Language and lateral thinking

Word Brain Teasers With Answers

Discover anagrams, wordplay, hidden messages and language puzzles. Each challenge has two optional hints and a full explanation.

A spelling trick, an anagram or a carefully worded clue may be hiding in plain sight. Read each question twice before using the hints.

How it works: Read the problem, open a hint only if you need one, then reveal the answer when you're ready.

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10 challenges

WordsEasy

Odd to even

I am an odd number. Remove one letter from my name and I become even. What number am I?

First hint

Think about spelling numbers.

Second hint

Remove the first letter.

Reveal answer and explanation

Seven

Removing the first letter S from SEVEN leaves EVEN.

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WordsEasy

Jumbled thinking

Rearrange RBAIN to make a word related to solving puzzles.

First hint

The result is a body part.

Second hint

It starts with B.

Reveal answer and explanation

BRAIN

RBAIN is an anagram of BRAIN.

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WordsMedium

Number-to-letter code

Using A=1, B=2, … Z=26, decode: 16–21–26–26–12–5.

First hint

Convert the first two numbers into letters.

Second hint

16=P and 21=U.

Reveal answer and explanation

PUZZLE

16=P, 21=U, 26=Z, 26=Z, 12=L and 5=E.

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WordsMedium

Hidden alternate letters

Read every second letter, starting with the first: PAUBZCZDL EEF. Ignore spaces. What word appears?

First hint

Write out the letters without spaces.

Second hint

Take positions 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.

Reveal answer and explanation

PUZZLE

The string is P A U B Z C Z D L E E F. The odd-numbered letters spell P U Z Z L E.

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WordsHard

Cold to warm

Turn COLD into WARM, changing exactly one letter per move; every step must be an English word. Can you do it in four moves?

First hint

Try changing the last letter first.

Second hint

CORD is a useful first step.

Reveal answer and explanation

COLD → CORD → CARD → WARD → WARM

Every move changes exactly one letter and all five entries are English words.

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WordsEasy

Two fruit names

Rearrange the letters in LEMON to name another fruit.

First hint

Both words have five letters.

Second hint

Change only the order of the letters.

Reveal answer and explanation

MELON

LEMON and MELON contain the same five letters.

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WordsEasy

The thing you can crack

I can be cracked, made, told or played on someone. What am I?

First hint

The answer is not an object.

Second hint

A comedian might tell one.

Reveal answer and explanation

A joke

A joke can be cracked, made, told, or played on another person.

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WordsMedium

Minute and moment

What appears once in “minute”, twice in “moment”, and never in “thousand years”?

First hint

Look at the written words rather than their meaning.

Second hint

Count a particular letter.

Reveal answer and explanation

The letter M

“Minute” has one M, “moment” has two and “thousand years” has none.

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WordsEasy

Getting shorter

What five-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters?

First hint

This is a wordplay question.

Second hint

The two new letters are E and R.

Reveal answer and explanation

SHORT

Adding ER to SHORT makes SHORTER.

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WordsMedium

The queue that stays

Which five-letter word is pronounced the same if you remove its last four letters?

First hint

Think of how an individual letter is spoken.

Second hint

The word describes a line of people.

Reveal answer and explanation

QUEUE

QUEUE is commonly pronounced like the single letter Q.

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