UNDER THE MICROSCOPE:FOR YOUR Christmas amusement I have put together a collection of trivia, jokes and puzzles. Best Wishes to all readers for a happy, peaceful Christmas, writes William Reville.
Did you know . . .
• According to a British tradition, a wish made while mixing the Christmas pudding will come true only if the ingredients are stirred in a clockwise direction.
• More than three billion Christmas cards are sent annually in the United States.
• A traditional Christmas dinner in early England was the head of a pig prepared with mustard.
• According to a 1995 survey, seven out of 10 British dogs get Christmas gifts from their owners.
• According to a 1997 Gallup poll, 29 per cent of people in the US found the Christmas holidays more stressful than enjoyable. Those with lowest incomes were most likely to find the season stressful.
• The United States' official national Christmas tree is located in King's Canyon National Park in California. The tree, a giant sequoia called the "General Grant Tree", is more than 90m high.
• Christmas trees are edible. Many parts of pines, spruces, and firs can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C. Pine nuts, or pine cones, are also a good source of nutrition.
• During the Christmas buying season, Visa credit cards are used 5,340 times every minute in the United States.
• In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that made Christmas illegal. Festivities were banned by Oliver Cromwell, who considered feasting and revelry, on what was supposed to be a holy day, to be immoral. The ban was lifted when the Puritans lost power in 1660.
Did you hear this one ...
Q. What did Adam say to Eve, the day before Christmas?
A. Happy Christmas Eve.
Q. What is the name of Santa's wife?
A. Mary Christmas.
Mistletoe, cracker and tights
Three men die in a car accident on Christmas Eve and find themselves at the Pearly Gates waiting to enter Heaven. On entering, they must present something associated with Christmas.
The first man searches his pocket and finds some mistletoe, so he is allowed in.
The second man presents a cracker, so he is also allowed in.
The third man pulls out a pair of tights. Confused at this gesture, St Peter asks, "How do these represent Christmas?" "They're Carol's," answers the man.
Brain teasers
1. The product of the ages of David's children is the square of the sum of their ages.
David has fewer than eight children.
None of his children is more than 14 years old.
All of his children are at least two years old.
How many children does David have, and what are their ages?
2. People from the town of Liarsville always tell lies. Of the people below, only one is not from Liarsville. Can you tell which one is the outsider based on the following statements made?
Mr Applebee: "I am very honest".
Mrs Beatle: "Dr Doodle is not from Liarsville".
Ms Casey: "I am a liar".
Dr Doodle: "Mrs Beatle does not lie".
Mr Eastwood: "I am from the East".
3. In the following cryptarithm, which is a sum, each letter represents a digit. What are the digits?
S E N D
+ M O R E
___________
M O N E Y
Solutions
2. Ms Casey, who said "I am a liar", is not from Liarsville. People from Liarsville always tell lies. The statement "I am a liar" could not be made by someone who always tells lies.
3.
9 5 6 7
+ 1 0 8 5
_______
1 0 6 5 2