The Jewish Publication Society: Hanukkah Brain Teasers

Hanukkah Brain Teasers

What Day of Hanukkah Is It?

What day is two days before three days after the second day of Hanukkah?
What day is one day before four days after three days before the eighth day of Hanukkah?

The Cohens

The Cohens have three daughters. Each daughter has one brother. How many children do the Cohens have?

Four Pennies and Three Cups

Four pennies were given to you as Hanukkah gelt, and three cups. How would you put the pennies in the cups so there is an odd number of pennies in each cup?

Hanukkah Gelt

Michael was given two bills totaling $25. If one of those bills is not a $5 bill, what bills was he given?

A Boatload of Mystery

There was a Hanukkah party on an island. The guests got there in small motor boats, the only boats permitted on the lake that surrounds the island. When they reached the island, their host picked them up in a van. The van was too big to fit in a motor boat. If the van couldn't be converted into a boat and the van was not dropped on the island from above, how did the van get on the island?

Hanukkah Hugs

If each person at the Hanukkah party hugged each other person and there were six hugs, how many people were there at the party?

Family Fun

A baker's brother came home for Hanukkah, but the baker's brother who came home for Hanukkah has no brother. Please explain.

44 – 1 = 45?

How can you get 45 by subtracting one from 44?

Bull's-eye

Sharon was given a target and a set of suction cup darts as a Hanukkah gift. How can she score exactly 100?

A Sign of Confusion

Jeremy and Josh were going from one town to the next on their way to a Hanukkah party. They came to a crossroads and the sign with directions printed on it was on the ground. Jeremy feared they would get lost, but Josh knew what to do. He simply stuck the sign in the ground, looked at it for a moment, and said, “Let's go.” They did and soon were at the party. How did Josh know how to set the sign?

The Man in Black

Morris is on his way to a Hanukkah party. He's dressed in black – black shirt, black pants, black hat, black socks, black shoes. All the streetlights are off. He crosses the street just as a car with its headlights turned off rounds the corner. Morris doesn't see the car, but the driver sees Morris. How can this be?

A Hot Hanukkah

Zoe celebrates Hanukkah for eight days every summer, beginning on the twenty-fifth of Kislev. But if Kislev is the Hebrew month beginning in November or December, why does Zoe celebrate Hanukkah in the summer?

ANSWERS

What Day of Hanukkah Is It?

It is the third day of Hanukkah.
It is the eighth day of Hanukkah.

The Cohens
They have four children: three daughters and one son.

Four Pennies and Three Cups
Put two pennies in one cup and one penny in each of the other two cups. Then put one of the cups with one penny in it into the cup with two pennies in it. Now you have two cups with one penny in each and one cup with three pennies in it.

Hanukkah Gelt
He was given a $20 bill and a $5 bill. (One of those bills is not a $5 bill, but the other one is!)

A Boatload of Mystery
One winter the van was driven to the island over the frozen lake.

Hanukkah Hugs
There were four people at the party.

Family Fun The baker is a woman! She is the visitor's sister.

44 – 1 = 45?
This is a Roman numeral trick. The Roman numeral for 44 is XLIV. Take the "I" away (which means one) and you have XLV, the Roman numeral for 45.

Bull's-eye
3 x 17 + 49.

A Sign of Confusion
Josh knew the town they had just left. He had set the sign so that the town's name pointed to where they had been, so he knew the sign was set correctly.

The Man in Black
It is the middle of the day!

A Hot Hanukkah
Zoe lives in Australia.

About Hanukkah
• Why You Won't Find Hanukkah in the Bible

Hanukkah Crafts
• Homemade Menorah
• Menorah Wall Hanging

Hanukkah Fun:
• Test Your Hanukkah Hijinks
• Calculator Fun

Hanukkah Recipes:
• Potato Latkes
• Fried Hanukkah Puffs