Mind Olympics

It's the penultimate day of the Mind Olympics, and another chance to win pounds 100 worth of Waterstone's book vouchers for a single day's set of correct answers. At the end of the three-week event, all correct entries will go back into the hat for another chance to win the grand prize of a 21-volume Macmillan Family Encyclopaedia (worth pounds 525).

When you have solved all five puzzles, send the answers to: Mind Olympics (Day 14), the Independent, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DL to arrive by 15 August 1996.

Books for independent individuals at

Waterstone's

"There's no secret. You just press the accelerator to the floor and steer left." Indianapolis 500-winning motor racing driver, Bill Vukovich.

1 Hercule Poireau listened to the statements of the six suspects, exactly one of whom had committed the crime, acting alone. This did not, of course, mean that the criminal wasn't being shielded. He worked out that of the three statements made by each suspect exactly two were false and one was true. Can you solve the case for him?

A: I didn't do it. E did it. I was with A when the crime was committed.

B: It wasn't me. E did it. I was with B when the crime was committed.

C: It wasn't I. E did it. He is lying when he says he didn't.

D: I am innocent. E did it. A certainly knows who did it.

E: I didn't do it. I was asleep at the time of the crime. F is well aware who committed the crime.

F: I did it. I did it alone. I bought my tie in Jermyn Street.

Who had done it?

2 By changing the two Ls to two Rs in the word given, change one occupation into another:

* * L * * * L

* * R * * * R

3 On Rick O'Shea's gunbelt there's room for 10 bullets to be housed equally spaced in a straight line. He always loads them according to a simple rule: after the first bullet has been put in, he ensures that the loaded bullets always form a continuous line with no gaps between them. In how many different orders is it possible for him to load his belt?

4 Find a word in which HOE is pronounced to rhyme with ME and another word in which OO is pronounced to rhyme with BEAU.

5 When Gus went shopping he bought three things. The assistant at the General Stores knew Gus couldn't count so he multiplied the number of dollars for the purchases instead of adding them and charged Gus that. (So if they had cost $1, $2 and $3.50, he would have charged him 1 x 2 x 3.5 = $7) Remarkably enough, this resulted in his charging Gus the correct amount. One of the purchases was for $67. How much were the other two?

Questions set by

Maslanka