A collection of puzzles and teasers.

FOUR Ws

1 WHO… represents the crown in matrimonial, probate and admiralty cases?WHAT… unit of measurement is derived from the Arabic ‘quirat’, meaning weight of four grains’?WHERE… in the Mediterranean did the Minoan civilisation flourish?WHEN… was prime minister Spencer Perceval assassinated?Answers: The Queen’s Proctor; Carat; Crete; 1812.

2 WHO… in West German politics was called the ‘Old Fox’?WHAT… type of drug is scopolamine, or hyoscine?WHERE… is the island capital Port Louis?WHEN… was Joan of Arc burnt at the stake?Answers: Konrad Adenauer; A sedative; Mauritius; 1431.

3 WHO… founded the Bauhaus school of architecture?WHAT… may be glacial, fluvial, aeolian or tectonic?WHERE… did the Mikado once rule?WHEN… did British forces under Francis Younghusband reach the ‘Forbidden City’ of Lhasa?Answers: Walter Gropius; Lakes; Japan; 1904.

4 WHO… was the writer wife of Oscar Wilde?WHAT… bird is nicknamed the ‘butcher-bird’?WHERE… does the edible fruit okra come from?WHEN… did Neville Chamberlain become postmaster-general?Answers: Constance Lloyd; Shrike; Abelmoschus esculentus plants; 1922.

5 WHO… co-starred with William Powell in the Thin Man films?WHAT… is the more common name for the dunnock?WHERE… in Europe was St Stephen the first king?WHEN… did Japan take control of Port Arthur in China?Answers: Myrna Loy; Hedge sparrow; Hungary; 1905.

6 WHO… wrote the ‘meditation’ No man is an island?WHAT… produces sound in an aeolian harp?WHERE… is the Sargasso Sea?WHEN… did General Gordon arrive in Khartoum?Answers: John Donne; Wind; Atlantic Ocean; 1884.

REMEMBER WHENThe following events all occurred in a year in the 20th century. Can you guess the year?

11. Prince Harry was born2. Carl Lewis won four gold medals at the Olympics3. Indira Gandhi was assassinated4. Dr David Jenkins was consecrated as Bishop of DurhamAnswer: 1984

21. The Pope visited the Holy Land for the first time2. Ian Fleming died3. Spain won the European Football Championships4. Ian Smith became PM of South RhodesiaAnswer: 1964

31. The international organisation of Communist parties Cominform was set up2. Stanley Baldwin and Henry Ford died3. Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth) got married4. David Bowie was bornAnswer: 1947

41. David Steel was elected Liberal Party Leader2. The breakaway Scottish Labour Party was formed3. America celebrated its bicentenary4. Carry On favourite Sid James diedAnswer: 1976

51. James Cagney died2. Jacques Chirac became Prime Minister of France for the second time3. Australia became legally independent4. Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight boxing champion at 20Answer: 1986

61. CND campaigners marched from London to Aldermaston2. Michael Jackson was born3. The first life peerage is created4. Cliff Richard’s debut single, Move It, was releasedAnswer: 1958

IMPOSSIPUZZLES

1 “It’s amazing how you remember numbers and dates,” said Charlie. “I wish I could.”Ron smiled. “Just one of those things,” he declared. “You remember something about it. Take that number there, for example. It’s just one more than six times the product of its last two figures.”Simple for some! What was the number?ANSWER: Charlie’s number, 379.

2 “Lend me fifty pence, Mum,” Jill begged. “I don’t have enough for the movie.”Mary reached for her purse. “But you said you had enough when Jack asked you. What happened?”“I thought three of my pennies were 10p pieces, so I’ve only got two-thirds as much as I thought I had,” the girl replied.How much did she have?ANSWER: Jill had 54p.

3 “Look, Dad,” said Harry, “that’s John’s new house number.”Tom looked. “Yes, I know the house,” he told the boy. “But what’s that about the number?”“It’s all there,” Harry replied. “When you add the square of the first figure to the square of the other two figures, you get one less than the number. Isn’t that something?”What was the number?ANSWER: House number 726.

4 Jim stopped and pointed back to the table. “Look, Dad. There’s still some money on the plate,” he said. “You gave the lady two pounds and she brought back your change. How much did it cost?”“That’s extra. A tip for looking after us so nicely,” Tom explained. “But if our bill had been 20 pence more, the change would have been only two-thirds what it was.”Well?ANSWER: The bill was for £1.40.

5 “Look, Mum,” said Bobby, pointing to a little heap of coins. “All from my piggy bank.”Joan looked. “That’s a lot,” she commented. “How much in all?”The boy grinned. “A third of them are 1p pieces, a quarter are 5p, a seventh are 10p, and the other twenty-three are 20p.”How much?ANSWER: Bobby had £7.13 (84 coins).

6 “You’ve got two boys and two girls. How old are they?” asked Steve.“It’s odd you asking, because my older son Pete noticed a coincidence about their ages last night,” Clem replied. “The square of his age, added to my age, makes the square of Susan’s age added to Betty’s age. And the square of Paul’s age, added to my age, gives Susan’s age added to the square of Betty’s age.”“Okay, that’s all I need,” Steve chuckled. “I know you’re thirty-five yourself.”He was right, so what were the four ages?ANSWER: Peter 14 years old, Paul 4, Susan 15, Betty 6.

WORDWISE PUZZLES1. The word may sound familiar, but do you know what it means?SHRIFTA Confession and absolutionB High-pitchedC Butcher-birdANSWER: A

2. The word may sound familiar, but do you know what it means?TERETEA Marine woodwormB Smooth and cylindricalC Form of divinationANSWER: B

3. The word may sound familiar, but do you know what it means?SCOTIAA Hollow mouldingB Northernmost landC Polished pastesANSWER: A

4. The word may sound familiar, but do you know what it means?TWINTERA Formed from several threadsB GlanceC Two years oldANSWER: C

5. The word may sound familiar, but do you know what it means?SQUABASHA Type of marrowB Cut shortC Crush or smashANSWER: C

6. The word may sound familiar, but do you know what it means?SAVANNAHA Folk danceB Flat, grassy landC Type of boxingANSWER: B

WHO AM I?

1 A singer and fashion designer, I was born in Harlow, Essex in 1974 with the surname Adams. I married a footballer in 1999. I was known as Posh Spice.Answer: Victoria Beckham

2 A commentator, I was born in Berlin in 1931. I followed in the footsteps of my father Percy. I was known as the Voice of Golf.Answer: Peter Alliss

3 A singer, I was born in Fullerton, California in 1969. I married Bush guitarist Gavin Rossdale in 2002. I’m the lead singer of the group No Doubt.Answer: Gwen Stefani

4 A politician, I was born in New York in 1964 with the first name Alexander. I was educated at Eton and Oxford, where I became president of the Union in 1986. I was once editor of The Spectator.Answer: Boris Johnson

5 A comedienne, I was born in Wolverhampton in 1961. I wrote the semi-autobiographical novel Anita and Me. I’m married to The Kumars at No 42 co-star Sanjeev Bhaskar.Answer: Meera Syal

6 An actress, I was born in New York in 1946 with the surname Tomalin. My films include Alfie, Enchanted and The Lovely Bones. I won a Best Actress Oscar for Dead Man Walking in 1995.Answer: Susan Sarandon

WORDSPIRALS

Please print the grid “spiral.eps” with this puzzle.

INSTRUCTIONS (These will be the same each day)Starting from 1, fill in the grid in a clockwise direction with four-letter words. The last letter of each word becomes the first letter of the next word. If you have correctly filled in the grid there should be a seven-letter key word reading across from 8.

WORDSPIRAL 1CLUES1. Breathing organ 2. Snatch 3. Alcoholic drink 4. Drive on this 5. Give out cards 6. Opposite of right 7. Body powder 8. Harvest 9. Pool of still water 10. Peace bird 11. Egress 12. Roman gown 13. Dull pain 14. Therefore 15. Of the ears 16. Snooker rodsKey word clue: English city

SOLUTIONS1. Lung 2. Grab 3. Beer 4. Road 5. Deal 6. Left 7. Talc 8. Crop 9. Pond 10. Dove 11. Exit 12. Toga 13. Ache 14. Ergo 15. Otic 16. CuesKey word solution: CHESTER

WORDSPIRAL 2CLUES1. Small branch 2. Insect 3. Lilliputian 4. Egg part 5. Chesspiece 6. Equipment 7. House top 8. Drop 9. Walk unevenly 10. Entreaty 11. Corrosive substance 12. Not alive 13. Twofold 14. Long car 15. Is indebted to 16. MoveKey word clue: Golf term

SOLUTIONS1. Twig 2. Gnat 3. Tiny 4. Yolk 5. King 6. Gear 7. Roof 8. Fall 9. Limp 10. Plea 11. Acid 12. Dead 13. Dual 14. Limo 15. Owes 16. StirKey word solution: FAIRWAY

WORDSPIRAL 3CLUES1. Injure with a knife 2. Formal social dance 3. Cooking fat 4. Cut into cubes 5. Makes mistakes 6. Strongbox 7. Nefarious 8. Young sheep 9. Tub of water 10. German man 11. Spool 12. Pass the tongue over 13. Leg part 14. Apiece 15. Maori war dance 16. SoonKey word clue: Man’s name

SOLUTIONS1. Stab 2. Ball 3. Lard 4. Dice 5. Errs 6. Safe 7. Evil 8. Lamb 9. Bath 10. Herr 11. Reel 12. Lick 13. Knee 14. Each 15. Haka 16. AnonKey word solution: LEONARD

WORDSPIRAL 4CLUES1. Letter following alpha 2. Opera song 3. Eagerly expectant 4. Precious metal 5. Slimming plan 6. Melt 7. Desire 8. Chop wildly 9. Lock openers 10. Prophet 11. Regrets 12. Settee 13. Partially open 14. Skin eruption 15. Throw violently 16. Arm or legKey word clue: Place in Germany

SOLUTIONS1. Beta 2. Aria 3. Agog 4. Gold 5. Diet 6. Thaw 7. Wish 8. Hack 9. Keys 10. Seer 11. Rues 12. Sofa 13. Ajar 14. Rash 15. Hurl 16. LimbKey word solution: HAMBURG

WORDSPIRAL 5CLUES1. A twelfth of a foot 2. Parsley, say 3. Corpse 4. To tug 5. Eager 6. Inert gas 7. Deprived of feeling 8. To support 9. Tangle 10. Roughneck 11. Pant 12. Cougar 13. Very dry 14. Money, slang 15. Rigid circular band 16. PuddleKey word clue: School subject

SOLUTIONS1. Inch 2. Herb 3. Body 4. Yank 5. Keen 6. Neon 7. Numb 8. Back 9. Knot 10. Thug 11. Gasp 12. Puma 13. Arid 14. Dosh 15. Hoop 16. PoolKey word solution: BIOLOGY

WORDSPIRAL 6CLUES1. Applaud 2. Smoke hard 3. To skin 4. Abominable snowman 5. Press 6. Follower of Hitler 7. Notion 8. Among 9. Expensive 10. Bellow 11. Shabby clothing 12. Male deer 13. Style of dress 14. Party, informally 15. Remarkably brave man 16. Cry of painKey word clue: Sport type

SOLUTIONS1. Clap 2. Puff 3. Flay 4. Yeti 5. Iron 6. Nazi 7. Idea 8. Amid 9. Dear 10. Roar 11. Rags 12. Stag 13. Garb 14. Bash 15. Hero 16. OuchKey word solution: ARCHERY