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New Scientist festive puzzles #35 to #39: A bunch of brain teasers

Six puzzles to test every type of brain, from moving matchsticks to square numbers to the 12 days of Christmas. Includes answers, and the solution to puzzle #34

18 December 2019

Christmas gifts

Zoe Mensch

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

#35 Part 1

By the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love has given me 12 partridges in a pear tree. But which gifts have I received the most of?

Part 2

I want to give all the gifts back. Starting on 26 December 2019, I am going to give one of them to my true love every day. On which date will I give them my final gift?

All squares

David Bodycombe
#36

I met Natalie the other day. She wasn’t prepared to tell me her age, but she did tell me that in the…

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