Amazing Anagrams WORDPLAY

You’re looking for two words that contain the same five letters. The first
word is what it takes to start a fire. The second word names green places
in a city.

24 Puzzling Palindrome WORDPLAY

Find a one-word palindrome that is the name of a gym exercise. To do one

of these is an accomplishment; to do many is epic!
25 What’s the Problem? MATH

Input the numbers 1 through 6 to make the formula correct. You’ll use
each new number only once. Panther is standing by if you need a little
hint to get your answer!

RIDDLE F: What’s the difference between a haunted Canadian forest and a

barnyard with a lot of geese but only one duck?

26 Ditloids: Entertainment LOGIC

Given only initials and numbers, can you discover the hidden meanings of
the ditloids below? They all have to do with stories for kids.
 101 D
S W and the 7 D
3LP

27 Shelley’s Still Climbing! MATH

Since we last saw Shelley the tortoise, she’s gotten faster. She’s at the
base of the same 10-foot-tall hill. Now she can climb 5 feet per minute.
She still has to take a break every minute and rest for 30 seconds. When
she rests, she still slides back down 2½ feet. How many minutes does it
take her to climb the hill now? My, my! Earth has such strange creatures.
Look at the shell on that one!

28 Amazing Anagrams WORDPLAY

Find a pair of words that contain the same letters. The first word is the
part of the body that contains the funny bone. The second word is often
used to describe something underneath something else.
29 Find the Liar LOGIC

Skootle and Skeetle come from a Witloomite city where one group of
residents always lies and one group always tells the truth. Identify
whether each is lying or telling the truth.
Skootle says, “We are both from the same group.”
Skeetle says, “We are both from different groups.”

30 Tangled Relations LOGIC

Look! Another Earthling relations puzzle. The Flarkspurians have always

been curious about Earthling families!
Your father only has one sibling. What relation would
your father’s sister’s sister-in-law be to you?

RIDDLE G: How can one person become two?

31 Weird Writing WORDPLAY

Can you read the following quote? It sort of looks like Earthling writing!

FUN FACT: Mirror writing is a simple type of “code” that has been used by artistic and literary
 geniuses like Lewis Carroll and Leonardo da Vinci. This isn’t really a code, but it can confuse
someone enough to safeguard a message. These messages are written backward and can be held
up to a mirror to be “decoded.” It may feel funny at first to write this way, but you can improve
with practice! Try it for yourself.

32 Kamu’s Card MATH

Kamu holds a key to a Flarkspurian spaceship. It looks like clear plastic

with a design on it:

He flips the card once horizontally, once vertically, and then turns it 90
degrees clockwise. Which of the following choices matches what Kamu
sees now?

33 A Remarkable Rebus WORDPLAY

 Oh, another fun rebus puzzle! Can you figure out what this one says? The
first step is to read the puzzle literally and see if it makes you think of
anything . . .

m ce
m ce
m ce

34 Compound Conundrum WORDPLAY

Find a compound word where the first part describes a dog’s ears in the
wind and the second part is a boy from a nursery rhyme who climbs a hill.
Together, they form a nickname for a popular breakfast food.

RIDDLE H: What did the clock do when it was hungry?

35 Mystifying Math MATH

Can you write an equation that comes to a total of 1,000 using eight 8s?
The numbers in the equation can include more than one 8 each, as long as
there is a total of exactly eight 8 digits in the equation when you are
finished. For example, you could do 88 × 888 + 8 – 88 (this is not the right
answer).
36 Tricky Triplets LOGIC

This type of puzzle asks the reader what three seemingly unrelated objects
have in common. Here is an example: Swiss cheese, bowling ball, donut.
Answer: They all have holes.
Now you try! What do a map, a padlock, and a laptop all have in
common?

RIDDLE I: What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two
legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?

37 How Many Squares? MATH

The Flarkspurians want to know how many squares you can find in the
shape below. Remember, a square has four equal sides. Count carefully!
The Beloved Crystal depends on it!
38 Word Ladder: Changing a Bull into a WORDPLAY

Bear

At each step of this word ladder, change only one letter from the word
before. All the other letters stay in the same positions. Each step must be
an English word. Good luck!

BULL
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ A thing that buckles
__ __ __ __
BEAR

39 Flarkspurian Trick sticks: Six Squares LOGIC

Move only two Trick Sticks to create six squares.

RIDDLE J: The more you take from me, the bigger I become. What am I?
40 Word in Hiding WORDPLAY

In this type of puzzle, the Flarkspurians hide a word in plain sight. The
phrase contains both the word and the key to solving it. For example:
Early in the year, Ashley, please ride into Lansing. “Early” tells you
where to find the letters in the answer. “In the year” hints that you’re
looking for something related to time or the calendar. The answer is
“April.”
Find the word hidden in the phrase below. The answer has four letters.

Before all else, Noona is considerate ever.

 Crystal Challenge #2

Wow! You’re doing great! You completed all the Prodigy level challenges.
The Flarkspurians sent me another message. They don’t think you’ll be able
to solve this puzzle, but I believe in you! You’re so creative and clever. I
know Witloo is in good hands.
All the words below have something in common, except one. Find the
odd word out.

pot
jar
rat
dog
ton
 Level 3

Brainiac

Phew, that was tough! This next level will be a little bit harder—
but you’re nearly halfway through 100 puzzles. Remember, you
can always take a break if you get stuck or tired. It takes a lot of
brainpower to save a whole planet! And remember, if you need
help, Panther will be on the lookout for clues. You can find these
here.

41 Which House? LOGIC

Arjun, Sheyln, Mariam, and Staci live on the same street. Their houses are
red, green, blue, and gray, but not necessarily in that order.

1. Sheyln and Staci live across the street from the green house.
2. Arjun’s house is blue.
3. Staci lives next door to the red house.
Who lives in the gray house?

42 Tricky Change MATH

 Dylan has 20 coins. One-half of the coins are quarters. One-fifth of the
coins are nickels. One-fourth of the coins are dimes. He also has one
penny.
What is the value of the change in Dylan’s pocket?

43 Amazing Anagrams WORDPLAY

Here’s another anagram for you to try! The first word is someone who
follows someone else—maybe in a game of tag. The second word is the
act of looking for something.

44 Alphametic MATH

Each number in the following number sentence has been replaced with a
letter. Find the numbers to make it correct.

GO + GO = WOO

Wow! Do you Earthlings greet each other by saying, “Go, go, woo!”?
Hah, just kidding. Panther assures me this is a math puzzle that just looks
funny.

RIDDLE K: What’s the difference between a gardener and a clothes basket?

Painting Project
 MATH
45
You and your friends have 15 wooden cubes and some black and gold
paint. How many different ways can you paint the cubes if you paint each
face a solid color? A cube has six sides by definition, and you won’t need
all 15 cubes. Panther says, “Two cubes are the same pattern if they can be
flipped or turned to look exactly like each other. So, for example, if you
paint one face gold, it doesn’t matter which one it is.”

RIDDLE L: On what day of the week are most twins born?

46 Find the Liar LOGIC

These liar puzzles are so tricky! I guess that’s why another word for a
prankster is a “trickster,” huh? These Flarkspurians sure are clever.
One of TyQuaisa’s five classmates took her pencil case. Four of them
are lying about what happened. Interestingly, the thief is telling the truth.
Can you identify who took the pencil case?
Harley says, “Simone is the thief.”
Lauren says, “Yes, Simone is the thief.”
Jaquan says, “Simone is definitely the thief.”
 Ingrid says, “Lauren lied.”
Simone says, “Lauren told the truth.”

47 Word Ladder: Changing Lead into Gold WORDPLAY

At each step of this word ladder, change only one letter from the word
before. Change one letter per step and keep all the other letters in the same
positions. Each step must be an English word.

LEAD
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
GOLD

48 How Did the Farmer Cross the River? LOGIC

Once upon a time, a farmer went to a market and purchased a wolf, a goat,
and a cabbage. On his way home, the farmer came to the bank of a river
and rented a boat. Unfortunately, the boat could only carry the farmer and
only one of his purchases: the wolf, the goat, or the cabbage.
 If left unattended together, the wolf would eat the goat, and the goat
would eat the cabbage.
The farmer’s challenge was to carry himself and his purchases to the
far bank of the river, and have all of his purchases at the end. How did he
do it?
Oooof! This puzzle is so tricky! You may need to write some stuff
down to figure it out. I’m glad you’re helping us. Flarkspurian puzzles
really make my head spin.

RIDDLE M: Dancing on the wind, a bird without wings. Free except for a
string. What am I?

49 Marble Mania MATH

There’s a bag of 21 marbles on the table in front of you. Inside, 7 marbles

are black, 7 are blue, and 7 are purple. Without looking inside the bag,
how many marbles would you have to pull out to be guaranteed at least
one matched pair?

50 Compound Conundrum WORDPLAY

Find a compound word where the first part describes how you might feel
on a summer day and the second part describes a faithful furry friend. Put
the words together and you get a BBQ specialty.
51 Ditloids: Fun and Games LOGIC

You are getting really good at ditloids. I can’t wait for you to figure these
out! All of these ditloids have to do with Earthling games and gadgets.

3 S and you’re O
2 W on a B
52 C and 2 J in a D of C

52 Cryptofamilies WORDPLAY

A cryptogram is a puzzle that uses substitution. In the following code,

each letter of the alphabet has been substituted for another. All the words
use the same code and follow the same theme. Can you figure out all the
words for these kids’ animated movies by breaking the code? Panther
says, “I figured out that X is A! Anywhere you see an X, you can write an
A above it.”

1. SKXZX (2016)
2. HXUJ (2006)
3. MTQ LURZHQJJ XZE MTQ CUKF (2009)
4. AQXBMW XZE MTQ AQXJM (1991)
5. TKO MK MUXRZ WKBU EUXFKZ (2010)
6. CRZERZF ZQSK (2003)
7. TKSQ (2015)
8. UQE JTKQJ XZE MTQ JQPQZ EOXUCJ (2019)

FUN FACT: One type of puzzle with real-world uses is codemaking and codebreaking. This is
 known as cryptology. Throughout history, military leaders have encoded messages to send to
spies and soldiers. Now we also use codes to keep our data secure. Are you interested in historical
codebreakers? Look up Virginia Aderholt, who led one of the US Army’s language units in World
War II. She was the first to intercept a message of surrender from the Japanese! Her feats in
codebreaking saved many lives.

53 Jacinta’s Pet Problem MATH

Jacinta has a lot of pets! She is sending old pet toys to some other pet
lovers. She can fit 8 large pet toys in a shipping box or 10 small ones. She
has a total of 96 toys. If she has more large pet toys than small toys to
send, what is the least number of boxes she needs?

54 Three Is Company WORDPLAY

What do pumpkins, turkeys, and your initials all have in common?

55 Word in Hiding WORDPLAY

Find the word hidden in the phrase below. Remember, like the puzzle you
saw here, one of these words will tell you where to find the letters for the
word and one of them will give you a hint about what you’re looking for.
The answer has four letters. Panther is standing by if you need help. He
knows these can be difficult.
 Lastly, animals delighted to wag tails.

56 Algorithm Treasure LOGIC

An algorithm is a series of instructions to complete a task. The algorithm

below leads to a treasure. Use the algorithm to find the treasure. Then
color the square where the treasure is located.
Code: Move forward one square : → Move backward one square: ←
Move up one square: ↑ Move down one square: ↓ Color in the square with
the treasure:

FUN FACT: Today, we write codes for computers to get them to carry out complex operations.
In the 1800s, Ada Lovelace (1815–1852) was an English mathematician and writer who became
one of the first computer programmers. She worked with Charles Babbage on an early machine
known as the Analytical Engine and published the first algorithm for that machine.
57 Words in Hiding WORDPLAY

The Flarkspurians love hiding things in plain sight! Can you find the
animal in each phrase? The animal names could be split over two or three
words to hide them. Here is an example: Lucas wants to be a radio host.
(bear) Now try to solve these!

1. For real, I only want to play video games.

2. Don’t panic! A melting chocolate bar still tastes good.

3. Talaya kicked the ball and scored a goal.

4. Can tea terrify you? Just ask Reuven.

RIDDLE N: I sit in a corner and travel around the world. What am I?

58 Word Ladder: Changing Cats into Mice WORDPLAY

At each step of this word ladder, change only one letter from the word
before. Keep all the other letters in the same positions. Each step must be
an English word. It looks like the Flarkspurians haven’t left any hints this
time! They really are stepping up the difficulty.

CATS
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
MICE
59 Change-a-Letter WORDPLAY

Find a word for the person who officiates a baseball game. Change one
letter of that word to find the name of a large area under the control of one
ruler.

RIDDLE O: Which playing card has the biggest heart?

60 Paper Folding MATH

If you take a sheet of paper and fold it in half, fold it again, fold it again,
fold it again, and then fold it in half again, how many sections would you
have?
 Crystal Challenge #3

Wow, you did an amazing job with the Brainiac puzzles! Here’s the next
Crystal Challenge puzzle from the Flarkspurians. Can you figure out this
riddle? Surely, it’ll get us one step closer to the location of the Beloved
Crystal.
Travel somewhere over me to reach Oz.
Rest assured when you see me after the storm.
I am a phenomenon of water and light,
My colors move to cool from warm.
 Level 4

Mastermind

I’m so lucky to have your help! Thanks for trying so hard to help
Witloo. Let’s see what the Flarkspurians have in store for you in
the Mastermind level.

61 Who Wants Ice Cream? LOGIC

Four friends, Gaspard, Yuma, Mahé, and Anna, went out for ice cream.
They each ordered a different flavor and a different topping. Using only
the clues below, figure out who got which flavor and topping. We don’t
have ice cream on Witloo, but if we did, I think I’d be a chocolate fan!

1. Gaspard didn’t get vanilla ice cream, but did get cherries on top.

2. Mahé doesn’t like peanuts or fudge sauce.

3. The person who got peanuts also got mint ice cream.
4. Anna got chocolate ice cream.

Here is a chart to help you figure it out!

62 Change-a-Letter WORDPLAY

Find a word meaning “something you plan to do.” Change one letter to
make a word that describes a brilliant new contraption.

RIDDLE P: Which day does an egg hate the most?

63 Finish the Formula MATH

 Fill in the number sentence below with the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4. Each
number will be used only once and the answer will be 14. Play around
until you get the right answer!

( ___ / ___ ) + ( ___ × ___ ) = 14

64 Quotefalls WORDPLAY

In a quotefall, you’ll drop the letters from the top columns into the grid
below. Keep each letter in the same column. Each letter will be used once.
When you drop them all correctly, you’ll reveal a quote from Jason
Reynolds, the author of Long Way Down, Ghost, and other young adult
books.
65 Find the Liar LOGIC

There are three people—Kofi, Sara, and Maritza. One of them is a knight,
one a knave, and one a spy. The knight always tells the truth, the knave
always lies, and the spy can either lie or tell the truth.
 Kofi says, “Maritza is a knave.”
Sara says, “Kofi is a knight.”
Maritza says, “I am the spy.”
Who is the knight, who is the knave, and who is the spy?

66 Punny Answers WORDPLAY

Even Flarkspurians have a sense of humor! The following question has a

fun pun in the answer. By the way, Iceman is a superhero, but that doesn’t
really matter for the clue. Can you figure out the answer?

What is Iceman’s favorite band?

FUN FACT: This puzzle is based on a real crossword clue that read: “Iceman’s favorite band.”
Alex Briñas developed the clue, which appeared in The New York Times crossword in 2017 as a
“debut word.” This means it had never been used in that crossword puzzle before! For crossword
constructors like Alex, having a certain number of “debut words” is an awesome achievement.

67 What’s the Problem? MATH

Input the numbers 2, 3, 4, and 9 to complete the long division problem.

 You may be unfamiliar with long division! Here, I made it a
multiplication problem for you. Remember, the numbers 2, 3, 4, and 9
each appear one time in the remaining boxes.

68 Flarkspurian Trick Sticks: Seven Squares LOGIC

Look at the Trick Sticks below. Can you move only two Trick Sticks to
create seven squares? You may not break sticks or overlap them.
 RIDDLE Q: I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I?

69 Algorithm Treasure LOGIC

Write an algorithm, or a series of instructions, to help Ace get to the

Beloved Crystal. Ace can’t go through fire (OUCH!) or move diagonally.
Use the code here or make up your own. This is good practice for when
we really need to find the crystal!
Code: Move forward one square : → Move backward one square: ←
Move up one square: ↑ Move down one square: ↓
70 Tangled Relations LOGIC

Another relations puzzle! Some Earthlings have very complicated

families! Read the statement carefully to figure out the relationship.

Tim tells Cooper, “Your mother’s mother’s daughter is

my sister in-law.” What possible relationship(s) could
Tim have to Cooper?

RIDDLE R: We sit on a bridge and stare out, guarding our charge inside.
Everyone who sees us sees themselves, and wonders what we hide. What are we?

71 Ditloids: Groovy Groups LOGIC

 Can you figure out the hidden meanings of the ditloids below? They all
have to do with groups of things.
26 L of the A
12 S of the Z
7 W of the W

72 Cryptofamilies WORDPLAY

Here’s a cryptogram puzzle that is hiding Earthling book titles. Each of

the book titles below uses the same code. Can you break the code and
figure them all out?

1. XZPNV CHNSGTL HLK UQZ FRYQULRLY UQRZB

2. H DPRLSFZ RL URWZ
3. H FTLY DHFS UT DHUZP
4. WHURFKH
5. ZF KZHBT
6. YQTGUG

7. TJU TB WV WRLK
8. QJPPRNHLZ NQRFK

FUN FACT: In World War II, the Allies needed a new code the Axis powers couldn’t understand.
The Navajo code talkers saved the day! These soldiers saved countless lives with secret codes
developed from their own tribal languages! For each letter, the code talkers used a Navajo word
for an animal. That word would represent the first letter of its English translation. For example, if
they wanted to transmit the letter C, they would say moasi, meaning “cat.” In 2000, President Bill
Clinton awarded the code talkers the Congressional Gold Medal.
73 Word Ladder: Changing Head into Tail WORDPLAY

At each step of this word ladder, change only one letter from the word
before. The positions of the other letters stay the same. Each step will
create a new English word. You must be a master at these by now.
Panther is standing by, just in case!

HEAD
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
TAIL

74 Marble Mania MATH

You have three bags of marbles: one containing only white marbles, one
with only black marbles, and one with black and white marbles mixed
together. Each bag is labeled incorrectly. That means that none of their
labels match the actual contents. What is the fewest number of marbles
you need to draw to be certain of the contents of each bag? (And no
peeking!) Panther says, “Don’t lose your marbles over this one. Take your
time and think it through! You’ll get it!”

75 Word Ladder: Changing Weak into Firm WORDPLAY

 At each step of this word ladder, change only one letter from the word
before. Change one letter per step and keep all the other letters in the same
positions. Each step must be an English word. Panther says, “The fifth
word in this list (the one in the very middle) is the word for a group of
cattle.”

WEAK
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
FIRM

RIDDLE S: Long teeth of white and black, voices chomping with each smack,
and yet even as my mouth is full, I am oh so musical!

76 Tangled Relations LOGIC

Can you figure out who is looking at the photo? A man is looking at a
photograph. When you ask him who it is, the man says “Brothers and
sisters, I have none. That man’s father is my father’s son.”
77 Seeing Three LOGIC

What do marigolds, mustard, and canaries all have in common?

78 Web Sum MATH

I’m so glad you’re here, Earthling! The Flarkspurians know that

Witloomites are much better with words than numbers. Here’s another
puzzling math problem for you. Enter the numbers 1 through 9 one time
each into the web below so that each line (vertical, horizontal, and
diagonal) adds up to 15.

79 Holiday Haul LOGIC

You and four friends all got some money for the winter holidays. You
want to figure out the average amount of money that everyone got, but
 keep everyone’s amount secret. You have a calculator. How can you solve
this problem? Panther says, “You’ll enter a number into the calculator
before you pass it.”

RIDDLE T: I have 6 faces, but no mouth. I have 21 eyes, but cannot see. I
bring gain or loss to those who throw me. What am I?

80 A Remarkable Rebus WORDPLAY

You’ve had some practice with rebus puzzles. Check this one out. What
do you think it is trying to say?
7s8a2f4e9ty3
 Crystal Challenge #4

You’ve done an amazing job of the Mastermind level. The other

Witloomites will sing songs about your heroics! Here’s the next Crystal
Challenge from the Flarkspurians. Be sure to look at those symbols carefully
—we are close to finding the Beloved Crystal. I’m sure of it!
Answer each clue below to find the secret letter. Unscramble the letters
when you finish to reveal a secret word.
___ 1. Find an expression you might say when something is gross. Change
one letter to describe what you could do to a T-shirt. The new letter is
your secret letter.
___ 2. Change a letter in HOPE to get a tool. The new letter is your secret
letter.
___ 3. Find a word for a rabbit’s jump. Double the vowel. Now change one
letter to describe a type of circle. That is your secret letter.
___ 4. Examine FOREVER and subtract a homophone for a number. Add a
sometimes-vowel to the remaining word. The letter you add is your
secret letter.
___ 5. Add a letter to ONE to get a shape. This is your secret letter.
___ 6. Find a four-letter word meaning “by yourself.” Add another letter
without changing the meaning.
___ 7. Begin with a heavy amount. Add a letter to make a sound. Add one
more letter to make a natural object. This is your secret letter.
In case you need a reminder, a homophone is when words sound the
same, but are spelled differently. There and their are homophones!
 Level 5

Genius

Four levels down, one level to go! Hang in there, friend. You don’t
mind if I call you friend, right? You’re certainly acting like one:
loyal and hardworking in order to save us Witloomites. Thank you
so much! Let’s get working, Genius. We are almost there, but
these puzzles will really test your thinking skills.

81 Bridge and Torch Puzzle LOGIC

This classic riddle is an adaptation of the Alcuin’s River Crossing

problem you saw here. Four people want to cross a river at night. The
only way across is a narrow bridge, and the only source of light is a single
torch. Each time a person crosses, they must use the torch. The bridge can
only hold two people at a time. Someone must return the torch to the
starting side to give it to the next person.
Person A is the fastest and can cross the bridge in 2 minutes. Person B
takes 4 minutes. Person C takes 10 minutes. Person D is the slowest and
takes 16 minutes to cross the bridge. If the torch only lasts 30 minutes,
what steps can they take to make sure everyone gets across safely?

Number Sequence
 MATH
82
Find the next number in this tricky sequence.
3, 7, 15, 31, 63, . . .

83 Quirky Connections LOGIC

What do Jupiter, Alaska, and an ostrich have in common?

RIDDLE U: Remember Spooner? Here’s a riddle he’d enjoy: What’s the

difference between an orca in a tuxedo and a story of throwing everything away?

84 Amazing Anagrams WORDPLAY

Find the name of people who study space. Then jumble the letters from
that word to create a funny phrase. This phrase describes what happens
when part of what those people study disappears.
Panther says, “The Flarkspurians spend a lot of time looking through
telescopes and studying space. That’s how they know so much about
Earth! Do you know what a person who studies the night sky is called?”

85 Weigh Day for Jacinta’s Pets MATH

Jacinta has several dogs, cats, and tortoises. She picks three pets at
 random and weighs them. The first pet is twice as heavy as the second pet.
The second pet is three times as heavy as the third pet. How much does
each pet weigh if altogether their weight is 20 pounds?

86 Odd Word Out LOGIC

Four of these words have something in common, but one of them is the
odd word out! Which one is it?
produce, record, marker, object, rebel

87 ALPHAMETIC MATH

Each letter in the problem below stands for a number. What are those
numbers?

LMNO
×4
ONML

88 Compound Conundrum WORDPLAY

Find a compound word where the first part is an old form of transportation
 you might find on a ranch. The second part is a root vegetable that’s
sometimes red and white. Put together, they make a spicy condiment.

RIDDLE V: I lose my head in the morning, but I get it back at night. What am
I?

89 Dynamic Prepositions WORDPLAY

You’re looking for one word that can create two expressions with
different meanings. For example, even though “throw” is used in “throw
away” and “throw up,” the meanings are very different!
Would you help me find the answer to this puzzle?
If you pair the word with “up,” it means to delay something. The word
paired with “on” is a grip for dear life. What’s the word?

90 Eight Queens LOGIC

Place eight queens on an 8 × 8 chessboard so that none of them can attack

 each other. Queens can move any number of squares diagonally,
vertically, or horizontally.

FUN FACT: This puzzle was originally created by Max Bezzel in 1848. There are interesting
versions for other chess pieces as well, like kings, rooks, and knights. Chess players,
mathematicians, and computer programmers love chess puzzles, so there are many types of these
games available.

91 Flarkspurian Trick Sticks: An Equation! LOGIC

Make this number sentence true by adding three Trick Sticks.

92 A Remarkable Rebus WORDPLAY

Can you find the saying illustrated here? Remember, a rebus puzzle is a
visual representation of an expression. Panther says, “Mmm, sounds
delicious!”
4 3.1_159

93 Impossible Positions LOGIC

Hina is standing behind Maddie and Maddie is standing behind Hina.

How is this possible?

RIDDLE W: To be used, it must be thrown away. When you no longer need it,
you pull it back to you. What is it?

94 Mystifying Math MATH

 Using numbers 1 through 6 exactly once each, find the largest possible
product of two numbers with three digits. For example, one possible
answer is 123 × 456 = 56,088. However, this isn’t correct. What is?

RIDDLE X: What flows like water, even though it’s completely dry?

95 Alphametic MATH

Each number in the following equation has been replaced with a letter. In
this alphametic, with a touch of humor, M is not zero. Can you figure out
what number each letter stands for?

SEND
+ MORE
MONEY

96 Word in Hiding WORDPLAY

 Find the five-letter word hidden in the phrase below. The phrase contains
both the word and the key to solving it, so read carefully. Before you start,
Panther says, “unpredictably” must mean the letters could be anywhere in
the words.

Unpredictably, a fruit growing clustered at happy vineyards.

97 Jacinta’s Cat Conundrum MATH

Jacinta has three cats. Mr. Mittens is three times Peppa’s age. Irving is
twice as old as Peppa. Added together, their ages total 30 years. How old
is each cat?

RIDDLE Y: How can someone go eight days without sleep?

98 Pyramid of Pennies MATH

You have 10 pennies arranged like the grid below. By moving just three
pennies, you can turn the pyramid upside down. Panther says, “You’ll
have one penny at the top and four at the bottom.”
99 Dynamic Prepositions WORDPLAY

You did so well on the last puzzle like this that the Flarkspurians want to
try to stump you with a new one. They don’t know who they are dealing
with! Can you find the word?
If you pair the word with “on,” it’s what a friend might say if they’re
running just a couple minutes late, but want to go with you. Paired with
“out,” it could be what you’re doing when you meet a friend for ice
cream.

RIDDLE Z: I help you time travel—turning back the clock—meeting old

friends and laughing at old jokes. I am created in mere seconds, but I last forever. What am
I?

100 The Walking Stick Challenge LOGIC

Keshun visited his grandfather in the country for his birthday. As a gift,
his grandfather made him a walking stick that was 5 feet long. However,
Keshun had to take the bus back home, and the bus doesn’t allow any
items longer or taller than 4 feet. He didn’t want to leave the gift behind.
How did he solve this conundrum? Panther says, “He doesn’t have to
bend, break, cut, or change the walking stick.”
 Crystal Challenge #5

The Flarkspurians are very impressed that you’ve made it this far! They
really didn’t think anyone from the planet Witloo could find an Earthling as
smart and persevering as you. This is the last Crystal Challenge, and I’m
sure it’ll tell us where the Beloved Crystal is hidden . . . unless, of course,
the Flarkspurians have another trick up their sleeves.
The names of 25 American states are hidden in the columns below, but
each state’s name is missing a letter. Enter the letters A through Z in the
shaded boxes below to reveal the names. Each letter is used only once.
These letters are not necessarily in order, and Q is not used. When you’re
finished, find the hidden state in the middle row. Panther says, “You can
complete this in any order, so go for the easy ones first.”
 The Final Crystal Challenge

Okay, now we have five words from the Crystal Challenges, but they don’t
make any sense . . . what now? Wait . . . I’m getting a message from the
Flarkspurians . . . This new puzzle has some familiar symbols in it. I bet the
words that you already figured out for the previous five Crystal Challenges
are part of this message. Put them in first. They will help you figure out the
letters for the rest of the symbols. Use the chart below to record your
discoveries. Beloved Crystal, we are almost there!
 You did it! You figured it out.
Hold on tight, and I’ll teleport us to that location. Thank you so
much for finding our Beloved Crystal! You truly are a hero and
friend to all of Witloo. I’ll be sure to call on you if the
Flarkspurians ever play a prank like this again. In the meantime,
farewell, fantastic friend!
 Riddle Answers

A. She kept hitting FOWL balls!

B. A BOOKworm
C. Stop imagining!
D. They can all use a table (picnic table, card table, pool table).
E. Short or small
F. One has ghostly moose and one is mostly goose.
G. By using a mirror
H. It went back four seconds.
I. A person. A person crawls as an infant (“the morning”), walks on two legs for most of their life
(“noon”), and uses a cane to walk as they get older (“the evening”). This is known as the Riddle
of the Sphinx, because it first appeared in a Greek play and was posed by a mythical creature
called a sphinx.

J. A hole
K. One keeps the lawn wet and the other keeps the laun-dry.
L. TWOS-day
M. A kite
N. A stamp

O. The ace of hearts. In most decks, this card has a single large heart in the middle.
P. FRY-day
Q. A candle
R. Sunglasses
S. A piano
T. Dice
U. One is a tasteful whale and one is a wasteful tale.
V. A pillow
W. An anchor
X. Sand
Y. They sleep at night.

Z. A photograph
 Clues

Level 1: Smarty-pants
1. Try brainstorming possible answers based on the first part of the clue, “something you do
while . . . your teacher is teaching.” What are some things you can do while your teacher is
teaching?

2. The Y in the last ditloid stands for “years.”

3. Each step of this journey will last 1½ minutes: 1 minute of climbing, and 30 seconds of rest.
How far does Shelley get during each step? Figuring this out will help you calculate how many
minutes she needs. Remember, the last “rest” will be after she’s reached the top and won’t
impact her time!

4. Try making a list of words that fit the description. What are some vehicles that can go fast?
5. Try thinking about each part of the puzzle individually. For example, first think about what a
hen’s baby is called. Next, think about a vegetable that comes from a pod.

6. If Bip were a liar, would they tell you they were a liar?
7. Try covering up the second word with your finger so that it doesn’t distract you. What
compound words can you make with the first word? Then uncover the second word and see if
any of your ideas work with it as well. The second word link includes another name for a
“lightning bug.”

8. Since the four digits don’t occur more than once and they only add up to 10, you can narrow
down the possible options.

9. Reread the question and make sure you know what the puzzle is asking.
10. It can be useful to make a grid to help you solve this kind of logic puzzle. For each piece of
information that you get in the text, put an X (no) or an O (yes) in the related box.
Example: “Jasmine baked the almond cookies right before the yogurt cake.” Therefore, the
almond cookies cannot be last.

1 2 3

Meskouta
Almond Cookies X
Yogurt Cake
 11. You can use your fingers to cover up various sticks, which may help you visualize your
options.

12. In this type of puzzle, it’s important to notice details, like where the words are placed. The
“secret” that’s circled here is the one at the top. Can you think of any sayings that use that
word?

13. A prime number is only divisible by 1 and itself. You can easily list all the prime numbers
between 1 and 20 and use trial and error. You can also try working backward from 30 by
reversing the operations. This means your first step would be to add 3 to 30.

14. It looks like the fourth word is “loud”!

15. You can start at the top or bottom, if you think you know one of those words. For the word
after “SEAN,” you’ll change the last letter.

16. What characteristics does each object have? Sometimes it can be helpful to list things you
know about the objects, such as what color they are or how each one tastes.

17. The third word refers to a bird losing its feathers.

18. It can help to break the puzzle apart into steps. Step one: Who is the brother of your father’s
only sister? Step two: Who is the child of that person?

19. If Yeison has six pennies, that’s the least possible amount of money he has. You can substitute
dimes one at a time to get all possible amounts.
20. This is a pattern. What is the next step?

Level 2: Prodigy
21. Use this grid to help you solve the puzzle. In the future, you can create these grids anytime you
need to compare information. Put an X in any box that is not true and an O in any box that is
true. Therefore, fact 1 (Jayna is 10 years old) gives you this information:

8 9 10 March August October

Jayna X X O
Olivia X
Azeema X
March
August
October

22. This spoonerism swaps the B sound.

 23. You can work on anagrams by brainstorming possible answers for either word. It seems like
the second word is easier.

24. To do this exercise, you’ll need a bar or a doorframe—something you can grab above your
head.

25. Since the hundreds column of the product is 4, you know that the multiplier cannot be greater
than 4. You also can assume that it won’t be 1, since no number is repeated and 1 multiplied
by anything is itself. Start using trial and error with either 2 or 3 in the multiplier position.
26. The third item is a fairytale that involves a brick house.
27. Remember, this puzzle is easiest if you figure out how far Shelley can go in each step of the
journey. Each step is made up of 1 minute of climbing and 30 seconds of rest.

28. The second word could complete the phrase “Look out _____!”
29. These statements contradict each other! One of them is lying, but who?
30. An “in-law” is someone who is related by marriage. So, for example, your brother-in-law
would be the husband of your sibling.
31. You may need a mirror to figure it out!
32. If you need help visualizing, you can draw Kamu’s card on a piece of paper.
33. This puzzle is about mice . . . three of them.
34. Do some brainstorming. What are all the words you can think of to describe each of the parts?
Here’s a hint: the breakfast food has many different names, depending on where you live.

35. This is a good opportunity for some trial and error. Each time you try numbers, you’ll find out
whether your answers are far too big or too small. For example, you’ll quickly discover that
8,888 × 8,888 is waaay too large, but that 8,888 ÷ 8,888 is only one. (Hint: The final number
sentence uses only addition.)

36. When you’re solving this type of puzzle, think of the objects from as many angles as possible.
The answer may lie in a part of the object or its color. It may also have something to do with
what you use the object for. In this instance, it’s a part of each object.

37. Be sure to count squares of different sizes.

38. The thing that buckles is a belt.
39. Try doing this puzzle with toothpicks or cotton swabs to figure it out.
40. The words “before all else” tell you where to look for the hidden word. “Considerate” is a hint
for what the hidden word is.

Level 3: Brainiac
41. Luckily, you don’t need to figure out all the house colors of all the people—just the person
 living in the gray house.

42. Start by figuring out how many of each coin Dylan has.

43. The first word is a position in Quidditch, the sport from Harry Potter.
44. “GO” has to be big enough to create a three-digit number when doubled. Remember to rely on
trial and error! Making mistakes brings you closer to the right answer.

45. It can help to draw this out. You can also try playing with sticky notes on the sides of a tissue
box. Remember, if you have a cube, painting two sides with a shared edge can be flipped to
look like other versions, no matter which two adjacent sides you paint.
46. Take a look at Simone’s and Ingrid’s statements. One of them is telling the truth.

47. The third word may be new to you, but it shares three of its letters with a farm animal. It
means “to provoke or annoy.”

48. Use this table to help you plan each raft trip. The first one has been done for you. Remember
the rules of who eats what, if left alone! F = Farmer, W = Wolf, G = Goat, C = Cabbage

STARTING POINT ON THE RAFT FAR BANK

W+C F+G

49. To solve this problem, consider what would happen if you drew a different-colored marble
each time. How many would you have drawn before drawing your next one makes a matched
pair?

50. The second part is a common pet.

51. Baseball; fun to ride; go fish!
52. Look for common words, like “and” and “the.” This will help you solve the rest.
53. The best way to solve this is with trial and error. You’ll quickly figure out if you need a higher
or lower number of boxes.

54. What can you do to all of these things?

55. The hint “lastly” tells you where in the words to find the answer. “Animals” tells you what
you’re looking for.

56. You will land on the square next to START for your first move.
57. Pay special attention to the beginnings and ends of words.
 58. The third step is a medieval weapon or a spray someone may use to defend themselves.
59. You can start with either clue. Do you know the name of the person who makes sure players
are following the rules in baseball? If not, try the other clue: what do you call a large area
under the control of one person? (Hint: It’s not “kingdom,” even though a king does control a
kingdom. Can you think of other words like this?)

60. When you fold a section of paper, you create two new sections.

Level 4: Mastermind
61. Take a look at clues 1 and 2 together. Based on those clues, what do you know about the
topping Mahé got? (Hint: There’s only one possible option left!)

62. Like paired anagrams, you can brainstorm possible words for each hint. The easier part of the
puzzle is the word for a “brilliant new contraption.” What would you call one of these—
particularly if it’s brand-new to the world?
63. Remember, you compute the numbers in parentheses first.
64. In the first column, one of the letters is also a complete word. Which of the two letters is this
true for? Put that in the bottom left box.

65. Because Sara says that Kofi is the knight, Sara cannot be a knight.
66. What words do you think of when you think of ice? Can you think of a rock band whose name
has any of those words? The band is still active today!
67. Start by making 30 out of 7, 6, and 2.
68. Your squares do not have to be the same size. (Hint: There are five squares in the picture as
given.)

69. Since Ace can’t move diagonally, you must first move them right and then up.

70. Here, you’re not looking for just one answer—you’re considering possibilities.
71. The last item has to do with famous landmarks.
72. Same as before, look for common words, like “and” and “the.” This will help you solve the
rest.

73. The third word is a bluish-green color.

74. Since none of the bags are labeled correctly, that tells you a lot.
75. The second word is what you do with clothes.
76. Begin with the second part of the problem. What is the relationship between the three men in
“that man’s father is my father’s son”?
77. Remember to think about the question in as many ways as possible. Do these things have
 anything in common in size, location, or color?

78. The middle number is 5.

79. How do you keep your gift amount secret from the next person when you pass the calculator?
80. Read the letters alone. What word is formed?

Level 5: Genius
81. To save time, have the two slowest people (C & D) cross the bridge together. You can have
the fastest person available on the ending side return the torch to the start.

82. Try adding or subtracting numbers from each existing number to try to see a pattern. You’ll
find the answer in an equation that you can apply to each number.
83. The answer has something to do with how each of these items (planet, state, bird) compares to
other items in their categories.

84. The first puzzle solution is one word. The second solution is three words. The first word in the
second solution is “no.” You may want to write the letters of the first solution down out of
order so that your brain can imagine them in new ways.

85. You can set up this problem as an equation, starting with the third pet, which is the lightest:
x + 3x (This is the weight of the third pet plus the second pet. Now we’ll add in the first pet.)
x + 3x + 6x (The first pet is twice as heavy as the second pet.)
x + 3x + 6x = 20
10x = 20
How much is x? When you plug this back into your original equation, you’ll get each pet’s
weight.
86. Try using each word in a sentence.

87. Because the answer is a four-digit number, L must be 1 or 2 since nothing is carried over. You
can play around with trial and error as you continue.

88. The first part of the clue is a large animal.

89. Without a preposition, this word is what you do with a baby.
90. Since queens attack in every direction, you’ll need to make sure no two queens are in the same
row (“rank” in chess terms), column (“file”), or diagonal path.
91. The second number will remain zero.
92. This rebus puzzle is a bit of a math joke. Do you know what the number 3.14159 is called?
93. There are only two people in this situation.
94. To get the highest possible product, you’ll have to use the highest numbers (5 and 6) in the
 hundreds columns.

95. You know M must be 1 because no combination of four-digit numbers would require you to
carry 2 (even 9,999 + 9,999 = 19,998, with a 1 in the ten thousands column).

96. “A fruit” is your indicator of what type of answer you’re looking for.
97. This is a great opportunity for trial and error, since the total is only 30 years.
98. Your row of three won’t move. You can also practice with real pennies!
99. Without a preposition, this is what monkeys do, or what you do on the monkey bars.
100. You might be thinking, He can just turn it diagonal, and you’re right, but he can’t take it on
the bus that way. He’ll need to find or purchase another item to help him out.
 Brain Teaser Answers

Level 1: Smarty-pants
1. listen/silent
2. 7 days in a week; 28 days in February; 10 years in a decade
3. 7 minutes. Shelley progresses 1 feet every minute, so it will take her 4 minutes to climb 6
feet and then 1 minute to climb the final 4 feet. However, she has to take a total of four (30-
second) breaks, meaning her total time is 7 minutes.

4. RACECAR
5. Chickpea
6. Bip is a liar and Bop is a truth-teller. Bip cannot be a truth-teller, because then they would tell
you they were a truth-teller. Bip must be a liar since they are stating that both they and Bop are
liars. Since Bip is lying, Bop can’t be a liar. Therefore, Bop must be a truth-teller.

7. FAIRY (tooth fairy, fairy tale), FLY (firefly, fly ball), TAPE (masking tape, tape measure)
8. 4,132
9. 3. The question says, “all but 3 of them,” meaning all the players except 3 were in the Taffy
Shop, so 3 were left in the rain.
10. Meskouta (first), almond cookies (second), yogurt cake (third)
11.

12. Top secret

13. 11
14. READ THIS OUT LOUD: FLARKSPURIANS ARE SMARTER THAN WITLOOMITES.
HAHA!
15. SEAL, SELL, SILL
16. Lemonade is a liquid; the rest of the objects are solid.
17. MOLE, MOLT, MOAT
18. It’s you! If your father’s sister only has one brother, your father must be that person. Since he
is your father, and you are an only child, you must be the person mentioned in the puzzle.
 19. 6¢, 15¢, 24¢, 33¢, 42¢, 51¢, 60¢
20. 10 (adds a row of 4), 15 (adds a row of 5), 21 (adds a row of 6), 28 (adds a row of 7), 36 (adds
a row of 8)

Crystal Challenge #1 Answer: WATERFALL

Level 2: Prodigy
21. Jayna is 10 and was born in March; Olivia is 8 and was born in August; Azeema is 9 and was
born in October.

22. A well-oiled bicycle

23. spark/parks
24. pull-up
25. 154 × 3 = 462

26. 101 Dalmatians; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; “3 Little Pigs”
27. 4 minutes. In 1 minute of climbing and 30 seconds of rest, Shelley makes 2 ½ feet of progress
up the hill. In 3 minutes (two cycles of walking and resting), she makes 5 feet of progress. In
her final minute, she makes it the last 5 feet to the top.

28. elbow/below
29. Skeetle is telling the truth and Skootle is lying.
30. Your mother
31. “Every great dream begins with a dreamer.” —Harriet Tubman
32.

33. Three blind mice (because they are missing their eyes [“i”s])
34. Flapjack
35. 888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1,000
36. They all have keys.
37. 30: 16 (1×1) squares; 9 (2×2) squares; 4 (3×3) squares; 1 (4×4) square
38. BELL, BELT, BEAT
39.
 40. Nice: Noona is considerate ever.

Crystal Challenge #2 Answer: JAR. All the other words spell another English
word when written backward: pot (top), rat (tar), dog (god), and ton (not).

Level 3: Brainiac
41. Staci. She cannot live in the green house (clue 1), the blue house (clue 2), or the red house
(clue 3).

42. $3.21. Dylan has 20 coins, so 10 coins (½) are quarters, or $2.50; 4 coins (⅕) are nickels, or
$0.20; and 5 coins (¼) are dimes, or $0.50. One penny is $0.01.

43. chaser/search
44. 50 + 50 = 100
45. 10 ways: 6 gold sides (1 total), 6 black sides (1 total), 1 gold and 5 black (1 total), 1 black and
5 gold (1 total), 3 black and 3 gold (2 total: three sides meeting at a corner, and three sides in a
line), 2 gold and 4 black (2 total), 2 black and 4 gold (2 total)

46. Ingrid is the thief.

47. LOAD, GOAD
48. There are a few variations to this answer, but all agree that it takes multiple trips! Here’s one
possibility: Take the goat over. Return alone. Take the wolf over. Return with the goat. Take
the cabbage over. Return alone. Take the goat over.

STARTING ON THE FAR

POINT RAFT BANK

F, W, G, C - -
W+C F+G Trip #1 ends with F + G on far bank
W+C F G Trip #2 ends with W, C, and F at start
W F+C G Trip #3 ends with F, G, and C on far
bank
W F+G C Trip #4 ends with F, G, and W at start
G F+W C Trip #5 ends with F, W, and C on far
bank
G F W+C Trips #6 and #7 retrieve G
 49. 4. If you drew a black marble, a blue marble, and a purple marble, you’d have 3 marbles. Your
next marble, number 4, is guaranteed to match one that you’ve already drawn.

50. Hotdog
51. 3 strikes and you’re out; 2 wheels on a bicycle; 52 cards and 2 jokers in a deck of cards
52. (1) Moana (2016), (2) Cars (2006), (3) The Princess and the Frog (2009), (4) Beauty and the
Beast (1991), (5) How to Train Your Dragon (2010), (6) Finding Nemo (2003), (7) Home
(2015), (8) Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs (2019)

53. 11. The most obvious possible answer would be 10, which is 8 boxes of 10 small toys (80
toys) plus 2 boxes of 8 large toys (16 toys). However, this does not meet the requirement of
Jacinta having more large pet toys than small ones. The answer is: 7 boxes of 8 large toys (56
toys) + 4 boxes of 10 small toys (40 toys).

54. You can carve them. Sometimes people carve their initials into things, like trees!
55. Dogs: Lastly, animals delighted to wag tails.
56.

57. (1) Lion: For real, I only want to play video games. (2) Camel: Don’t panic! A melting
chocolate bar still tastes good. (3) Yak: Talaya kicked the ball and scored a goal. (4) Anteater:
Can tea terrify you? Just ask Reuven.

58. MATS, MATE, MACE

59. umpire/empire
60. 32 sections

Crystal Challenge #3 Answer: RAINBOW

Level 4: Mastermind
61. Gaspard: strawberry with cherries; Mahé: vanilla with caramel; Yuma: mint with peanuts;
Anna: chocolate with fudge

62. intention/invention
63. (²⁄₁) + (3 × 4) = 14
64. “There are so many things I want to do, so many things I have to say.”
65. Kofi is the knight. That means that Sara is telling the truth. Therefore, Sara is the spy (who can
tell the truth or lie). Maritza is the knave.

66. Coldplay
67.

68.

69.
70. There are two possible answers to this puzzle. Tim could be either Cooper’s father or his
uncle. Given that Cooper’s grandmother must have more than one child, Tim could be married
to Cooper’s mother and still have a sister-in-law. Tim could also be married to one of Cooper’s
mother’s siblings and be Cooper’s uncle.

71. 26 letters of the alphabet; 12 signs of the zodiac; 7 Wonders of the World
72. (1) Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Rick Riordan), (2) A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine
L’Engle), (3) A Long Walk to Water (Linda Sue Park), (4) Matilda (Roald Dahl), (5) El Deafo
(Cece Bell), (6) Ghosts (Raina Telgemeier), (7) Out of My Mind (Sharon Draper), (8)
Hurricane Child (Kacen Callender)

73. HEAL, TEAL, TELL, TALL

74. One. You only need to draw one marble from the bag labeled “mixed.” You know this bag
contains either black marbles or white marbles because it cannot contain both. If you draw one
black marble, you’ll know that it’s the black bag and that the bag labeled “white” is actually
the mixed bag. If you draw one white marble, you’ll know that it’s the white bag and that the
bag labeled “black” is actually the mixed bag.

75. WEAR, HEAR, HEAD, HERD, HERE, HIRE, FIRE

76. The person in the photograph is the speaker’s son.
77. They are all yellow.
78.
 These numbers can shift around, as long as the three numbers in each line stay together.
79. Enter a fake amount of money into the calculator before passing it. Don’t forget this number!
Each of your friends adds their amounts before passing it to the next person. When it gets back
to you, subtract the fake amount of money. Now add the real amount of money you received
and divide the total by five. You’ll have your answer!

80. Safety in numbers

Crystal Challenge #4 Answer: CRYSTAL
_T_ 1. YUCK/TUCK
_R_ 2. ROPE
_L_ 3. HOP/HOOP/LOOP
_Y_ 4. FOREVER – FOR (FOUR) = EVER(Y)
_C_ 5. ONE + C = CONE
_A_ 6. LONE + A = ALONE
_S_ 7. TON/TONE/STONE

Level 5: Genius
81. A, B, C, and D are on the starting side. A and B cross at B’s speed—4 minutes. A returns the
torch in 2 minutes, so now 6 minutes have elapsed. Next, C and D cross at D’s speed—16
minutes. When they arrive, 22 total minutes have elapsed. B is waiting for them and returns
the torch to the starting side in 4 minutes. When B arrives, 26 total minutes have elapsed. A
and B cross together at B’s speed—4 minutes. When they arrive, everyone is together and 30
minutes have elapsed.

82. 127. Each jump between numbers is 2N + 1. 2(3) + 1 = 7, 2(7) + 1 = 15, . . .

83. They are the largest of their kind.

84. astronomers/no more stars
85. First pet: 12 pounds; second pet: 6 pounds; third pet: 2 pounds
86. Marker. The other words have two pronunciations, depending on whether they are a noun or a
verb. Read these two sentences out loud: “Luke fought with the rebels to bring down the
Empire.” “Leia wanted to rebel against Darth Vader.” In the first sentence, the emphasis is on
the first syllable and “bel” sounds like “bull.” In the second sentence, the emphasis is on the
second syllable and it sounds like “bell.” Try this with the other words!

87. L = 2, M = 1, N = 7, and O = 8
88. Horseradish
89. Hold. Hold up (meaning “to delay”) and hold on (meaning “to grip”).
 90. The mirror image of this is also correct.

91.

92. Piece of pie(π)

93. They are standing back-to-back.

94. 641 × 532 = 341,012

95. 9,567 + 1,085 = 10,652

96. Grape: Unpredictably, a fruit growing clustered at happy vineyards.
97. Mr. Mittens is 15, Irving is 10, and Peppa is 5.
98. Here is one possibility. There are 12 total solutions, and all of them involve similar spacing
and configurations.

99. Hang. Hang on (meaning “wait up!”) and hang out (meaning “to spend time together”).
100. Keshun needs to find a box to put the walking stick in that is 4 feet long and at least 3 feet
wide. Then he can place the stick in the box diagonally and safely take it on the bus.

Crystal Challenge #5 Answer:

1. Vermont 2. Texas 3. Iowa 4. Nevada 5. Oregon 6. Oklahoma 7. Arizona 8.
Utah 9. Missouri 10. New Jersey 11. Georgia 12. Nebraska 13. Kentucky 14.
California 15. Illinois 16. Ohio 17. Arkansas 18. Rhode Island 19. Idaho 20.
Alaska 21. Michigan 22. New Hampshire 23. Maine 24. Wyoming 25.
Wisconsin
Secret word: FLORIDA
Final Crystal Challenge Answer
 Further Reading

Has all this puzzle-solving made you hungry for more brain teasers? Here are
some books and websites that might interest you. It’s good to practice in case
Ace needs your help in the future!

Math Riddles for Smart Kids by M. Prefontaine

One-Minute Mysteries and Brain Teasers by Sandy Silverthorne and John

Warner

The 125 Best Brain Teasers of All Time by Marcel Danesi, PhD

The Brainiest Insaniest Ultimate Puzzle Book! by Robert Leighton, Mike

Shenk, and Amy Goldstein

The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids by Danielle Hall

Tough Riddles for Smart Kids by Jenny Moore

Kids.NIEHS.NIH.gov/games/brainteasers/index.htm: This page, on the

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences website, is full of
number games, riddles, rebuses, and more for kids to enjoy.

Puzzlemaker.DiscoveryEducation.com: Do you feel like trying your hand at

creating some teaser puzzles? This site from Discovery Education lets you
make cryptograms, math teasers, hidden messages, and more!

Brainzilla.com: For kids who want more challenging puzzles, Brainzilla has a
great mix of games to develop your skills. Logic problems, word puzzles, and
fun games like dominoes and sudoku are available.
 About the Author

Danielle Hall has loved puzzles from an early age and

enjoyed old computer games like The 7th Guest and
Myst. She has 10 years of teaching experience,
including in North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Germany. Currently, she
makes digital escape games for middle and high schoolers. Danielle loves
reading, running, and swing dancing. One day, she hopes to visit Machu
Picchu. She lives with her wife and pets Padfoot and Crookshanks in Astoria,
Oregon. Visit her at TeachNouvelle.com.