Think Outside the Box

Thinking outside the box is a metaphor that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective. This phrase often refers to novel or creative thinking. I have a quiz of seven questions for you.

1. The day before yesterday, Mary was 7 years old. Next year, she will turn 10. How is this possible?

2. Take 9 from 6, 10 from 9, 50 from 40, and leave 6. How can you make it possible?

3. There is something unusual about the following words that they all have in common. What is it?  Banana, Dresser, Grammar, Potato, Revive, Uneven, Voodoo.

4. What starts with an E, ends with an E, and usually contains only one letter?

5. In which sport do winners move backwards and losers move forward?

6. What has roads but no cars, rivers but no water, and hills but no trees?

7. Forward I am heavy, backwards I am not. What am I?

Here are four questions that are often asked to determine one’s comprehension.

1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator? Answer: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator? Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.

3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend except one. Which animal does not attend? Answer: The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there. This tests your memory.

4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage to get across? Answer: You jump into the river and swim across. Have you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Meeting. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

Answers to the seven questions:

1. Today is 1st Jan and Mary’s birthday is on the 31st of December. So she turned 8 yesterday. She will turn 9 this year and hence 10 next year.

2. SIX – 9 (IX) = S; 9 (IX) – 10 (X) = I; 40 (XL) – 50 (L) = X; = SIX

3. If every word were spelled backwards with its first letter moved from the front to the back, the words would be the same.

4. Envelope.

5. Tug-of-war.

6. A map.

7. A ton.

Hope you had fun!