Brain Teasers
Hardware Store
Trick
Trick brain teasers appear difficult at first, but they have a trick that makes them really easy.Trick
Fred went to a hardware store in Boston with Alex, Ben, and George. He noted that a hammer cost ten times as much as a screwdriver and a power saw cost ten times as much as a hammer. The storekeeper said that Ben could buy a power saw, George could buy a screwdriver and Alex could buy a hammer. Based on this what would the storekeeper let Fred buy?
Hint
Alex's full name is Alexander and Ben's full name is Benjamin. George was Alex's boss and good friend.Answer
Fred could buy all three (the power saw, hammer and screwdriver) since he had $111 with him (a $1 bill-George Washington, a $10 bill-Alexander Hamilton, and a $100 bill-Ben Franklin). Boston is in the USA and therefore uses the US currency I just described.Hide Hint Show Hint Hide Answer Show Answer
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Comments
There's no pattern.... The answer is completely unrelated to the puzzle.
ye sit is! he went to the store with George Alex and Ben, ie the picture of George Alex and Ben on the $1, $10 & $100 bills, hence he had 1 + 10+ 100 = $111.00.
George Alex and Ben were not people but money.
I'm English and it makes sense to me even though I don't use this money.
George Alex and Ben were not people but money.
I'm English and it makes sense to me even though I don't use this money.
The Goerge gives it away but I really liked it!
Thanks. This is one of mine, not copied from a book, and I worked with it for a while trying to balance it between being too hard and too easy. I am sure it could be rewritten to make it better, but at this one I am probably too close to it to make any useful improvements. Your comment about George making it too easy is a good one. I had thought about the before submitting it, since George is not a very common name, but without it will this teaser become too hard? Feel free to PM me with any other suggestions or improvements that you guys may have for this one. Thanks for reading it.
That was great!!
lol, ccreative
oooooooooooookkkkkkkkkkk
good one!
cute! :-)
This will help, when you ask what fred could buy, ask why. Some people might say that he could buy all three, but not even know why.
Dec 22, 2002
This brain teaser is a bit unfair for readers outside of the USA, as we have no idea what pictures of persons are printed on your banknotes!
I like this teaser
it makes sense to me but not very fair to those who dont use American Money
You guys are right about this one being unfair to everyone outside of the USA. Sorry about that. Guess I should have included a clue that Fred lived in the USA like "Fred went to a hardware store in Boston...".
What if you are not Amercian, and don't know who's face is on the American bills? I am Canadian and I didn't know!
Very clever. This is this best trick teaser I've ever read.
That was good. Especially for an original. In the future, don't go easy on em! Go for the gusto! (Or would that constitute a Brain Buster?)
Very nice! And oh, my Dad's name is George so it wasn't the George that tipped me off.
This trick is not international enough. Noone outside the USA knows what those things are.
Coolbrain- what are you talking about?
Before you criticise someone elses comment
a) Speak English
b) Understand who you are exactly criticising. I am Australian and I found the teaser difficult because I do not use USA currency. I think your comments on Canadians smack of racism.
It was a good teaser, but not international enough.
Before you criticise someone elses comment
a) Speak English
b) Understand who you are exactly criticising. I am Australian and I found the teaser difficult because I do not use USA currency. I think your comments on Canadians smack of racism.
It was a good teaser, but not international enough.
I think there's a typo in the title.
Hardward??
Hardward??
Great but I struggled because I am English and don't use dollars
well there is no mention of a fred so i don't know how he could buy any thing good one though keep trying to stump me!!LOL
Who says these teasers have to be international? If there was a bloody joke about a pound, I wouldn't complain. Bugger!!!
The best problems make the solver feel stupid at the end. This did that for me.
you ba
HuH
Cool!
hahaha this is a great one... very creative. i didn't get it tho, until i looked at the answer.
I didn't get it because I go through money so fast I never get a chance to see whose picture is on it.
Wow!!! The hint only confused me more. ^_^ Then again I'm having quite the blonde moment this morning. ^_^
Well, I didn't have a clue because I don't know American money well enough. But I don't mind. It was a really good teaser and I might not have gotten it even if I was American.
I don't get some puzzle-solvers, who seem to expect that every puzzle must relate to their realm of experience! I'm from the US, but I don't carry $100 bills to know who's on one! But that doesn't distract from my appreciation of this clever puzzle!
great teaser
this is the best one i have seen on this site so far. I was afraid it was going to be a stupid answer like all the rest so I just looked at the answer. I wish I would have given it some thought now. good riddle
That was very very tricky, but lots of fun. Can you do that again?
Maybe they should split this site up internationally so that people can have brain teasers that relate to their own country's customs,government,etc.!!!!!!!
I didn't catch on to the whole money thing or else I would have been able to figure it out. Oh well...
I didn't catch on to the whole money thing or else I would have been able to figure it out. Oh well...
Lol that's cute!!!!
I love this one it is funny, , I did not even think of the answer that away!
This is weird clever but weird wish i'd gotten it
very clever cool
all phrase the mighty hint which made me get the right annser
Whaleycm, are you pointing at your head when you say that?
i would have goten it if i hafd know whats on the 10 but i knew ben frankiln was on the 100 becuse i did a report on him
usles information: ben franklin voted for the turky to be the Amarican national bird instd of the bald eagle
and im not saying that becuse its april 1st u can reserchit yourself if u want
usles information: ben franklin voted for the turky to be the Amarican national bird instd of the bald eagle
and im not saying that becuse its april 1st u can reserchit yourself if u want
see and here i was thinking the answer was "whatever fred wanted' (what self respecting business owner is going to stop a customer purchasing something if they want to?)
see and here i was thinking the answer was "whatever fred wanted' (what self respecting business owner is going to stop a customer purchasing something if they want to?)
i agree with sweetime
Anather solution is
==>
"the storekeeper let Fred buy the HARDWARE frm his store...as it is a hardware store....
"Elementary my dear watson!!!"
==>
"the storekeeper let Fred buy the HARDWARE frm his store...as it is a hardware store....
"Elementary my dear watson!!!"
This was a good teaser, but I think it should have been in the logic category.
That was great!
"Yourmom", Could be more mature and explain why you think it is not good oher than saying "It Stinks!" four times in a row? By the way, awesome teaser!
VERY clever. Pure awesomeness.
Sorta good, easy if u know the peps on the bills. however, unless u dont know, grorge washinton is a one, not a bill
This was a great teaser, but I think there's a typo in the second sentence. It says "The *hammer* cost ten times more than the screwdriver, and the scredriver costs ten times more than the hammer." Should the first hammer say POWERSAW since it uses powersaw later in the puzzle...?
WOW OK!!! My bad, it's 30 AM and I think my eyes need some sleep. The puzzle is perfect, forget everything I wrote above ^^^^^^ I'm off to bed. GOOD NIGHT!! zzzzzzzzzz.....
Whew! lighten up folks; this is just a puzzle, and a good one.
A twist of an old question, but still very good. Happy Holiday
Tricky tricky. Clever teaser. Merry Christmas everybody.
Merry Christmas!
Good teaser.
Good teaser.
Very good. I didn't think of dollar bills.
wait, what? oh I get it!
good teaser, i guess i don't function in the morning
good teaser, i guess i don't function in the morning
hahaha..weird...but interesting...
Too Hard!!!
This is a really good one. I was thinking along the lines of "whatever he wants, and has enough money for."
I live in the US and still didn't get it. I would have never guessed the presidents. It was a good teaser, you sure got me. Thanks for the post. Happy Holidays.
Monday~
Monday~
There were too many complaints to bother reading all the answers.
When I saw the answer I got it and
laughed
I am a Canadian & I should know
what presidents etc are on our Neighbours' Bills. This could be looked up on line. He did say the
store was in Boston. So............. It's Christmas! Kwitcherbellyachin' All!
Good Teaser! We need to read up
on American Currency. Happy December 25th!! To All!
When I saw the answer I got it and
laughed
I am a Canadian & I should know
what presidents etc are on our Neighbours' Bills. This could be looked up on line. He did say the
store was in Boston. So............. It's Christmas! Kwitcherbellyachin' All!
Good Teaser! We need to read up
on American Currency. Happy December 25th!! To All!
Sorry 2nd. posting.
Electicjohn you caused quite a stir.
Good Teaser if I didn't say above!
I am a Mom. The other Mom who
wrote "it stinks" 4 times is more
like a Moron. Very repetetive, too
much Christmas Cheer ???
Electicjohn you caused quite a stir.
Good Teaser if I didn't say above!
I am a Mom. The other Mom who
wrote "it stinks" 4 times is more
like a Moron. Very repetetive, too
much Christmas Cheer ???
Gotta love it! Fabulous teaser! Didn't get it for a bit there, but I love it! Going in my faves 4 sure!
And 2 all u complainers out there, it's a trick riddle! It's supposed to be that way!
And 2 all u complainers out there, it's a trick riddle! It's supposed to be that way!
You can see how BAD the use of credit cards is!!!
We can't even picture our own dollar bills anymore!
Excellent teaser: I didn't get it (I didn't think outside the box).
Merry Christmas!!!
We can't even picture our own dollar bills anymore!
Excellent teaser: I didn't get it (I didn't think outside the box).
Merry Christmas!!!
Fred may well have gone into a hardware store in Boston in Lincolnshire, England and not Boston MA.
I guessed the nails. Whizzzz!!
Great teaser! Merry Christmas!
Boston is also a place in england as lots of places in america are named after places in england, this makes it difficult if you live here.
i thought he only went with alex and ben and george was the name of the hardware store my mistake
With this one I suppose you could infer Alex Ben and George are actual people, and the answer would be that Fred can buy anything so long as he has the money. It'd be like that old bus driver teaser where you're the driver, people get on and off, and you're asked what color the driver's eyes are...and they're your color because you're the bus driver and all the random information is just thrown in there to make you forget that.
I wish I'd looked at the hint!!!
Thanks for all the comments everyone. I am honored to have one of my teasers picked as the Christmas teaser. This teaser does get a lot of people upset for some reason.
I agree it would be better to use "Boston, Massachusetts" instead of just Boston. But that said I think it is fair to say that the USA Boston is much bigger and better known around the world than the original Boston in England. Nothing against Boston England mind you, I am just stating the obvious.
Anyway I am glad many of you enjoyed this one. Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.
I agree it would be better to use "Boston, Massachusetts" instead of just Boston. But that said I think it is fair to say that the USA Boston is much bigger and better known around the world than the original Boston in England. Nothing against Boston England mind you, I am just stating the obvious.
Anyway I am glad many of you enjoyed this one. Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.
Apologies, but that was too weird for me.
Apology accepted.
Wow, that was reall clever and I do feel like a dope for not getting it.
It Was extremly easy after the hint and made me feel smart since the diffuculty is so high. Awesome teaser!
Very creative!
lol, Very good teaser.
I'm sorry, but this is a horrible teaser for anyone not American or not familar with American currency. When explained, I understand the trick, but there is no way I could have found the answer myself.
I'm from U.S., I know who are on which bills, and I didn't get it. But hey, if everyone could get it, then it shouldn't be on this site.
P.S. Not every person on the U.S. currency is a president. Ben Franklin (on the $100 bill) was never president.
P.S. Not every person on the U.S. currency is a president. Ben Franklin (on the $100 bill) was never president.
I didn't figure this one out, then I saw the answer and groaned. Simple if you think outside the box.
Merry Christmas to all.
think that might have been the most unleading one I have ever tried..make you think..come on its Christmas, and I been up since 5 with a 3 yr old putting toys together. Merry xmas!
This is a really good teaser. It may be unfair to those outside of America, but it still makes sense to those who ARE in America. It's alright. Not every brain teaser is international... This makes so much sense to me even though I know NOTHING about money XD...
Merry Christmas everyone!!! (though I don't celebrate it)
Merry Christmas everyone!!! (though I don't celebrate it)
Without the hint, I just went huh??? With the hint it became wonderfully easy and I loved it!! Thanks for the teaser! And happy holidays to all!
Great one. I also love it that people who can't get it use any way they can to put the puzzle down. I have seen many puzzles on here about other countries, but never this much noise about it. Those people need to get a life. .
I'm Canadian
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
Though I did not solve it, once I read the answer I liked it.
I am not familiar enough with US currency to know who is on what bill.
I don't think I could even say with any degree of certainty who is on the bills I use every day. I just don't pay enough attention
I am not familiar enough with US currency to know who is on what bill.
I don't think I could even say with any degree of certainty who is on the bills I use every day. I just don't pay enough attention
Though I did not solve it, once I read the answer I liked it.
I am not familiar enough with US currency to know who is on what bill.
I don't think I could even say with any degree of certainty who is on the bills I use every day. I just don't pay enough attention
I am not familiar enough with US currency to know who is on what bill.
I don't think I could even say with any degree of certainty who is on the bills I use every day. I just don't pay enough attention
Brilliant! I'm from US, and I couldn't get it, even with the hint.
I tentatively reasoned names w/1 vowel = Power saw, 2 vowels = hammer, 3 vowels = screwdriver- Fred = powersaw.
Being in the TRICK category, my answer is that the storekeeper would let Fred buy anything he wanted.
HO HUM!!! ZZZZZ
That was NOT 2.67 difficulty. But I did see 1st comment and they had no clue..
Enjoyed this fun and easy teaser. Merry Christmas to all my fellow Brainglers.
Sorry, as an Aussie I was totally blindsided!
Worked with the respective values for some sort of code, but as it was a trick, thought Fred must turn out to be the Storekeeper?
Worked with the respective values for some sort of code, but as it was a trick, thought Fred must turn out to be the Storekeeper?
Fun and easy teaser; I did the same as I did three years ago. Merry Christmas to all my fellow Brainglers.
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