Latest news with #brainteasers
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
10 Hardest quiz questions from The 1% Club to Celebrity Catchphrase – how many can you get right?
VIEWERS regularly tune into quiz shows, seeing if they would be brainy enough to take home life-changing cash prizes. But it's fair to say some questions are from easy - and left players scratching their heads. Whether The 1% Club, Only Connect, The Chase or Celebrity Catchphrase, here are some of the toughest TV quiz questions. 1. What letter replaces the question mark in this sequence? YYHLY?YTRRRR - The 1% Club 10 Can you spot the pattern in this letters sequence? 2. What connects these famous people: Julian Clary, Dick Van Dyke, Anne Hathaway and George Elliot? - Only Connect Do you spot the link between comedian Julian Clary - with Hollywood stars Anne Hathaway and Dick Van Dyke? 3. What connects these English counties? 3 in Cambridgeshire, 2 in Staffordshire, 1 in Hertfordshire, 0 in Dorset. - Only Connect What is the common thread between these UK counties? 4. What's the solution to this tricky riddle that stumped Mark Chapman? - Celebrity Catchphrase 10 Mark Chapman struggled with this riddle under time pressure - but can you "say what you see"? 5. And how about this difficult puzzle that left Nadine Coyle confused? - Celebrity Catchphrase 10 Girls' Aloud star Nadine Coyle struggled with this one - but can you work it out? 6. Which of these would it be impossible to do? A) Marry your cousin's cousin, B) Marry your brother's widow or C) Marry your widow's sister - The 1% Club 10 The 1% Club has become renowned for its brain-bending questions, can you spot the answer here? BBC star left flummoxed by tricky Celebrity Catchphrase puzzle - but could you solve it?bbc star 7. Actress Joyce Frankenberg is better known by what name? - The Chase 10 This actress goes by a much different name now - but do you know it? 8. Mrs Wilberforce is the old lady in what Ealing comedy film? - The Chase 10 Do film fans know the stuff on this one? 9. Could you crack this puzzle that left Richard Madeley flummoxed? This Morning legend Richard was left scratching his head - could you have better luck? 10. Miranda and Oliver are playing a game of table tennis. They change serve after every 2 points. If Oliver served first, and the score is now 6-5, who will be serving the next point? 10 This question has a lot to unpack - do you have a cool head and could solve it fast? Answers E - the sequence is the last letter of the months of the year They share first names with main characters in Enid Blyton's The Famous Five The English counties by the number of cities. Cambridge, Ely, and Peterborough are in Cambridgeshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Lichfield are in Staffordshire and St Albans is in Hertfordshire. While there are no cities in Dorset. It's full to the brim He's beating the traffic C) Marry your widow's sister - as you would already be dead Jane Seymour The Ladykillers Eye test Miranda - They played 11 points, so the next point will be the 12th point. Oliver serves on points: 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 and 10 and Miranda serves on points 3, 4, 7, 8, 11 and 12
Daily Mail
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Only Connect viewers fume 'standards are slipping!' as they call out question blunder just minutes into BBC quiz - but can YOU spot it?
Only Connect viewers fumed 'standards are slipping!' after calling out a question blunder just minutes into the BBC quiz. The game show, presented by Victoria Coren-Mitchell, 52, sees two teams of quizzing enthusiasts face off to answer tricksy brain teasers and logical puzzles. Asking contestants to find connections between seemingly obscurely related clues, the BBC Two programme has a particularly cerebral reputation. But even the cleverest of quiz shows does not always get things right - as fans saw when the first episode of the new series aired on Monday evening. Eagle-eyed viewers spotted the answer Victoria said was the correct response to one of the first questions of the episode actually appeared to be wrong. The host asked one of the teams: 'What is the connection between these apparently random picture clues?' The game show, presented by Victoria Coren-Mitchell (pictured), 52, sees two teams of quizzing enthusiasts face off to answer tricksy brain teasers and logical puzzles But even the cleverest of quiz shows does not always get things right - as fans saw when the first episode of the new series (pictured) aired on Monday evening A picture of British snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan, also known as The Rocket, appeared on screen. This was swiftly followed by an image of Marvel comic book character Rocket Raccoon. The players were quick to spot the connection between the two was 'rocket', with Victoria soon confirming they were correct. She revealed the last two images they would have been shown to help them to get to the answer. These were a sketch of the early steam train Stephenson's Rocket, built nearly 200 years ago, and a photo of some rocket salad leaves. But viewers at home were adamant the sketch did not show Stephenson's Rocket - but rather another steam locomotive. One suggested it could be Puffing Billy - the oldest train of its kind, constructed by a colliery in 1814 near Newcastle-upon-Tyne for hauling coal. Meanwhile, another was determined it was Locomotion No 1, a different early steam train built by the same engineers as Stephenson's Rocket. While Robert Stephenson and Company - also Newcastle-based - built the Rocket in 1829, Locomotion No 1 was built four years prior, in 1825. One fan raged on X: 'First mistake on the new series of BBC Only Connect. 'This is Locomotion not Stephenson's Rocket.' Another replied to their comment on the social media platform, 'And on the very first question too!', while someone else weighed in: 'Standards are slipping.' One user was determined the correct image would have thrown them off had they been playing on the show themselves. 'Came here to the Only Connect trending comments to see this! I got the answer in two but if I'd needed a third, this would have thrown me.' Someone else said: 'Probably says more about me than anything else but the picture of Stephenson's Rocket in round one tonight wasn't Stephenson's Rocket. 'It was Puffing Billy. I shall now go back to looking for my life down the back of the sofa.' Meanwhile, another was determined it was Locomotion No 1, a different early steam train built by the same engineers as Stephenson's Rocket But fans were even disagreeing among themselves, in the comments section of this user's post. One corrected them saying, 'Locomotion No 1', while another threw their weight behind this too: 'It wasn't Puffing Billy either, it was Locomotion.' Only Connect, led by the dry, sarcastic Victoria, has become a firm fan favourite since it began airing in 2008. It is part of a mega brainy quiz schedule on BBC Two on Monday evenings, sandwiched between Mastermind and University Challenge. But Only Connect seems to be a cut above the rest as it is consistently BBC Two's most watched title of the week. Elsewhere on the channel's Monday night schedule, during Mastermind, viewers were also left shocked by a sense of deja vu around one of the contestants. The latest episode of the programme saw presenter Clive Myrie, 60, return to our screens to grill four new players. One contestant, Dennis Wang, took to the famous hot seat to answer his specialist subject questions about the Men's Euros between 2000 to 2004. One contestant, Dennis Wang (pictured), took to the famous hot seat to answer his specialist subject questions about the Men's Euros between 2000 to 2004 He managed to bag himself an impressive 12 correct questions. But his Mastermind debut did not mark the first time he has appeared on our screens. Dennis took part in Jeopardy UK! last year and managed to win his episode. He was also once the team captain for the so-called Crunchers team on Only Connect. Not only that, he was part of the University of Oxford's Worcester College team while appearing on University Challenge in 2016. Many recognised the player and flocked to X to share their frustrations. 'Don't think it's fair to have the same guy just competing on all the big quiz shows really? Seems a bit unfair #Mastermind.'; 'Mr Wang from #OnlyConnect ? #quizzymonday #Mastermind.'; 'Do they have a pool of people who are on every quiz show? You get the same people on this, Only Connect, University Challenge etc. #Mastermind.'
The Sun
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Only those with a top IQ can name these 10 Premier League teams in this emoji quiz – how many can you figure out?
ONLY people with a top IQ can figure out these 10 Premier League clubs based on emojis. The puzzles have been put together using emojis as each of the syllables of the club's name. The head-scratching codes have been created by the ticket comparison site, SeatPeak. The ten teams range from recent Premier League champions to newly promoted clubs. SeatPick ceo Gilad Ziberman said: "To celebrate World Emoji Day, we've created this super fun game you can share with your friends. "With the 2025/26 Premier League season fast approaching, see if you can spot which teams are hiding behind the clues." The brain teasers can help enhance people's short-term and long-term memory. This is done as it requires people to remember and manipulate information with their brains. Still struggling? Scroll down for the answers - but no cheating! The tip is to keep it simple and just say what you see. Brain teasers can also help improve cognitive stimulation, mental agility, stress reduction and boosting concentration. They're great for the health side of the brain as well as they help to delay the onset of cognitive decline which is associated with ageing. Chelsea hunting Morgan Rogers as Garnacho and £100m Jackson wanted by Villa | Transfers Exposed
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Carol Vorderman unveals brutal 'competitive' streak as she stars in new game show
Carol Vorderman, best known for her extraordinary maths skills, couldn't suppress her competitive side while participating in the show Celebrity Puzzling. "At first, I thought I'd be very gracious and allow my fellow guests to answer the question so the world can see how clever they are," she says. "But after about half an hour, the genteel lady aspect went out of the window. I'm very competitive." Series host Jeremy Vine was impressed by Carol's tactics, commenting, "During the final round, Memory Bank, Carol had a technique that I'm still trying to work out," and adding, "But the look of concentration she had - it was like Roger Federer, a laser!". READ MORE: Coronation Street spoilers see party horror as Aadi Alahan's exit storyline 'confirmed' READ MORE: Coronation Street 'to bring back' icon 33 years after first episode as Lou's mum 'revealed' In this new Channel 5 competition, with Jeremy at the helm, team captains Carol Vorderman and Sally Lindsay tackle brain-teasing challenges, joined each episode by a roster of celebrity brains ready to test their intellect. The lineup kicks off with Gareth Malone and Ore Oduba, followed by stars such as Scarlett Moffatt, Stephen Bailey, Melvin Odoom, Miles Jupp, Dom Joly, and others determined to put their cognition to the test. Host Jeremy admits he often felt tempted to jump into the action himself saying, "I didn't always have the answers," but recognises the restraint needed in his role. "I quickly realised that, as the quiz master, you feel locked out. You can't shout the answer out. That's the price you pay for watching these competitors do battle." Some guests on the show also took him by surprise. "I knew Shaun Williamson would be nervous about it," he commented, highlighting how different this was from Shaun's comfort zone. "It's not his usual territory. But I could see he knew stuff and was having a good time." He found former England goalkeeper David James' approach to the challenges fascinating: "Sportspeople's brains just work differently. It was enjoyable to watch." Every episode's six-round structure meant there was never a dull moment, yet Carol particularly struggled with one part: Cinema Cypher, where film titles were disguised as cryptic symbols. Carol explained her difficulties with the game, "I found it hard because I had to go backwards," revealing her weakness when it comes to recalling movie titles. "I'm absolutely rubbish with movie titles. I know The Godfather series, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars but I couldn't tell you what their names are, though I've probably seen all of those multiple times." She got especially tripped up on School of Rock, despite the hints. "When the clue said it was a Jack Black film, I thought of all the movies I knew and tried to make them fit," she confessed, acknowledging that she might have been too forceful in her attempts. Even though she stumbled, Carol relished the challenge, "That's the worst thing I did but I really enjoyed trying to work it out," she expressed. Aside from the brain-teasers, for Carol, becoming a team captain brought unexpected joy. "I can't remember ever being a team captain before and I really enjoyed it." TV legend Carol Vorderman spilled the beans on her recent game show experience, revealing she was starstruck by the knowledge of fellow contestants. "This was interesting because I was with Scarlett Morfatt on one show and then Paul Sinha another show. In terms of general knowledge, that's vast - Paul is one of the top quizzers in the country!". She also praised the show's format for playing to celebrity strengths. "The questions were totally geared to those celebs," Carol shared, "I didn't know pop bands but Scarlett did. It was brilliantly done." Carol gushed about working with her close pal Sally Lindsay, adding a touch of personal warmth to the set. "Sally is just a joy," she beamed, "She's actually one of my best friends so it was a joy to be with her even though the way our brains work is different. We're both Northern, feisty women and we like a laugh. So I loved being in that studio." Reflecting on her lifelong puzzle passion, Carol reminisced about her childhood hobbies. "I've always loved puzzles. When I was a child, I used to buy old maths books," she recalled. Those books were her early challenges, as she raced against time with pencil in hand. "They were my puzzles. I would sit at home with my pencil and go against the clock. Chess is one of the big ones." Her enthusiasm for chess even led her to host a historic match in 1993 between chess giants Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short. The event marked a milestone as the Kremlin's first commercial venture, a speed chess championship. Nowadays, Carol is an avid Sudoku enthusiast, finding joy in solving complex grids during her train journeys back to Bristol after filming. Jeremy's bond with puzzles holds a special place in his heart. "My dad, who died about six years ago, was a big fan of Carol's," he shares, "He was a mathematician and he spent his life in higher education and he was obsessed with one thing which was aligning the prime numbers, only divisible by one. He spent half a century with notepads trying to work it out. That's my memory of holidays - my dad sitting with a pad and a pencil, trying to work it out this living secret." Celebrity Puzzling is fundamentally a show about human connections. Expect competitive spirits, fits of giggles and genuine matey vibes that make for utterly delightful viewing. So fetch your favourite brew, plump up those pillows and get cosy - Celebrity Puzzling is the perfect chance to tune out the world and give your grey cells a workout.
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Can you solve it? The deductive decade – ten years of Monday puzzles
Forgive me the indulgence of celebrating ten years of this column. Toot toot! I began posting biweekly brainteasers at the end of May 2015, originally addressing you folk as 'guzzlers' – Guardian puzzlers. The cringy coinage didn't stick, but the column did, and here we are a decade and 260 columns later. Some data. Total page views are now 38 million, which averages out at about 150,000 views per puzzle – a whopping number, I'd say. Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and support. For today's offerings I decided to go back through the archive and repost ten of my favourites. Some may be familiar, others not. Please graze, maybe even guzzle – and here's to the next ten years! 1. Bat and ball Three friends (A, B and C) are playing ping pong. They play the usual way: the winner stays on, and the loser waits their turn again. At the end of the day, they summarise the number of games that each of them played: A played 10 B played 15 C played 17. Who lost the second game? 2. Tricky trams Why are the tram's overhead cables positioned to make a zigzag, rather than straight line? 3. Read the question 3. What is never odd or even? 4. Catch the cat A straight corridor has 7 doors along one side. Behind one of the doors sits a cat. Your mission is to find the cat by opening the correct door. Each day you can open only one door. If the cat is there, you win. If the cat is not there, the door closes, and you must wait until the next day before you can open a door again. If the cat was always to sit behind the same door, you would be able to find it in at most seven days, by opening each door in turn. But this mischievous moggy is restless. Every night it moves randomly either one door to the left or one to the right. Although if it is behind the first or last door, it has only one option for where it can move. How many days do you now need to make sure you can catch the cat? 5. Mystery number I have a ten digit number, abcdefghij. Each of the digits is different, and a is divisible by 1 ab is divisible by 2 abc is divisible by 3 abcd is divisible by 4 abcde is divisible by 5 abcdef is divisible by 6 abcdefg is divisible by 7 abcdefgh is divisible by 8 abcdefghi is divisible by 9 abcdefghij is divisible by 10 What's my number? [To clarify: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, and j are all single digits. Each digit from 0 to 9 is represented by exactly one letter. The number abcdefghij is a ten-digit number whose first digit is a, second digit is b, and so on. It does not mean that you multiply a x b x c x…] 6. Disappearing cub This picture has not been doctored. Explain why the reflection has a yellow lion cub. 7. Crazy triangle Show that there is a triangle, the sum of whose three heights is less than 1mm, that has an area greater than the surface of the Earth (510m km2). 8. Deck dilemma Your friend chooses at random a card from a standard deck of 52 cards, and keeps this card concealed. You have to guess which of the 52 cards it is. Before your guess, you can ask your friend one of the following three questions: is the card red? is the card a face card? (Jack, Queen or King) is the card the ace of spades? Your friend will answer truthfully. What question would you ask that gives you the best chance of guessing the correct card? 9. The question with no question (a) All of the following. (b) None of the following. (c) Some of the following. (d) All of the above. (e) None of the above. [Just to reassure you, nothing has been omitted here.] 10. Triangle fold Find a way to fold a square piece of paper into an equilateral triangle. The triangle can be of any size. I'll be back at 5pm UK with the solutions. PLEASE NO SPOILERS Instead please recommend your favourites from the 260 you have read here over the years. Sources: 1. Adrian Paenza, 2. Kvantik magaizine, 3. Des MacHale, 4. New York Times. 5. John Conway, 6. Matt Pritchard, 7. Trần Phương, 8. Henk Tijms, 9. Parabola, 10. The Paper Puzzle Book. I've been setting a puzzle here on alternate Mondays since 2015. I'm always on the look-out for great puzzles. If you would like to suggest one, email me.
