Top 20 Problem Solving Interview Questions (Example Answers Included)

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interesting problem solving questions

By Mike Simpson

When candidates prepare for interviews, they usually focus on highlighting their leadership, communication, teamwork, and similar crucial soft skills . However, not everyone gets ready for problem-solving interview questions. And that can be a big mistake.

Problem-solving is relevant to nearly any job on the planet. Yes, it’s more prevalent in certain industries, but it’s helpful almost everywhere.

Regardless of the role you want to land, you may be asked to provide problem-solving examples or describe how you would deal with specific situations. That’s why being ready to showcase your problem-solving skills is so vital.

If you aren’t sure who to tackle problem-solving questions, don’t worry, we have your back. Come with us as we explore this exciting part of the interview process, as well as some problem-solving interview questions and example answers.

What Is Problem-Solving?

When you’re trying to land a position, there’s a good chance you’ll face some problem-solving interview questions. But what exactly is problem-solving? And why is it so important to hiring managers?

Well, the good folks at Merriam-Webster define problem-solving as “the process or act of finding a solution to a problem.” While that may seem like common sense, there’s a critical part to that definition that should catch your eye.

What part is that? The word “process.”

In the end, problem-solving is an activity. It’s your ability to take appropriate steps to find answers, determine how to proceed, or otherwise overcome the challenge.

Being great at it usually means having a range of helpful problem-solving skills and traits. Research, diligence, patience, attention-to-detail , collaboration… they can all play a role. So can analytical thinking , creativity, and open-mindedness.

But why do hiring managers worry about your problem-solving skills? Well, mainly, because every job comes with its fair share of problems.

While problem-solving is relevant to scientific, technical, legal, medical, and a whole slew of other careers. It helps you overcome challenges and deal with the unexpected. It plays a role in troubleshooting and innovation. That’s why it matters to hiring managers.

How to Answer Problem-Solving Interview Questions

Okay, before we get to our examples, let’s take a quick second to talk about strategy. Knowing how to answer problem-solving interview questions is crucial. Why? Because the hiring manager might ask you something that you don’t anticipate.

Problem-solving interview questions are all about seeing how you think. As a result, they can be a bit… unconventional.

These aren’t your run-of-the-mill job interview questions . Instead, they are tricky behavioral interview questions . After all, the goal is to find out how you approach problem-solving, so most are going to feature scenarios, brainteasers, or something similar.

So, having a great strategy means knowing how to deal with behavioral questions. Luckily, there are a couple of tools that can help.

First, when it comes to the classic approach to behavioral interview questions, look no further than the STAR Method . With the STAR method, you learn how to turn your answers into captivating stories. This makes your responses tons more engaging, ensuring you keep the hiring manager’s attention from beginning to end.

Now, should you stop with the STAR Method? Of course not. If you want to take your answers to the next level, spend some time with the Tailoring Method , too.

With the Tailoring Method, it’s all about relevance. So, if you get a chance to choose an example that demonstrates your problem-solving skills, this is really the way to go.

We also wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, hiring managers will often ask you more generalized interview questions!

Click below to get your free PDF now:

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FREE BONUS PDF CHEAT SHEET: Get our " Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet " that gives you " word-word sample answers to the most common job interview questions you'll face at your next interview .

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Top 3 Problem-Solving-Based Interview Questions

Alright, here is what you’ve been waiting for: the problem-solving questions and sample answers.

While many questions in this category are job-specific, these tend to apply to nearly any job. That means there’s a good chance you’ll come across them at some point in your career, making them a great starting point when you’re practicing for an interview.

So, let’s dive in, shall we? Here’s a look at the top three problem-solving interview questions and example responses.

1. Can you tell me about a time when you had to solve a challenging problem?

In the land of problem-solving questions, this one might be your best-case scenario. It lets you choose your own problem-solving examples to highlight, putting you in complete control.

When you choose an example, go with one that is relevant to what you’ll face in the role. The closer the match, the better the answer is in the eyes of the hiring manager.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“While working as a mobile telecom support specialist for a large organization, we had to transition our MDM service from one vendor to another within 45 days. This personally physically handling 500 devices within the agency. Devices had to be gathered from the headquarters and satellite offices, which were located all across the state, something that was challenging even without the tight deadline. I approached the situation by identifying the location assignment of all personnel within the organization, enabling me to estimate transit times for receiving the devices. Next, I timed out how many devices I could personally update in a day. Together, this allowed me to create a general timeline. After that, I coordinated with each location, both expressing the urgency of adhering to deadlines and scheduling bulk shipping options. While there were occasional bouts of resistance, I worked with location leaders to calm concerns and facilitate action. While performing all of the updates was daunting, my approach to organizing the event made it a success. Ultimately, the entire transition was finished five days before the deadline, exceeding the expectations of many.”

2. Describe a time where you made a mistake. What did you do to fix it?

While this might not look like it’s based on problem-solving on the surface, it actually is. When you make a mistake, it creates a challenge, one you have to work your way through. At a minimum, it’s an opportunity to highlight problem-solving skills, even if you don’t address the topic directly.

When you choose an example, you want to go with a situation where the end was positive. However, the issue still has to be significant, causing something negative to happen in the moment that you, ideally, overcame.

“When I first began in a supervisory role, I had trouble setting down my individual contributor hat. I tried to keep up with my past duties while also taking on the responsibilities of my new role. As a result, I began rushing and introduced an error into the code of the software my team was updating. The error led to a memory leak. We became aware of the issue when the performance was hindered, though we didn’t immediately know the cause. I dove back into the code, reviewing recent changes, and, ultimately, determined the issue was a mistake on my end. When I made that discovery, I took several steps. First, I let my team know that the error was mine and let them know its nature. Second, I worked with my team to correct the issue, resolving the memory leak. Finally, I took this as a lesson about delegation. I began assigning work to my team more effectively, a move that allowed me to excel as a manager and help them thrive as contributors. It was a crucial learning moment, one that I have valued every day since.”

3. If you identify a potential risk in a project, what steps do you take to prevent it?

Yes, this is also a problem-solving question. The difference is, with this one, it’s not about fixing an issue; it’s about stopping it from happening. Still, you use problem-solving skills along the way, so it falls in this question category.

If you can, use an example of a moment when you mitigated risk in the past. If you haven’t had that opportunity, approach it theoretically, discussing the steps you would take to prevent an issue from developing.

“If I identify a potential risk in a project, my first step is to assess the various factors that could lead to a poor outcome. Prevention requires analysis. Ensuring I fully understand what can trigger the undesired event creates the right foundation, allowing me to figure out how to reduce the likelihood of those events occurring. Once I have the right level of understanding, I come up with a mitigation plan. Exactly what this includes varies depending on the nature of the issue, though it usually involves various steps and checks designed to monitor the project as it progresses to spot paths that may make the problem more likely to happen. I find this approach effective as it combines knowledge and ongoing vigilance. That way, if the project begins to head into risky territory, I can correct its trajectory.”

17 More Problem-Solving-Based Interview Questions

In the world of problem-solving questions, some apply to a wide range of jobs, while others are more niche. For example, customer service reps and IT helpdesk professionals both encounter challenges, but not usually the same kind.

As a result, some of the questions in this list may be more relevant to certain careers than others. However, they all give you insights into what this kind of question looks like, making them worth reviewing.

Here are 17 more problem-solving interview questions you might face off against during your job search:

  • How would you describe your problem-solving skills?
  • Can you tell me about a time when you had to use creativity to deal with an obstacle?
  • Describe a time when you discovered an unmet customer need while assisting a customer and found a way to meet it.
  • If you were faced with an upset customer, how would you diffuse the situation?
  • Tell me about a time when you had to troubleshoot a complex issue.
  • Imagine you were overseeing a project and needed a particular item. You have two choices of vendors: one that can deliver on time but would be over budget, and one that’s under budget but would deliver one week later than you need it. How do you figure out which approach to use?
  • Your manager wants to upgrade a tool you regularly use for your job and wants your recommendation. How do you formulate one?
  • A supplier has said that an item you need for a project isn’t going to be delivered as scheduled, something that would cause your project to fall behind schedule. What do you do to try and keep the timeline on target?
  • Can you share an example of a moment where you encountered a unique problem you and your colleagues had never seen before? How did you figure out what to do?
  • Imagine you were scheduled to give a presentation with a colleague, and your colleague called in sick right before it was set to begin. What would you do?
  • If you are given two urgent tasks from different members of the leadership team, both with the same tight deadline, how do you choose which to tackle first?
  • Tell me about a time you and a colleague didn’t see eye-to-eye. How did you decide what to do?
  • Describe your troubleshooting process.
  • Tell me about a time where there was a problem that you weren’t able to solve. What happened?
  • In your opening, what skills or traits make a person an exceptional problem-solver?
  • When you face a problem that requires action, do you usually jump in or take a moment to carefully assess the situation?
  • When you encounter a new problem you’ve never seen before, what is the first step that you take?

Putting It All Together

At this point, you should have a solid idea of how to approach problem-solving interview questions. Use the tips above to your advantage. That way, you can thrive during your next interview.

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  • What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
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interesting problem solving questions

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Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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interesting problem solving questions

15 Common Problem-Solving Interview Questions

Ebook: How to Build a Tech Talent Brand: The Definitive Guide

In an interview for a big tech company, I was asked if I’d ever resolved a fight — and the exact way I went about handling it. I felt blindsided, and I stammered my way through an excuse of an answer.

It’s a familiar scenario to fellow technical job seekers — and one that risks leaving a sour taste in our mouths. As candidate experience becomes an increasingly critical component of the hiring process, recruiters need to ensure the problem-solving interview questions they prepare don’t dissuade talent in the first place. 

Interview questions designed to gauge a candidate’s problem-solving skills are more often than not challenging and vague. Assessing a multifaceted skill like problem solving is tricky — a good problem solver owns the full solution and result, researches well, solves creatively and takes action proactively. 

It’s hard to establish an effective way to measure such a skill. But it’s not impossible.

We recommend taking an informed and prepared approach to testing candidates’ problem-solving skills . With that in mind, here’s a list of a few common problem-solving interview questions, the science behind them — and how you can go about administering your own problem-solving questions with the unique challenges of your organization in mind.

Key Takeaways for Effective Problem-Solving Interview Questions

  • Problem solving lies at the heart of programming. 
  • Testing a candidate’s problem-solving skills goes beyond the IDE. Problem-solving interview questions should test both technical skills and soft skills.
  • STAR, SOAR and PREP are methods a candidate can use to answer some non-technical problem-solving interview questions.
  • Generic problem-solving interview questions go a long way in gauging a candidate’s fit. But you can go one step further by customizing them according to your company’s service, product, vision, and culture. 

Technical Problem-Solving Interview Question Examples

Evaluating a candidates’ problem-solving skills while using coding challenges might seem intimidating. The secret is that coding challenges test many things at the same time — like the candidate’s knowledge of data structures and algorithms, clean code practices, and proficiency in specific programming languages, to name a few examples.

Problem solving itself might at first seem like it’s taking a back seat. But technical problem solving lies at the heart of programming, and most coding questions are designed to test a candidate’s problem-solving abilities.

Here are a few examples of technical problem-solving questions:

1. Mini-Max Sum  

This well-known challenge, which asks the interviewee to find the maximum and minimum sum among an array of given numbers, is based on a basic but important programming concept called sorting, as well as integer overflow. It tests the candidate’s observational skills, and the answer should elicit a logical, ad-hoc solution.

2. Organizing Containers of Balls  

This problem tests the candidate’s knowledge of a variety of programming concepts, like 2D arrays, sorting and iteration. Organizing colored balls in containers based on various conditions is a common question asked in competitive examinations and job interviews, because it’s an effective way to test multiple facets of a candidate’s problem-solving skills.

3. Build a Palindrome

This is a tough problem to crack, and the candidate’s knowledge of concepts like strings and dynamic programming plays a significant role in solving this challenge. This problem-solving example tests the candidate’s ability to think on their feet as well as their ability to write clean, optimized code.

4. Subarray Division

Based on a technique used for searching pairs in a sorted array ( called the “two pointers” technique ), this problem can be solved in just a few lines and judges the candidate’s ability to optimize (as well as basic mathematical skills).

5. The Grid Search 

This is a problem of moderate difficulty and tests the candidate’s knowledge of strings and searching algorithms, the latter of which is regularly tested in developer interviews across all levels.

Common Non-Technical Problem-Solving Interview Questions 

Testing a candidate’s problem-solving skills goes beyond the IDE . Everyday situations can help illustrate competency, so here are a few questions that focus on past experiences and hypothetical situations to help interviewers gauge problem-solving skills.

1. Given the problem of selecting a new tool to invest in, where and how would you begin this task? 

Key Insight : This question offers insight into the candidate’s research skills. Ideally, they would begin by identifying the problem, interviewing stakeholders, gathering insights from the team, and researching what tools exist to best solve for the team’s challenges and goals. 

2. Have you ever recognized a potential problem and addressed it before it occurred? 

Key Insight: Prevention is often better than cure. The ability to recognize a problem before it occurs takes intuition and an understanding of business needs. 

3. A teammate on a time-sensitive project confesses that he’s made a mistake, and it’s putting your team at risk of missing key deadlines. How would you respond?

Key Insight: Sometimes, all the preparation in the world still won’t stop a mishap. Thinking on your feet and managing stress are skills that this question attempts to unearth. Like any other skill, they can be cultivated through practice.

4. Tell me about a time you used a unique problem-solving approach. 

Key Insight: Creativity can manifest in many ways, including original or novel ways to tackle a problem. Methods like the 10X approach and reverse brainstorming are a couple of unique approaches to problem solving. 

5. Have you ever broken rules for the “greater good?” If yes, can you walk me through the situation?

Key Insight: “Ask for forgiveness, not for permission.” It’s unconventional, but in some situations, it may be the mindset needed to drive a solution to a problem.

6. Tell me about a weakness you overcame at work, and the approach you took. 

Key Insight: According to Compass Partnership , “self-awareness allows us to understand how and why we respond in certain situations, giving us the opportunity to take charge of these responses.” It’s easy to get overwhelmed when faced with a problem. Candidates showing high levels of self-awareness are positioned to handle it well.

7. Have you ever owned up to a mistake at work? Can you tell me about it?

Key Insight: Everybody makes mistakes. But owning up to them can be tough, especially at a workplace. Not only does it take courage, but it also requires honesty and a willingness to improve, all signs of 1) a reliable employee and 2) an effective problem solver.

8. How would you approach working with an upset customer?

Key Insight: With the rise of empathy-driven development and more companies choosing to bridge the gap between users and engineers, today’s tech teams speak directly with customers more frequently than ever before. This question brings to light the candidate’s interpersonal skills in a client-facing environment.

9. Have you ever had to solve a problem on your own, but needed to ask for additional help? How did you go about it? 

Key Insight: Knowing when you need assistance to complete a task or address a situation is an important quality to have while problem solving. This questions helps the interviewer get a sense of the candidate’s ability to navigate those waters. 

10. Let’s say you disagree with your colleague on how to move forward with a project. How would you go about resolving the disagreement?

Key Insight: Conflict resolution is an extremely handy skill for any employee to have; an ideal answer to this question might contain a brief explanation of the conflict or situation, the role played by the candidate and the steps taken by them to arrive at a positive resolution or outcome. 

Strategies for Answering Problem-Solving Questions

If you’re a job seeker, chances are you’ll encounter this style of question in your various interview experiences. While problem-solving interview questions may appear simple, they can be easy to fumble — leaving the interviewer without a clear solution or outcome. 

It’s important to approach such questions in a structured manner. Here are a few tried-and-true methods to employ in your next problem-solving interview.

1. Shine in Interviews With the STAR Method

S ituation, T ask, A ction, and R esult is a great method that can be employed to answer a problem-solving or behavioral interview question. Here’s a breakdown of these steps:

  • Situation : A good way to address almost any interview question is to lay out and define the situation and circumstances. 
  • Task : Define the problem or goal that needs to be addressed. Coding questions are often multifaceted, so this step is particularly important when answering technical problem-solving questions.
  • Action : How did you go about solving the problem? Try to be as specific as possible, and state your plan in steps if you can.
  • Result : Wrap it up by stating the outcome achieved. 

2. Rise above difficult questions using the SOAR method

A very similar approach to the STAR method, SOAR stands for S ituation, O bstacle, A ction, and R esults .

  • Situation: Explain the state of affairs. It’s important to steer clear of stating any personal opinions in this step; focus on the facts.
  • Obstacle: State the challenge or problem you faced.
  • Action: Detail carefully how you went about overcoming this obstacle.
  • Result: What was the end result? Apart from overcoming the obstacle, did you achieve anything else? What did you learn in the process? 

3. Do It the PREP Way

Traditionally used as a method to make effective presentations, the P oint, R eason, E xample, P oint method can also be used to answer problem-solving interview questions.  

  • Point : State the solution in plain terms. 
  • Reasons: Follow up the solution by detailing your case — and include any data or insights that support your solution. 
  • Example: In addition to objective data and insights, drive your answer home by contextualizing the solution in a real-world example.
  • Point : Reiterate the solution to make it come full circle.

How to Customize Problem-Solving Interview Questions 

Generic problem-solving interview questions go a long way in gauging a candidate’s skill level, but recruiters can go one step further by customizing these problem-solving questions according to their company’s service, product, vision, or culture. 

Here are some tips to do so:

  • Break down the job’s responsibilities into smaller tasks. Job descriptions may contain ambiguous responsibilities like “manage team projects effectively.” To formulate an effective problem-solving question, envision what this task might look like in a real-world context and develop a question around it.  
  • Tailor questions to the role at hand. Apart from making for an effective problem-solving question, it gives the candidate the impression you’re an informed technical recruiter. For example, an engineer will likely have attended many scrums. So, a good question to ask is: “Suppose you notice your scrums are turning unproductive. How would you go about addressing this?” 
  • Consider the tools and technologies the candidate will use on the job. For example, if Jira is the primary project management tool, a good problem-solving interview question might be: “Can you tell me about a time you simplified a complex workflow — and the tools you used to do so?”
  • If you don’t know where to start, your company’s core values can often provide direction. If one of the core values is “ownership,” for example, consider asking a question like: “Can you walk us through a project you owned from start to finish?” 
  • Sometimes, developing custom content can be difficult even with all these tips considered. Our platform has a vast selection of problem-solving examples that are designed to help recruiters ask the right questions to help nail their next technical interview.

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Effective Questions to Support Problem-Solving Thinking

  • September 9, 2015

How do we ask effective questions to support problem-solving thinking?

Asking better questions — and learning to “break the telling habit” has been a passion of mine since I deeply started studying and applying the art of better question-asking around 2010.

In fact, the importance of asking questions (the right questions) is one of the foundations of my work. 

It’s one of the most popular topics here on my blog, in my custom learning programs for organizations, and my on-demand workshops (such as “Break the Telling Habit”) and guided coaching programs such as the Leading to Learn Accelerator.

Problem-Solving in Support of Developing People

Japanese copy of "Managing to Learn"

If your organization is looking for support in developing your people as problem solvers, I recommend starting with focusing on A3 problem-solving thinking.

It’s applicable to all leaders and not only hones people’s ability to solve problems and learn by going to see what is actually happening, but also is a great way of deepening coaching skills of asking effective questions and listening.

A Chain of Learning: Managing to Learn and Leading to Learn

John Shook’s book “Managing to Learn” is the best book I’ve found to describe the A3 problem-solving process and is the basis for this A3 thinking class.

Fun fact — One of the models for the character of Sanderson, the manager / coach in the book, is Isao Yoshino — my friend and subject of my best-selling book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn — who was one of Shook’s first managers at Toyota in Japan. Shook wrote the foreword to my book and shares reflections about how he learned to ask questions and think more

I learned so much about asking questions from my mentor Margie Hagene, who herself was mentored by John Shook. This is my chain of learning that I now link with you to as we learn together.

There are many questions that we can ask in support of problem-solving, but they differ in the intention and outcome of problem solving ownership. I like to categorize questions into four categories, inspired by the work of Edgar Schein (whose books such as  Humble Inquiry and Helping have been foundational in my learning about asking questions).

Humble Open Inquiry

The most effective questions are either those of pure humble inquiry which are questions for which you don’t have the answer. Humble inquiry questions keep the problem-solving thinking with the problem owner, not the person asking the question.

Diagnostic Inquiry

Other effective questions that can be asked, once the problem is clearly defined, are diagnostic questions.

Diagnostic inquiry questions help the problem solver discover cause and effect, more clearly define the root causes for the gap between the way things should be happening and the way they are happening today, and the link between proposed countermeasures and the problem.

Prompting Inquiry: WARNING!

interesting problem solving questions

Prompting questions can take away the ownership of the thinking from the problem solver. These are closed-ended questions, multiple-choice questions, or your idea or suggestion with a question mark at the end.

These questions are like a wolf dressed up in sheep’s clothing — they are really your idea or suggestion with a question mark on it!

Process questions

It’s important to not just focus on solving the problem…but also to understand the process of solving the problem.

Good questions to ask during problem-solving coaching are not always related to the problem at hand, but to the human interaction. Process questions help us understand where we are in the problem-solving process or in the conversation.

If you are practicing asking more effective questions and wanting to improve, you could ask a process question such as “What question was most helpful to you to advance your thinking?”.

Want to learn more about questions — get the guide!

If you don’t have it yet you can  download my free guide “3 Tips to Break the ‘Telling Habit’” ! You’ll learn more about the types of questions, and how to ask them so that you too can break your telling habit!

Asking the right questions is often  about intention .

Get this resource to help you ask more effective questions today!

Examples of effective questions

Below are some of the examples of effective questions that participants in a two-day A3 Thinking and Coaching workshop I led many years ago. When coaching leaders to ask more effective questions, I like to capture real-time examples of questions being asked well.

What do you notice about these questions? (I’ll share some reflections below the image).

Examples of effective questions asked today to develop problem solving thinking in others. #lean #coaching @HCValue pic.twitter.com/aXzVhtI2bb — Katie Anderson (@kbjanderson) August 19, 2015

Qualities of effective questions

Just like in the image above, the most effective questions to support problem-solving share many of the following qualities:

  • Start with WHAT or HOW
  • Do not introduce a solution or idea

Additional categories of problem solving questions

Source: Harvard Business Review "Relearning the Art of Asking Questions", March 2015

An HBR article titled “Relearning the art of asking questions”  highlights four categories of questions that can be used when problem solving:

  • clarifying and

This can be a helpful structure for you to think about how to ask questions to help the other person think more creatively (divergent thinking) or get more clarity (convergent thinking).

Of the questions that are listed above from the A3 thinking class, how would you categorized them based on the HBR article’s definition?

Intention and Practice Leads to Improvement

It’s always inspiring to see, with some dedicated thinking time and practice time, how much people’s skills in problem solving, question asking, and listening can advance.

For example, in this class over two days, people got at least 90-120 minutes to work through a problem they own, and then practice 3-4 sessions of “catchball” (asking and receiving questions) with others as both the problem owner and the coach.

Their questions are dramatically improved on the second day with just some focused practice (see image of questions above)!

This is the same structure of practice that you can learn when you join my self-paced “Breaking the ‘Telling Habit’” workshop,  and unlock your team’s potential by discovering  how  to ask more effective questions. You can take the class at any time, at your own pace.

Additional resources

To learn more tips from me about asking effective questions, listening, and coaching for problem-solving, check out these additional articles:

  • “Leading Daily Improvement: Creating New Habits and Practices to Support Continuous Improvement”
  • “When to ‘A3’: 3 Problem-Solving Tools to Match the Complexity of Your Problem”
  • How to Ask Problem-Solving Questions
  • “How to Get Out of the Habit of Telling”
  • “Be More Than a Coach, be a Coach That Listens” .
  • How to ask questions even if you already know “the answer” .

What is your experience?

How have you practiced becoming a better problem solver or a better coach in support of problem solving? What have you found helpful in asking more effective questions?

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15 Provocative Questions for Creative Problem-Solving

Increased curiosity triggers innovation..

Posted December 18, 2023 | Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano

  • The ability to be curious generally declines in adulthood.
  • Curiosity is a portal to increased innovation.
  • Curiosity can be relearned with the right questions
  • Today's curiosity shapes tomorrow's breakthroughs.

Jeremiah Lawrence/Unsplash

As toddlers, the constant repetition of the question "Why?" marks the exuberance of curiosity, a trait that, over time, tends to wane in the face of weary parents providing half-hearted answers or steering conversations elsewhere, just to give themselves a brief reprieve. Unfortunately, as adults, many of us lose touch with the pervasive urge to ask 'why?' Our innate curiosity becomes buried, forgotten. This is a missed opportunity, for today's curiosity is tomorrow's innovation.

Consider the technological marvels of our time— the iPhone, Amazon, and Google—all born from the fertile ground of curiosity. Curiosity is the driving force behind innovation. But how does one rekindle curiosity? For those already predisposed to curiosity, can it be harnessed for innovation?

Embracing curiosity is a personal journey and a pathway to expanding our comprehension of the world and nurturing mental well-being. It fosters a mindset that thrives on continuous learning, resilience , and a profound sense of fulfillment. Opening your mind to new knowledge allows you to forge connections others have yet to envision.

15 questions to trigger curiosity

Here are 15 questions designed to trigger curiosity and encourage innovative thinking or problem-solving:

  • What if we approached this problem from a completely different perspective? What might we discover?
  • How have other industries or fields tackled similar challenges, and what lessons can we draw from their approaches?
  • If we were to remove all constraints, what bold and unconventional solutions could we explore?
  • What assumptions are we making about this situation, and how might challenging those assumptions open up new possibilities?
  • How can we leverage emerging technologies or trends to address this issue more effectively?
  • What insights might we gain if we were to involve customers or end-users in the problem-solving process? What might they reveal?
  • How can we turn this challenge into an opportunity for growth or improvement?
  • What are the underlying causes of this problem, and how can we address them to create lasting solutions?
  • If time and resources were not limited, what audacious goals could we set to solve this problem, and how might we achieve them?
  • What were our failures? What did we learn from them?
  • What failures occurred in other industries, and how can we apply those lessons to our challenges for a more innovative approach?
  • What if we built in constraints—fewer or no resources? How creative could we be? What would we do differently? What would we omit?
  • If we consistently ask "why" at each stage of our problem-solving process, how might it help us get to the root causes and generate more innovative solutions?
  • What if we asked people from different generations or cultures about what they see as the real problem or potential solution?
  • How can we challenge the status quo?

These questions are designed to provoke thought, challenge assumptions, and inspire creative thinking , fostering a mindset that can lead to innovative solutions and effective problem-solving.

In the journey from incessant childhood questioning to adulthood's diminishing curiosity, the true potential of innovation often remains untapped. These questions serve as catalysts, sparking curiosity and guiding individuals and teams toward innovative thinking and problem-solving, illustrating that the path to innovation begins with the simple act of asking why.

Ruth Gotian Ed.D., M.S.

Ruth Gotian, Ed.D., an assistant professor of education at Weill Cornell Medical College, is the author of The Success Factor.

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22 Logic Puzzle Questions To Challenge Your Mind!

22 Logic Puzzle Questions To Challenge Your Mind!

Public Events

Jane Ng • 31 Aug 2023 • 6 min read

Looking for Logic puzzle questions to challenge your logic skills without breaking a sweat? You’re in the right place! In this blog post, we’ll provide a list of 22 delightful logic puzzle questions that will make you think, and ponder as you find their right answers. So, gather ’round, get comfy, and let’s embark on a journey into the world of riddles and brain teasers!

Table Of Contents

Level #1 – easy logic puzzle questions.

  • Level #2 – Logic Puzzle Questions In Math 

Level #3 – Logic Puzzle Questions For Adults

Key takeaways.

1/ Question: If an electric train is moving north at 100 mph and the wind is blowing to the west at 10 mph, which way does the smoke from the train go? Answer: Electric trains don’t produce smoke.

2/ Question: Three friends – Alex, Phil Dunphy, and Claire Pritchett – went to a movie. Alex sat next to Phil, but not next to Claire. Who sat next to Claire? Answer: Phil sat next to Claire.

3/ Question: There are six glasses in a row. The first three are filled with milk, and the next three are empty. Can you rearrange six glasses so that the full and empty glasses are in alternating order by moving only one glass?

interesting problem solving questions

Answer: Yes, pour milk from the second glass into the fifth glass.

4/ Question: A man stands on one side of a river, his dog on the other. A man calls his dog, who immediately traverses the river without getting wet. How did the dog do it? Answer: The river was frozen, so the dog walked across the ice.

5/ Question: Sara is twice as old as Mike. If Mike is 8 years old, how old is Sara? Answer: Sara is 16 years old.

6/ Question: Four people need to cross a rickety bridge at night. They have only one flashlight and the bridge can only hold two people at a time. The four people walk at different speeds: one can cross the bridge in 1 minute, another in 2 minutes, the third in 5 minutes, and the slowest in 10 minutes. When two people cross the bridge together, they must go at the slower person’s pace. The speed of two people crossing a bridge together is limited by the speed of the slower person. 

Answer: 17 minutes. First, the two fastest cross together (2 minutes). Then, the fastest returns with the flashlight (1 minute). The two slowest cross together (10 minutes). Finally, the second fastest returns with the flashlight (2 minutes).

Level #2 – Logic Puzzle Questions In Math 

7/ Question: A man gave one son 10 cents and another son was given 15 cents. What time is it? Answer: The time is 1:25 (a quarter past one).

8/ Question: If you multiply my age by 2, add 10, and then divide by 2, you’ll get my age. How old am I? Answer: You are 10 years old.

9/ Question: What is the weight of the three animals in the photo?

interesting problem solving questions

Answer: 27kg

10/ Question: If a snail climbs up a 10-foot pole during the day and then slips down 6 feet during the night, how many days will it take for the snail to reach the top?

Answer: 4 days. (On the first day, the snail climbs 10 feet during the day and then slips 6 feet during the night, leaving it at 4 feet. On the second day, it climbs another 10 feet, reaching 14 feet. On the third day, it climbs another 10 feet, reaching 24 feet. Finally, on the fourth day, it climbs the remaining 6 feet to reach the top.)

11/ Question: If you have 8 red balls, 5 blue balls, and 3 green balls in a bag, what is the probability of drawing a blue ball on the first try? Answer: The probability is 5/16. (There are a total of 8 + 5 + 3 = 16 balls. There are 5 blue balls, so the probability of drawing a blue ball is 5/16.)

12/ Question: A farmer has chickens and goats. There are 22 heads and 56 legs. What is the number of each animal that the farmer has? Answer: The farmer has 10 chickens and 12 goats.

interesting problem solving questions

13/ Question: How many times can you subtract 5 from 25? Answer : Once. (After subtracting 5 once, you’d be left with 20, and you can’t subtract 5 from 20 without going into negative numbers.)

14/ Question: What three positive numbers give the same answer when multiplied and added together? Answer: 1, 2, and 3. (1 * 2 * 3 = 6, and 1 + 2 + 3 = 6.)

15/ Question: If a pizza is cut into 8 slices and you eat 3, what percentage of the pizza have you consumed? Answer: You have consumed 37.5% of the pizza. (To calculate the percentage, divide the number of slices you’ve eaten by the total number of slices and multiply by 100: (3 / 8) * 100 = 37.5%.)

16/ Question: Which of the four pictures a, b, c, d, is the correct answer?

interesting problem solving questions

Answer: Picture b

17/ Question: If three people check into a hotel room that costs $30, they each contribute $10. Later, the hotel manager realized there was a mistake and the room should have cost $25. The manager gives $5 to the bellboy and asks him to return it to the guests. The bellboy, however, keeps $2 and gives each guest $1. Now, each guest has paid $9 (totaling $27) and the bellboy has $2, which makes $29. What became of the $1 that was missing?

Answer: The missing dollar riddle is a trick question. The $27 that the guests paid includes the $25 for the room and the $2 that the bellboy kept.

18/ Question: A man is pushing his car along a road when he comes to a hotel. He shouts, “I’m bankrupt!” Why? Answer: He’s playing a game of Monopoly.

19/ Question: If a man buys a shirt for $20 and sells it for $25, is this a 25% profit?

Answer: No. (The cost price of the shirt is $20, and the selling price is $25. The profit is $25 – $20 = $5. To calculate the profit percentage, you divide the profit by the cost price and then multiply by 100: (5 / 20) * 100 = 25%. The profit percentage is 25%, not the profit amount.)

20/ Question: If a car’s speed increases from 30 mph to 60 mph, how much does the speed increase in terms of a percentage? Answer: The speed increases by 100%.

21/ Question: If you have a rectangular garden that is 4 feet long and 5 feet wide, what is the perimeter? Answer: The perimeter is 18 feet. (The formula for the perimeter of a rectangle is P = 2 * (length + width). In this case, P = 2 * (4 + 5) = 2 * 9 = 18 feet.)

22/ Question: If two hours ago, it was as long after one o’clock as it was before one o’clock, what time is it now? Answer: It’s 2 o’clock.

In the world of logic puzzles, every twist and turn unveils a new challenge for our minds to conquer. To elevate your puzzle experience and add an interactive touch, check out AhaSlide’s features . With AhaSlides, you can turn these puzzles into shared adventures, sparking friendly competitions and lively discussions. Ready to dive in? Visit our templates and bring an extra layer of fun to your logic puzzle journey!

What is an example of a logic puzzle?

Example of a Logic Puzzle: If two hours ago, it was as long after one o’clock as it was before one o’clock, what time is it now? Answer: It’s 2 o’clock.

Where can I find logic puzzles?

You can find logic puzzles in books, puzzle magazines, online puzzle websites, mobile apps, and AhaSlides dedicated to puzzles and brain teasers.

What is a logic puzzle meaning?

A logic puzzle is a type of game or activity that challenges your reasoning and problem-solving skills. It involves using logical deductions to analyze given information and arrive at a correct solution.

Ref: Parade | Buzzfeed  

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45 Fun and Clever Brain Teasers for Kids with Answers!

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Written by Laney Kennedy

Reviewed by Sarah Tino, M.Ed.

Engage and motivate your students with our adaptive, game-based learning platform!

  • Game-Based Learning
  • What brain teasers are
  • The benefits of brain teasers for kids

Math brain teasers for kids

Sometimes keeping your students engaged during a (long) school day feels like a losing battle. How do you gain their full attention while teaching the skills they need to succeed? How do you turn tough and intimidating concepts into fun, entertaining lessons that actually spark life in the classroom? 

Brain teasers for kids are a great form of game-based learning that not only entertain children but also inspire some creative thought in the classroom. People of all ages can indulge in these playful — yet challenging — activities.

And some examples of when teachers might want to use brain teasers are on a bulletin board in the classroom, as a partnered activity to start a new concept or lesson, or during a rainy day indoor recess box.

We’ve gathered 45 examples of brain teasers for kids with answers, organized by category:

Table of Contents

Language brain teasers for kids :

Riddles ; Language associations ; Lateral thinking problems.

Math brain teasers for kids :

Math riddles ;  Pattern problems ;  Prodigy.

Visual brain teasers for kids :

Spot the difference ;  Rebus puzzles ;  Optical illusions ;  Stroop effect test.

Use the list below to find the perfect brain teaser for your class!

What are brain teasers?

Before you explore our examples, you might be wondering what brain teasers actually are.

Cambridge Dictionary defines a brain teaser as “a problem for which it is hard to find the answer, especially one which people enjoy trying to solve as a game.”

Brain teasers are a type of puzzle — and as the list below reveals, they come in many different forms. Often presented as a riddle, question or activity, brain teasers require a little extra brainpower to solve.

It's important to note that if you have any English language learners in your class, brain teasers for kids might pose a challenge for them. If that's the case, they might need you to walk them through the brain teaser more closely, or you can find ones that better suit their language level.

Brain teasers for kids differ from other complex or abstract problems because they’re usually done for fun. Although you can use them to analyze problem-solving and critical thinking skills, they’re often used as an amusing activity to encourage logical and lateral thinking , or thinking “outside the box.”

45 Brain teasers for kids

We’ve compiled a list of language, math and visual brain teasers to get your students thinking. Get inspired by the examples below — including answers!

Language brain teasers for kids

When you hear the term “brain teaser,” a riddle is likely the first thing that comes to mind. Riddles are perplexing — sometimes misleading — questions or statements that require creative thought to solve.

Riddles are usually fun, and plenty of them can add some humour to your classroom.

Enjoy our list of riddles for kids below!

a) Billy’s mother had five children. The first was named Lala, the second was named Lele, the third was named Lili, the fourth was named Lolo. What was the fifth child named?

b) Choose the correct sentence: “The yolk of the egg is white” or “the yolk of the egg is white.”

c) It’s as light as a feather, but the strongest person can’t hold it for more than five minutes. What is it?

d) The more there is, the less you see. What is it?

e) What gets more wet while it dries?

f) You can find it in Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, but not in Venus or Neptune. What is it?

g) It likes food, but water kills it. What is it?

h) What’s full of holes but can still hold water?

i) Which is heavier, a pound of feathers or a pound of rocks?

j) How far can a dog run into the woods?

k) You’re driving a city bus. At the first stop, three women get on. At the second stop, one woman gets off and a man gets on. At the third stop, two children get on. The bus is blue and it’s raining outside in December. What colour is the bus driver’s hair?

l) There are three houses. One is red, one is blue and one is white. If the red house is to the left of the house in the middle, and the blue house is to the right of the house in the middle, where’s the white house?

m) It’s at the center of gravity and you can find it in Venus, but not Mars. What is it?

n) What goes on four feet in the morning, two in the afternoon and three in the evening?  (This is from the classic myth,  Oedipus and the Riddle of the Sphinx )

o) What travels faster: heat or cold?

p) A man was walking in the rain in the middle of nowhere without a coat or an umbrella. He got soaked, but not a single hair on his head was wet. How can this be?

q) A cowboy rode into town on Friday. He stayed in town for three days and rode back out on Friday. How is this possible?

b) Neither. Egg yolks are yellow, not white!

f) The letter “R”

h) A sponge

i) Neither. Both weigh a pound!

j) Halfway. Once it reaches halfway, it’s running  out  of the woods.

k) Whatever colour your hair is. Remember, you’re driving the bus!

l) In Washington, D.C.

m) The letter “V”

n) A human. The times of day represent stages of human life. At the beginning of life, a baby crawls on four “feet.” As a person gets older, they walk on two feet. Later in life, a person will walk on three “feet” (two feet, plus a cane to help them walk).

o) Heat travels faster because you can catch a cold!

p) He was bald.

q) The horse’s name was Friday.

As a bonus, use these riddles to challenge preconceived notions and get students thinking about natural bias .

a) Two boxers are in a match scheduled for 12 rounds. (Pure boxing only - no kicking, UFC takedowns, or anything else). One of the boxers gets knocked out after only six rounds, yet no man throws a punch. How is this possible?

b) A father and son have a car accident and both are very injured. They are taken to separate hospitals for treatment. When the boy is taken in for an operation, the surgeon says, “I can’t do this surgery…. this boy is my son!” How is this possible?

a) The two boxers are women.

b) The surgeon is the boy’s mother.

2. Language associations

These brain teasers for kids explore the complexities of the English language. Use them to boost student knowledge of sounds, words, spelling, categorization and more.a)  Word association : find a word that associates with the following sets of words.

  • Cake, swiss, cottage
  • Glasses, screen, day
  • Cream, cube, cap
  • Knife, fly, cup

b) Find the mystery word . Replace the third letter of each word with a new letter to create a different word. When read vertically, the new letters will reveal the mystery word.

For example, the word MA K E could become MA R E, MA L E, MA T E and so on. It’s your job to figure out which one works to create the mystery word. 

Hint: It’s something you’ll find outside.

c) Find rhyming pairs . Unscramble the words below so that each pair of words rhymes.

  • RBAE & HREAS
  • WNROED & UTRHNDE
  • TUGHAT & HBTUGO
  • ODULC & ODOG

Mystery word: FLOWER

  • BEAR (or BARE) & SHARE
  • WONDER & THUNDER
  • TAUGHT & BOUGHT
  • COULD & GOOD

You can also use printable brain teasers for kids like this one:

brain-teasers-worksheets-for-kids

Image source: Spelling Words Well

Answer: The “happy word” is SMILE.

3. Lateral thinking problems

Lateral thinking problems require creative thinking with an indirect approach.

These questions require logic and careful thought to solve. The most notable example of a lateral thinking problem is the classic Monty Hall problem .

Here are two examples of lateral thinking problems kids can try to solve.

a) The river crossing problem

brain-teasers-for-kids-riddles

Image source: Popular Mechanics

A farmer is travelling with a fox, a goose, and a bag of beans. During his journey, he comes across a river with a boat to cross it.

The farmer can only fit one thing in the boat with him at a time. If left alone together, the fox will eat the goose or the goose will eat the beans. How does the farmer get everything across the river safely?

b) The light bulb problem

fun-brain-teasers-for-kids

There are three light switches outside of a room-- labeled number one, number two, and number three. The door to the room is closed and you can’t see in. All three switches are off.

You need to figure out which switch belongs to which bulb. You can use the switches however you want to, but can only enter the room once. How do you do it?

a) Here’s the step-by-step solution:

  • The farmer brings the goose across the river first (if he leaves the goose alone, it will either eat the beans or be eaten by the fox).
  • The farmer brings either the fox or the beans across and leaves the other one alone.
  • Now the farmer has two items on the other side of the river, including the goose. If he leaves the goose again, the same problem will occur. So, the farmer must bring the goose back to the other side.
  • The farmer brings the other item back (either the fox or the beans) and leaves the goose alone again. The fox and the beans are now on the other side of the river.
  • The farmer returns and brings the goose across the river again.

b) Turn on the first switch and leave it on. Turn on the second switch for a few minutes, and then turn it off again. When you enter the room, one light bulb will be on. You’ll know it goes with switch one because you turned it on. Another bulb will be hot. You’ll know that goes with switch two because it was on for a little while. The bulb that’s off and cold goes with switch three because you didn’t touch it.

Like math puzzles , these brain teasers for kids can increase engagement with math content and inspire your students to work on math concepts and problems outside of regular lessons.

1. Math riddles

These riddles are just as amusing as the ones above, but they’re math-focused . Use them to give students some extra math practice and encourage resourceful thinking.

Math riddles

a) Divide 30 by ½ and add 10. What’s the answer?

b) A clerk at the butcher shop is six feet tall and wears size 10 shoes. What does he weigh?

c) A farmer has 19 sheep on his land. One day, a big storm hits and all but seven run away. How many sheep does the farmer have left?

d) Your sock drawer only contains 18 white socks and 18 blue socks. How many times do you need to reach inside the drawer and take out a sock to guarantee a matching pair?

e) You planted sunflower seeds in your back garden. Every day, the number of flowers doubles. If it takes 52 days for the flowers to fill the garden, how many days would it take for them to fill half the garden?

f) Using only addition, how can you use eight eights to get the number 1,000?

g) When Ashley was 15, her mother was 37. Now, her mother is twice her age. How old is Ashley?

a) It's 70. You’re dividing 30 by ½, not by two. Thirty divided by ½ is the same thing as multiplying it by two, which is 60. Plus 10 makes 70!

b) Meat. He works at the butcher shop, so he weighs meat for a living.

c) Seven. The riddle says  all but seven  run away, meaning there are seven left who didn’t.

d) Three times. On the third time, you’ll get either a white or a blue sock to match with one of the other two you’ve already grabbed.

e) It would take 51 days. If the number of flowers doubles every day, half the garden would be full the day before, on the 51st day.

f) 888 +88 +8 +8 +8

g) Ashley is 22. Her mother is 22 years older, so when Ashley is 22, she’s now half her mother’s age.

2. Pattern problems

These questions require students to identify a pattern before they can answer a particular question. Kids must use creative and logical thinking to find the answers.

4 + 4 = 168

5 + 5 = 2510.

b) What makes this number unique: 8,549,176,320?

c) Solve the pattern puzzle below. Find the missing number to replace the question mark.

printable-brain-teasers-for-kids

Image source: Genius Puzzles

d) Solve the following:

math-brain-teasers-for-kids

Image source: AOL

a) The missing number is 3612. The answer is the number multiplied by itself and then the number added to itself. Six multiplied by six is 36, and six plus six is 12.

b) It contains each one-digit number, zero through nine, listed in alphabetical order.

c) The missing number is 17. Each number in the circle is the sum of the numbers in the opposite quadrant. In this case, the numbers are eight and nine — added together makes 17.

d) The answer is 14 (or 16), if you’re on the other side of the debate .

3. Prodigy Math Game

Screenshot of Prodigy Math Game battle

This math activity is a bit different from others on the list. It’s not a traditional brain teaser, but it can also be used as a fun, skill-building alternative to traditional math class.

Prodigy is a game-based learning platform that takes your students on an online fantasy adventure while they answer standards-aligned math questions. It’s engaging and effective at teaching necessary skills. 

Prodigy's free teacher tools help you differentiate learning, send assessments in-game and even collect student insights!

Visual brain teasers for kids

1. spot the difference.

This ever-popular activity might remind you of your own childhood — and kids still love it! Spot the difference puzzles require lots of deduction and attention to detail.

Here’s an example of a printable spot the difference activity.

printable-brain-teasers-for-kids

Image source: Tim’s Printables

brain-teasers-for-kids-with-answers

2. Rebus puzzles

A rebus is a visual word puzzle that uses lateral thinking to find its intended meaning. The word or phrase is depicted with a visual illustration, including letters and words. Students must think creatively to figure out the meaning from the clues they’re given. 

brain-teasers-games-for-kids

Image source: Wikipedia

brain-teasers-for-kids-with-answers

Image source: Stack Exchange

a) Top secret

b) Think outside the box

Visit the link below if you want more fun rebus puzzles for your students:

3. Optical illusions

Get tricky with your students! Optical illusions use visual tricks that alter the perception of what you’re really seeing. Students will love trying to figure out what’s really going on in these examples.

a) How many legs does the elephant have?

brain-teasers-questions-for-kids

Image source: Optics For Kids

b) Are the two squares different colours?

brain-teasers-for-kids-with-answers

Image source: Brain Den

b) They’re exactly the same colour. If you place your finger over the spot where the squares meet, you can see they’re the same. Try this impossible paper puzzle if you want a more hands-on optical illusion. You can make one to show your class, then have students make their own as a fun brain teaser to show friends and family.

4. Stroop effect test

The Stroop effect was discovered in the 1930s by John Ridley Stroop. During the test, you’re given a list of colour names, with each word being a different colour than what they describe.

The test involves saying the colour of a word, rather than reading the word itself. Your mind must process the two conflicting pieces of information, which slows down reaction speed and requires careful thought to get through.

printable-brain-teasers-for-kids

Image source: The Crafty Classroom

Benefits of brain teasers for kids

You know your students enjoy them, but did you know there are plenty of additional reasons to make brain teasers a regular activity in the classroom?

A study on the attention spans of six-year-olds found children who were given brain teasers were more attentive than those who were not — showing brain teasers were effective at boosting children’s attention spans.   

Brain teasers for kids can also:

  • Strengthen problem solving and critical thinking skills
  • Encourage lateral thinking and build new perspectives
  • Improve cognitive abilities like memory and processing speed
  • Inspire teamwork and communication
  • Engage students and motivate them to learn
  • Provide necessary breaks from traditional class work

How to use brain teasers in the classroom

In addition to their many learning advantages, brain teasers are a great way to break up the day and engage your students. Here are just a few ways you can use brain teasers for kids as a teaching strategy and maximize the benefits in your classroom:

  • Engagement-boosting activity before or after lessons
  • Bonus questions in assignments and tests
  • Optional “free time” activity
  • Encourage team building — split students into groups to solve them together
  • Supplement lessons — choose brain teasers about the subject you’re teaching

Final thoughts on brain teasers for kids

No matter what subject or skill you want to focus on, a brain teaser is a great addition to traditional teaching methods. Plus, it’s something students will actually be excited to do.

Remember that brain teaser are designed to be fun for kids. it’s not about finding the right answer, but the mental exercise they get from trying to find the solution.

Use any of the brain teasers in this list whenever you need a boost of energy in your classroom. Bonus points if you can stump any adults!

Create or log in to your free teacher account on Prodigy – a game-based learning platform for math that’s easy to use for educators and students alike. Aligned with standards across the English-speaking world, it’s used by more than a million teachers and 90 million students.

30 Fun Maths Questions with Answers

Table of Contents

Introduction

Mathematics can be fun if you treat it the right way. Maths is nothing less than a game, a game that polishes your intelligence and boosts your concentration. Compared to older times, people have a better and friendly approach to mathematics which makes it more appealing. The golden rule is to know that maths is a mindful activity rather than a task.

There is nothing like hard math problems or tricky maths questions, it’s just that you haven’t explored mathematics well enough to comprehend its easiness and relatability. Maths tricky questions and answers can be transformed into fun math problems if you look at it as if it is a brainstorming session. With the right attitude and friends and teachers, doing math can be most entertaining and delightful.

Kid trying to solve math

Math is interesting because a few equations and diagrams can communicate volumes of information. Treat math as a language, while moving to rigorous proof and using logical reason for performing a particular step in a proof or derivation.

Treating maths as a language totally eradicates the concept of hard math problems or tricky maths questions from your mind. Introducing children to fun maths questions can create a strong love and appreciation for maths at an early age. This way you are setting up the child’s successful future. Fun math problems will urge your child to choose to solve it over playing bingo or baking.

Apparently, there are innumerable methods to make easy maths tricky questions and answers. This includes the inception of the ideology that maths is simpler than their fear. This can be done by connecting maths with everyday life. Practising maths with the aid of dice, cards, puzzles and tables reassures that your child effectively approaches Maths.

If you wish to add some fun and excitement into educational activities, also check out

  • Check out some mind-blowing Math Magic Tricks!
  • Mental Maths: How to Improve it?

Cuemath is one of the world's leading math learning platforms that offers LIVE 1-to-1 online math classes for grades K-12 . Our mission is to transform the way children learn math, to help them excel in school and competitive exams. Our expert tutors conduct 2 or more live classes per week, at a pace that matches the child's learning needs.

Fun Maths Questions with answers - PDF

Here is the Downloadable PDF that consists of Fun Math questions. Click the Download button to view them.

Here are some fun, tricky and hard to solve maths problems that will challenge your thinking ability.

Answer: is 3, because ‘six’ has three letters

What is the number of parking space covered by the car?

Parking space  Math Fun Questions

This tricky math problem went viral a few years back after it appeared on an entrance exam in Hong Kong… for six-year-olds. Supposedly the students had just 20 seconds to solve the problem!

Believe it or not, this “math” question actually requires no math whatsoever. If you flip the image upside down, you’ll see that what you’re dealing with is a simple number sequence.

Replace the question mark in the above problem with the appropriate number.

Missing Number Fun Math Question

Which number is equivalent to 3^(4)÷3^(2)

This problem comes straight from a standardized test given in New York in 2014.

There are 49 dogs signed up for a dog show. There are 36 more small dogs than large dogs. How many small dogs have signed up to compete? 

This question comes directly from a second grader's math homework.

To figure out how many small dogs are competing, you have to subtract 36 from 49 and then divide that answer, 13 by 2, to get 6.5 dogs, or the number of big dogs competing. But you’re not done yet! You then have to add 6.5 to 36 to get the number of small dogs competing, which is 42.5. Of course, it’s not actually possible for half a dog to compete in a dog show, but for the sake of this math problem let’s assume that it is.

Add 8.563 and 4.8292.

Adding two decimals together is easier than it looks. Don’t let the fact that 8.563 has fewer numbers than 4.8292 trip you up. All you have to do is add a 0 to the end of 8.563 and then add like you normally would.

I am an odd number. Take away one letter and I become even. What number am I?

Answer:  Seven (take away the ‘s’ and it becomes ‘even’).

Using only an addition, how do you add eight 8’s and get the number 1000?

Answer: 

888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1000

Sally is 54 years old and her mother is 80, how many years ago was Sally’s mother times her age?

41 years ago, when Sally was 13 and her mother was 39.

Which 3 numbers have the same answer whether they’re added or multiplied together?

There is a basket containing 5 apples, how do you divide the apples among 5 children so that each child has 1 apple while 1 apple remains in the basket?

4 children get 1 apple each while the fifth child gets the basket with the remaining apple still in it.

There is a three-digit number. The second digit is four times as big as the third digit, while the first digit is three less than the second digit. What is the number?

Fill in the question mark

fun math - find the missing number

Two girls were born to the same mother, at the same time, on the same day, in the same month and the same year and yet somehow they’re not twins. Why not?

Because there was a third girl, which makes them triplets!

A ship anchored in a port has a ladder which hangs over the side. The length of the ladder is 200cm, the distance between each rung in 20cm and the bottom rung touches the water. The tide rises at a rate of 10cm an hour. When will the water reach the fifth rung?

The tide raises both the water and the boat so the water will never reach the fifth rung. 

The day before yesterday I was 25. The next year I will be 28. This is true only one day in a year. What day is my Birthday?  

You have a 3-litre bottle and a 5-litre bottle. How can you measure 4 litres of water by using 3L and 5L bottles? 

Solution 1 :

First, fill 3Lt bottle and pour 3 litres into 5Lt bottle.

Again fill the 3Lt bottle. Now pour 2 litres into the 5Lt bottle until it becomes full.

Now empty 5Lt bottle.

Pour remaining 1 litre in 3Lt bottle into 5Lt bottle.

Now again fill 3Lt bottle and pour 3 litres into 5Lt bottle.

Now you have 4 litres in the 5Lt bottle. That’s it.

Solution 2 :

First, fill the 5Lt bottle and pour 3 litres into 3Lt bottle.

Empty 3Lt bottle.

Pour remaining 2 litres in  5Lt bottle into 3Lt bottle.

Again fill the 5Lt bottle and pour 1 litre into 3 Lt bottle until it becomes full.

3 Friends went to a shop and purchased 3 toys. Each person paid Rs.10 which is the cost of one toy. So, they paid Rs.30 i.e. total amount. The shop owner gave a discount of Rs.5 on the total purchase of 3 toys for Rs.30. Then, among Rs.5, Each person has taken Rs.1 and remaining Rs.2 given to the beggar beside the shop. Now, the effective amount paid by each person is Rs.9 and the amount given to the beggar is Rs.2. So, the total effective amount paid is 9*3 = 27 and the amount given to beggar is Rs.2, thus the total is Rs.29. Where has the other Rs.1 gone from the original Rs.30?

The logic is payments should be equal to receipts. We cannot add the amount paid by persons and the amount given to the beggar and compare it to Rs.30.The total amount paid is ₹27. So, from ₹27, the shop owner received 25 rupees and beggar received ₹ 2. Thus, payments are equal to receipts.

How to get a number 100 by using four sevens (7’s) and a one (1)?

Answer 1:   177 – 77 = 100 ;

Answer 2: (7+7) * (7 + (1/7)) = 100 

Move any four matches to get 3 equilateral triangles only (don’t remove matches)

move match sticks to make equilateral triangles

Find the area of the red triangle.

Finding area of red triangle - fun math question

To solve this fun maths question, you need to understand how the area of a parallelogram works. If you already know how the area of a parallelogram and the area of a triangle are related, then adding 79 and 10 and subsequently subtracting 72 and 8 to get 9 should make sense.

 How many feet are in a mile? 

Solve  - 15+ (-5x) =0

What is 1.92÷3

A man is climbing up a mountain which is inclined. He has to travel 100 km to reach the top of the mountain. Every day He climbs up 2 km forward in the day time. Exhausted, he then takes rest there at night time. At night, while he is asleep, he slips down 1 km backwards because the mountain is inclined. Then how many days does it take him to reach the mountain top? 

 If 72 x 96 = 6927, 58 x 87 = 7885, then 79 x 86 = ?

Answer:  

Look at this series: 36, 34, 30, 28, 24, … What number should come next?

  Look at this series: 22, 21, 23, 22, 24, 23, … What number should come next?

If 13 x 12 = 651 & 41 x 23 = 448, then, 24 x 22 =?

Look at this series: 53, 53, 40, 40, 27, 27, … What number should come next?

The ultimate goals of mathematics instruction are students understanding the material presented, applying the skills, and recalling the concepts in the future. There's little benefit in students recalling a formula or procedure to prepare for an assessment tomorrow only to forget the core concept by next week.

Teachers must focus on making sure that the students understand the material and not just memorize the procedures. After you learn the answers to a fun maths question, you begin to ask yourself how you could have missed something so easy. The truth is, most trick questions are designed to trick your mind, which is why the answers to fun maths questions are logical and easy. 

About Cuemath

Cuemath, a student-friendly mathematics and coding platform, conducts regular Online Classes for academics and skill-development, and their Mental Math App, on both iOS and Android , is a one-stop solution for kids to develop multiple skills. Understand the Cuemath Fee structure and sign up for a free trial.

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14 Best Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities For 2024

The best teams see solutions where others see problems. A great company culture is built around a collaborative spirit and the type of unity it takes to find answers to the big business questions.

So how can you get team members working together?

How can you develop a mentality that will help them overcome obstacles they have yet to encounter?

One of the best ways to improve your teams’ problem solving skills is through team building problem solving activities .

“86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures.” — Bit.AI

These activities can simulate true-to-life scenarios they’ll find themselves in, or the scenarios can call on your employees or coworkers to dig deep and get creative in a more general sense.

The truth is, on a day-to-day basis, you have to prepare for the unexpected. It just happens that team building activities help with that, but are so fun that they don’t have to feel like work ( consider how you don’t even feel like you’re working out when you’re playing your favorite sport or doing an exercise you actually enjoy! )

Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities

What are the benefits of group problem-solving activities?

The benefits of group problem-solving activities for team building include:

  • Better communication
  • Improved collaboration and teamwork
  • More flexible thinking
  • Faster problem-solving
  • Better proactivity and decision making

Without further ado, check out this list of the 14 best team-building problem-solving group activities for 2024!

Page Contents (Click To Jump)

Popular Problem Solving Activities

1. virtual team challenge.

Virtual Team Challenges are popular problem-solving activities that involve a group of people working together to solve an issue. The challenge generally involves members of the team brainstorming, discussing, and creating solutions for a given problem.

Participants work both individually and collaboratively to come up with ideas and strategies that will help them reach their goals.

Why this is a fun problem-solving activity: Participants can interact and communicate with each other in a virtual environment while simultaneously engaging with the problem-solving activities. This makes it an enjoyable experience that allows people to use their creative thinking skills, build team spirit, and gain valuable insights into the issue at hand.

Problem-solving activities such as Virtual Team Challenges offer a great way for teams to come together, collaborate, and develop creative solutions to complex problems.

2. Problem-Solving Templates

Problem-Solving Templates are popular problem-solving activities that involve a group of people working together to solve an issue. The challenge generally involves members of the team utilizing pre-made templates and creating solutions for a given problem with the help of visual aids.

This activity is great for teams that need assistance in getting started on their problem-solving journey.

Why this is a fun problem-solving activity: Problem-Solving Templates offer teams an easy and stress-free way to get the creative juices flowing. The visual aids that come with the templates help team members better understand the issue at hand and easily come up with solutions together.

This activity is great for teams that need assistance in getting started on their problem-solving journey, as it provides an easy and stress-free way to get the creative juices flowing.

Problem Solving Group Activities & Games For Team Building

3. coworker feud, “it’s all fun and games”.

Coworker Feud is a twist on the classic Family Feud game show! This multiple rapid round game keeps the action flowing and the questions going. You can choose from a variety of customizations, including picking the teams yourself, randomized teams, custom themes, and custom rounds.

Best for: Hybrid teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Coworker Feud comes with digital game materials, a digital buzzer, an expert host, and a zoom link to get the participants ready for action! Teams compete with each other to correctly answer the survey questions. At the end of the game, the team with the most competitive answers is declared the winner of the Feud.

How to get started:

  • Sign up for Coworker Feud
  • Break into teams of 4 to 10 people
  • Get the competitive juices flowing and let the games begin!

Learn more here: Coworker Feud

4. Crack The Case

“who’s a bad mamma jamma”.

Crack The Case is a classic WhoDoneIt game that forces employees to depend on their collective wit to stop a deadly murderer dead in his tracks! Remote employees and office commuters can join forces to end this crime spree.

Best for: Remote teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: The Virtual Clue Murder Mystery is an online problem solving activity that uses a proprietary videoconferencing platform to offer the chance for employees and coworkers to study case files, analyze clues, and race to find the motive, the method, and the individual behind the murder of Neil Davidson.

  • Get a custom quote here
  • Download the app
  • Let the mystery-solving collaboration begin!

Learn more here: Crack The Case

5. Catch Meme If You Can

“can’t touch this”.

Purposefully created to enhance leadership skills and team bonding , Catch Meme If You Can is a hybrid between a scavenger hunt and an escape room . Teammates join together to search for clues, solve riddles, and get out — just in time!

Best for: Small teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Catch Meme If You Can is an adventure with a backstory. Each team has to submit their answer to the puzzle in order to continue to the next part of the sequence. May the best team escape!

  • The teams will be given instructions and the full storyline
  • Teams will be split into a handful of people each
  • The moderator will kick off the action!

Learn more here: Catch Meme If You Can

6. Puzzle Games

“just something to puzzle over”.

Puzzle Games is the fresh trivia game to test your employees and blow their minds with puzzles, jokes , and fun facts!

Best for: In-person teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Eight mini brain teaser and trivia style games include word puzzles, name that nonsense, name that tune, and much more. Plus, the points each team earns will go towards planting trees in the precious ecosystems and forests of Uganda

  • Get a free consultation for your team
  • Get a custom designed invitation for your members
  • Use the game link
  • Dedicated support will help your team enjoy Puzzle Games to the fullest!

Learn more here: Puzzle Games

7. Virtual Code Break

“for virtual teams”.

Virtual Code Break is a virtual team building activity designed for remote participants around the globe. Using a smart video conferencing solution, virtual teams compete against each other to complete challenges, answer trivia questions, and solve brain-busters!

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Virtual Code Break can be played by groups as small as 4 people all the way up to more than 1,000 people at once. However, every team will improve their communication and problem-solving skills as they race against the clock and depend on each other’s strengths to win!

  • Reach out for a free consultation to align the needs of your team
  • An event facilitator will be assigned to handle all of the set-up and logistics
  • They will also provide you with logins and a play-by-play of what to expect
  • Sign into the Outback video conferencing platform and join your pre-assigned team
  • Lastly, let the games begin!

Learn more here: Virtual Code Break

8. Stranded

“survivor: office edition”.

Stranded is the perfect scenario-based problem solving group activity. The doors of the office are locked and obviously your team can’t just knock them down or break the windows.

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Your team has less than half an hour to choose 10 items around the office that will help them survive. They then rank the items in order of importance. It’s a bit like the classic game of being lost at sea without a lifeboat.

  • Get everyone together in the office
  • Lock the doors
  • Let them start working together to plan their survival

Learn more here: Stranded

9. Letting Go Game

“for conscious healing”.

The Letting Go Game is a game of meditation and mindfulness training for helping teammates thrive under pressure and reduce stress in the process. The tasks of the Letting Go Game boost resiliency, attentiveness, and collaboration.

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Expert-guided activities and awareness exercises encourage team members to think altruistically and demonstrate acts of kindness. Between yoga, face painting, and fun photography, your employees or coworkers will have more than enough to keep them laughing and growing together with this mindfulness activity!

  • Reach out for a free consultation
  • A guide will then help lead the exercises
  • Let the funny videos, pictures, and playing begin!

Learn more here: Letting Go Game

10. Wild Goose Chase

“city time”.

Wild Goose Chase is the creative problem solving activity that will take teams all around your city and bring them together as a group! This scavenger hunt works for teams as small as 10 up to groups of over 5000 people.

Best for: Large teams

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: As employees and group members are coming back to the office, there are going to be times that they’re itching to get outside. Wild Goose Chase is the perfect excuse to satisfy the desire to go out-of-office every now and then. Plus, having things to look at and see around the city will get employees talking in ways they never have before.

  • Download the Outback app to access the Wild Goose Chase
  • Take photos and videos from around the city
  • The most successful team at completing challenges on time is the champ!

Learn more here: Wild Goose Chase

11. Human Knot

“for a knotty good time”.

Human-knot

The Human Knot is one of the best icebreaker team building activities! In fact, there’s a decent chance you played it in grade school. It’s fun, silly, and best of all — free!

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: Participants start in a circle and connect hands with two other people in the group to form a human knot. The team then has to work together and focus on clear communication to unravel the human knot by maneuvering their way out of this hands-on conundrum. But there’s a catch — they can’t let go of each other’s hands in this team building exercise.

  • Form a circle
  • Tell each person to grab a random hand until all hands are holding another
  • They can’t hold anyone’s hand who is directly next to them
  • Now they have to get to untangling
  • If the chain breaks before everyone is untangled, they have to start over again

Learn more here: Human Knot

12. What Would You Do?

“because it’s fun to imagine”.

Team-building-activity

What Would You Do? Is the hypothetical question game that gets your team talking and brainstorming about what they’d do in a variety of fun, intriguing, and sometimes, whacky scenarios.

Best for: Distributed teams

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: After employees or coworkers start talking about their What Would You Do? responses, they won’t be able to stop. That’s what makes this such an incredible team building activity . For example, you could ask questions like “If you could live forever, what would you do with your time?” or “If you never had to sleep, what would you do?”

  • In addition to hypothetical questions, you could also give teammates some optional answers to get them started
  • After that, let them do the talking — then they’ll be laughing and thinking and dreaming, too!

13. Crossing The River

“quite the conundrum”.

Crossing-the-river

Crossing The River is a river-crossing challenge with one correct answer. Your team gets five essential elements — a chicken, a fox, a rowboat, a woman, and a bag of corn. You see, the woman has a bit of a problem, you tell them. She has to get the fox, the bag of corn, and the chicken to the other side of the river as efficiently as possible.

Why this is an effective group problem solving activity: She has a rowboat, but it can only carry her and one other item at a time. She cannot leave the chicken and the fox alone — for obvious reasons. And she can’t leave the chicken with the corn because it will gobble it right up. So the question for your team is how does the woman get all five elements to the other side of the river safely in this fun activity?

  • Form teams of 2 to 5 people
  • Each team has to solve the imaginary riddle
  • Just make sure that each group understands that the rowboat can only carry one animal and one item at a time; the fox and chicken can’t be alone; and the bag of corn and the chicken cannot be left alone
  • Give the verbal instructions for getting everything over to the other side

14. End-Hunger Games

“philanthropic fun”.

Does anything bond people quite like acts of kindness and compassion? The End-Hunger Games will get your team to rally around solving the serious problem of hunger.

Best for: Medium-sized teams

Why this is an effective problem solving group activity: Teams join forces to complete challenges based around non-perishable food items in the End-Hunger Games. Groups can range in size from 25 to more than 2000 people, who will all work together to collect food for the local food bank.

  • Split into teams and compete to earn boxes and cans of non-perishable food
  • Each team attempts to build the most impressive food item construction
  • Donate all of the non-perishable foods to a local food bank

Learn more here: End-Hunger Games

People Also Ask These Questions About Team Building Problem Solving Group Activities

Q: what are some problem solving group activities.

  • A: Some problem solving group activities can include riddles, egg drop, reverse pyramid, tallest tower, trivia, and other moderator-led activities.

Q: What kind of skills do group problem solving activities & games improve?

  • A: Group problem solving activities and games improve collaboration, leadership, and communication skills.

Q: What are problem solving based team building activities & games?

  • A: Problem solving based team building activities and games are activities that challenge teams to work together in order to complete them.

Q: What are some fun free problem solving games for groups?

  • A: Some fun free problem solving games for groups are kinesthetic puzzles like the human knot game, which you can read more about in this article. You can also use all sorts of random items like whiteboards, straws, building blocks, sticky notes, blindfolds, rubber bands, and legos to invent a game that will get the whole team involved.

Q: How do I choose the most effective problem solving exercise for my team?

  • A: The most effective problem solving exercise for your team is one that will challenge them to be their best selves and expand their creative thinking.

Q: How do I know if my group problem solving activity was successful?

  • A: In the short-term, you’ll know if your group problem solving activity was successful because your team will bond over it; however, that should also translate to more productivity in the mid to long-term.

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25 Brainstorming Questions to Generate Better Ideas

An image of a group of people in an office brainstorming in a room with large windows

Brainstorming is an essential process for generating new ideas, solving complex problems, and driving innovation and growth. 

However, the effectiveness of a brainstorming session depends largely on the quality of the questions being asked. 

Without the right questions, the discussion can become unfocused and unproductive, resulting in missed opportunities and wasted time. That's why building a framework for generating better brainstorming questions is so important. 

In this blog post, we’ll explore the key elements of a framework for generating better brainstorming questions and why it's important for achieving successful outcomes in any brainstorming session . By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your brainstorming sessions stay on point and generate innovative ideas that drive success for your organization.

How to ask better brainstorming questions

Too often, we surrender to the myth of the water cooler. In reality, it’s not just luck or serendipity that results in great ideas . The key is to build a framework that creates an environment where your brainstorming is focused on the right issues. Here’s how. 

Start with the problem

The first step in building a framework for asking better brainstorming questions is to clearly define the problem that needs to be solved. This will help to guide the discussion and ensure that the questions are relevant and focused on the task at hand.

Related: How to Identify the Right Problems to Solve

Identify the objective

Once you have a clearly-defined problem statement , the next step is to identify the objective of the brainstorming session. Are you looking to generate new ideas, dig deeper into the root cause of a problem, or evaluate potential solutions? This will help to determine the types of questions that need to be asked.

Determine the scope

The scope of the brainstorming session will also impact the types of questions that need to be asked. Are you looking at a specific area of the business, or is the scope broader? This will help to identify the relevant stakeholders and ensure that the questions are appropriate.

Use visual aids

Visual aids, such as diagrams, flowcharts , and graphs, can help to stimulate the imagination and encourage creative thinking. These aids can be used to illustrate ideas, identify trends, and explore different scenarios. A shared digital space, like an online whiteboard , can be the best place to bring everyone together, level the playing field, and capture all your ideas and feedback. 

25 brainstorming questions to generate better ideas

1. information-gathering questions.

Including information-gathering questions helps to provide context and background that can inform the discussion and generate more focused and relevant ideas. When participants have a better understanding of the problem or topic at hand, they can come up with ideas that are more targeted and effective.

Information-gathering questions can also help to ensure that everyone has a shared understanding of the problem or topic being discussed. This can prevent misunderstandings or assumptions from leading the discussion astray and can help to ensure that all ideas directly pertain to the problem at hand.

Examples of information-gathering questions:

  • What is the background of the problem we're trying to solve?
  • What data or research do we have on this issue?
  • Who are the key stakeholders involved in this problem?
  • What has been tried before to solve this problem?
  • What are the current market trends or industry best practices related to this problem?

2. Probing questions

Introducing probing questions in a brainstorming session is important because it helps to uncover the root cause of the problem or challenge being discussed. When team members have a better understanding of the underlying issues and factors that are contributing to the problem, they can come up with more effective and targeted solutions.

In addition, probing questions can help to generate more detailed and specific information about the problem or challenge. This information can then be used to generate ideas that are more targeted and effective in addressing the root cause of the problem.

Examples of probing questions:

  • What are the underlying causes of this problem?
  • What assumptions are we making about this issue?
  • What are the consequences of not addressing this problem?
  • What are the different perspectives on this issue?
  • What are the risks and opportunities associated with solving this problem?
Pro-tip: Use Mural’s problem tree analysis template to help define root causes and examine related effects 

3. Problem-solving questions

Including problem-solving questions in a brainstorming session helps to identify potential solutions to the root cause of the problem or challenge being discussed. When participants have a better understanding of the underlying issues and factors that are contributing to the problem, they can generate more effective and targeted solutions.

Problem-solving questions can also help to generate a wide range of ideas and perspectives from participants. By encouraging participants to think creatively and outside the box , problem-solving questions can help to generate new and innovative ideas that may not have been considered before.

In addition, problem-solving questions can help to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of potential solutions. 

Examples of problem-solving questions:

  • What are some potential solutions to this problem?
  • What are the criteria we should use to evaluate potential solutions?
  • How can we prioritize potential solutions?
  • What are the risks and benefits of each potential solution?
  • What resources and support will we need to implement the chosen solution?

4. Refining questions

Refining questions can be used to evaluate the viability of a potential solution by considering factors such as the resources required, the potential impact on stakeholders, and the feasibility of implementation. By asking these types of questions, participants can narrow down the potential solutions and identify the ones that are most likely to be successful.

In addition, refining questions can help to ensure that potential solutions are aligned with the overall goals and objectives of the organization or project. Considering factors such as the strategic priorities, budget constraints, and long-term impact, can help participants identify solutions that are most likely to achieve the desired outcomes.

Examples of refining questions:

  • How can we test the viability of the chosen solution?
  • What are the potential barriers to implementing the solution, and how can we address them?
  • How can we measure the success of the chosen solution?
  • What are the resource requirements, including personnel, funding, and technology, for implementing the solution?
  • How can we ensure the sustainability of the solution over time?
Related: 5 strategies to conduct better group brainstorms

5. Reflection questions

Reflection questions can help to make sure that participants have a shared understanding of the ideas that have been generated. By summarizing the key ideas and insights, participants can confirm their understanding of the issues and solutions that have been discussed.

Reflection questions are also a means of identifying any gaps or areas that require further exploration. These questions encourage participants to reflect on what they have learned and what they still need to know, ensuring that all relevant information has been considered.

In addition, reflection questions can help to plan next steps and ensure that the ideas generated during the session are acted upon. By considering questions such as what are the next steps? or who will be responsible for implementing these ideas ?, participants can begin to develop an action plan for moving forward.

Examples of reflection questions:

  • What did we learn from this meeting?
  • What were the key takeaways from the discussion?
  • Are there any unresolved issues or concerns we need to address?
  • How can we ensure alignment and buy-in from all stakeholders?
  • What are the next steps and action items to move forward?

Start holding better brainstorming and ideation sessions

To wrap things up, building a framework for better brainstorming questions is vital for productive brainstorming sessions. Through including various types of brainstorming questions, such as information-gathering, probing, problem-solving, refining, and reflection questions, participants can generate a broad range of ideas, assess potential solutions, and plan next steps effectively. 

Don't forget that diversity, psychological safety , and structured facilitation are essential for improving the quality of brainstorming sessions. 

With Mural, teams can easily share their work with stakeholders and invite unlimited members to collaborate in real-time. Sign up for a Free Forever account today, and enhance the quality of your brainstorming sessions, generate better ideas, and increase speed to innovation for your organization. 

About the authors

Bryan Kitch

Bryan Kitch

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[FREE] Fun Math Games & Activities

Engage your students with our ready-to-go packs of no-prep games and activities for a range of abilities across Kindergarten to Grade 5!

25 Fun Math Problems For Elementary And Middle School (From Easy To Very Hard!)

Fun math problems and brainteasers are loved by mathematicians; they provide an opportunity to apply mathematical knowledge, logic, and problem-solving skills all at once.

In this article, we’ve compiled 25 fun math problems and brainteasers covering various topics and question types. They’re aimed at students in upper elementary (3rd-5th grade) and middle school (6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade). We’ve categorized them as:

Math word problems

Math puzzles, fraction problems, multiplication and division problems, geometry problems, problem-solving questions, math puzzles are everywhere, how should teachers use these math problems.

Teachers could make use of these math problem solving questions in a number of ways. They can:

  • incorporate the questions into a relevant math lesson.
  • set tasks at the beginning of lessons.
  • break up or extend a math worksheet.
  • keep students thinking mathematically after the main lesson has finished.

Some are based on real life or historical math problems, and some include ‘bonus’ math questions to help extend the problem-solving fun! As you read through these problems, think about how you could adjust them to be relevant to your students and their grade level or to practice different math skills. 

These math problems can also be used as introductory puzzles for math games such as those introduced at the following links:

  • Math games for grade 4
  • Middle school math games

25 Math Problems

Want the fun and challenging questions from this blog wrapped up in a downloadable question and answer format? Then you're in luck!

1. Home on time – easy 

Type: elapsed time, number, addition.

A movie theater screening starts at 2:35 pm. The movie lasts for 2 hours, 32 minutes after 23 minutes of previews. It took 20 minutes to get to the movie theater. What time should you tell your family that you’ll be home?

Answer: 6:10 pm

2. A nugget of truth – mixed

Type: Multiplication Facts, Multiplication, Multiples, Factors, Problem-Solving 

Chicken nuggets come in boxes of 6, 9 or 20, so you can’t order 7 chicken nuggets. How many other impossible quantities can you find (not including fractions or decimals)?

Answer: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 25, 28, 31, 34, 37, or 43

There is actually a theorem which can be used to prove that every integer quantity greater than 43 can be ordered.

3. A pet problem – mixed

Type: Number, Problem Solving, Forming and Solving Equations, Simultaneous Equations, Algebra

Eight of my pets aren’t dogs, five aren’t rabbits, and seven aren’t cats. How many pets do I have?

Answer: 10 pets (5 rabbits, 3 cats, 2 dogs)

Looking for more word problems, solutions and explanations? Read our article on word problems for elementary school.

4. the price of things – mixed.

Type: lateral thinking problem

A mouse costs $10, a bee costs $15, and a spider costs $20. Based on this, how much does a duck cost?

Answer: $5 ($2.50 per leg)

5. A dicey math challenge – easy

Type: Place value, number, addition, problem-solving

Roll three 6 sided dice to generate three place value digits. What’s the biggest number you can make out of these digits? What’s the smallest number you can make?

Add these two numbers together. What do you get?

Answer: If the digits are the same, the maximum is 666 and the minimum is 111. Then, if you add the numbers together, 666 + 111 = 777. If the digits are different, the maximum is 654 and the minimum is 456. Then, if you add the numbers together, 654 + 456 = 1,110.

Bonus: Who got a different result? Why?

6. PIN problem solving – mixed

Type: Logic, problem solving, reasoning

I’ve forgotten my PIN. Six incorrect attempts locks my account: I’ve used five! Two digits are displayed after each unsuccessful attempt: “2, 0” means 2 digits from that guess are in the PIN, but 0 are in the right place. No two digits in my PIN are the same.

What should my sixth attempt be?

pin math problem

Answer: 6347

7. So many birds – mixed

Type: Triangular Numbers, Sequences, Number, Problem Solving

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave me one gift. On the second day they gave me another pair of gifts plus a copy of what they gave me on day one. On day 3, they gave me three new gifts, plus another copy of everything they’d already given me. If they keep this up, how many gifts will I have after twelve days?

Answer: 364

Bonus: This could be calculated as 1 + (1 + 2) + (1 + 2 + 3) + … but is there an easier way? What percentage of my gifts do I receive on each day?

8. I 8 sum math questions – mixed

Type: Number, Place Value, Addition, Problem Solving, Reasoning

Using only addition and the digit 8, can you make 1,000? You can put 8s together to make 88, for example.

Answer: 888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1,000 Bonus: Which other digits allow you to get 1,000 in this way?

4 friends entered a math quiz. One answered \frac {1}{5} of the math questions, one answered \frac {1}{10} , one answered \frac{1}{4} , and the other answered \frac{4}{25} . What percentage of the questions did they answer altogether?

Answer: 71%

10. Ancient problem solving – easy

Type: Fractions, Reasoning, Problem Solving

Ancient Egyptians only used unit fractions (like \frac {1}{2} , \frac{1}{3} or \frac{1}{4} . For \frac {2}{3} they’d write \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{3} . How might they write \frac{5}{8} ?

Answer: 

\frac {1}{8} + \frac{1}{8} + \frac{1}{8} + \frac{1}{8} + \frac{1}{8} is correct. So is \frac {1}{2} + \frac{1}{8} (They are both still unit fractions even though they have different denominators.)

Bonus: Which solution is better? Why? Can you find any more? What if subtractions are allowed?

Learn more about unit fractions here .

11. everybody wants a pizza the action – hard.

An infinite number of mathematicians buy pizza. The first wants \frac{1}{2} . The second wants \frac{1}{4} pizza. The third & fourth want \frac{1}{8} and \frac{1}{16} each, and so on. How many pizzas should they order?

Answer: 1 Each successive mathematician wants a slice that is exactly half of what is left:

fractions math problem

12. Shade it black – hard

Type: Fractions, Reasoning, Problem Solving What fraction of this image is shaded black?

another math problem on fractions

Answer:  

Look at the L-shaped part made up of two white and one black squares: 

\frac{1}{3} of this part is shaded. Zoom in on the top-right quarter of the image, which looks exactly the same as the whole image, and use the same reasoning to find what fraction of its L-shaped portion is shaded. Imagine zooming in to do the same thing again and again…

13. Giving is receiving – easy

Type: Number, Reasoning, Problem Solving

5 people give each other a present. How many presents are given altogether?

14. Sharing is caring – mixed

I have 20 candies. If I share them equally with my friends, there are 2 left over. If one more person joins us, there are 6 candies left. How many friends am I with?

Answer: 6 people altogether (so 5 friends!)

15. Multiplication facts secrets – mixed

Type: Area, 2D Shape, Rectangles

Here are 77 letters:

B Y H R C G N E O E A A H G C U R P U T S A S H H S B O R E O P E E M E E L A T P E F A D P H L TU T I E E O H L E N R Y T I I A G B M T N F C G E I I G

How many different rectangular grids could you arrange all 77 letters into?

Can you reveal the secret message?

Answer: Four: 1 × 77, 77 × 1, 11 × 7 and 7 × 11. If the letters are arranged into one of these, a message appears, reading down each column starting from the top left.

Another math problem on multiplication

Bonus: Can you find any more integers with the same number of factors as 77? What do you notice about these factors (think about prime numbers)? Can you use this system to hide your own messages?

16. Laugh it up – hard

Type: Multiples, Least Common Multiple, Multiplication Facts, Division, Time

One friend jumps every \frac{1}{3} of a minute. Another jumps every 31 seconds. When will they jump together? Answer: After 620 seconds

US lesson slide

17. Pictures of matchstick triangles – easy

Type: 2D Shapes, Equilateral Triangles, Problem Solving, Reasoning

Look at the matchsticks arranged below. How many equilateral triangles are there?

triangles math problem

Answer: 13 (9 small, 3 medium, 1 large)

Bonus: What if the biggest triangle only had two matchsticks on each side? What if it had four?

18. Dissecting squares – mixed

Type: Reasoning, Problem Solving

What’s the smallest number of straight lines you could draw on this grid such that each square has a line going through it?

grid

19. Make it right – mixed

Type: Pythagorean theorem

This triangle does not agree with Pythagorean theorem. 

Adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing each of the side lengths by the same whole number can fix it. What is the number?

pythagorean theorem math problem

Answer: 3 

The new side lengths are 3, 4 and 5 and  32 + 42 = 52.

20. A most regular math question – hard

Type: Polygons, 2D Shapes, tessellation, reasoning, problem-solving, patterns

What is the regular polygon with the largest number of sides that will self-tessellate?

Answer: Hexagon.

Regular polygons tessellate if one interior angle is a factor of 360 ° . The interior angle of a hexagon is 120°. This is the largest factor less than 180°.

21. Pleased to meet you – easy

Type: Number Problem, Reasoning, Problem Solving

5 people meet; each shakes everyone else’s hand once. How many handshakes take place?

Person A shakes 4 people’s hands. Person B has already shaken Person A’s hand, so only needs to shake 3 more, and so on.

Bonus: How many handshakes would there be if you did this with your class?

22. All relative – easy

Type: Number, Reasoning, Problem-Solving

When I was twelve my brother was half my age. I’m 40 now, so how old is he?

23. It’s about time – mixed

Type: Time, Reasoning, Problem-Solving

When is “8 + 10 = 6” true?

Answer: When you’re telling the time (8am + 10 hours = 6pm)

24. More than a match – mixed

Type: Reasoning, Problem-Solving, Roman Numerals, Numerical Notation

Here are three matches:

matches math problem

How can you add two more matches, but get eight? Answer: Put the extra two matches in a V shape to make 8 in Roman Numerals:

roman numerals math problem

25. Leonhard’s graph – hard

Type: Reasoning, Problem-Solving, Logic

Leonhard’s town has seven bridges as shown below. Can you find a route around the town that crosses every bridge exactly once?

brainteaser

Answer: No!

This is a classic real life historical math problem solved by mathematician Leonhard Euler (rhymes with “boiler”). The city was Konigsberg in Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia). Not being able to find a solution is different from proving that there aren’t any! Euler managed to do this in 1736, practically inventing graph theory in the process.

Many of these 25 math problems are rooted in real life, from everyday occurrences to historical events. Others are just questions that might arise if you say “what if…?”. The point is that although there are many lists of such problem-solving math questions that you can make use of, with a little bit of experience and inspiration you could create your own on almost any topic – and so could your students. 

For a kick-starter on creating your own math problems, read our article on middle school math problem solving .

Do you have students who need extra support in math? Give your students more opportunities to consolidate learning and practice skills through personalized math tutoring with their own dedicated online math tutor. Each student receives differentiated instruction designed to close their individual learning gaps, and scaffolded learning ensures every student learns at the right pace. Lessons are aligned with your state’s standards and assessments, plus you’ll receive regular reports every step of the way. Personalized one-on-one math tutoring programs are available for: – 2nd grade tutoring – 3rd grade tutoring – 4th grade tutoring – 5th grade tutoring – 6th grade tutoring – 7th grade tutoring – 8th grade tutoring Why not learn more about how it works ?

The content in this article was originally written by primary school teacher Tom Briggs and has since been revised and adapted for US schools by math curriculum specialist and former elementary math teacher Katie Keeton.

12 Math Club Games & Activities [FREE]

Make math even more enjoyable for your students with this easy-to-use collection of games and activities to try during your math club.

From multiplication skills to reasoning, the minimal resources needed for each activity means you won’t spend half the time setting up and packing away!

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40 riddles and brain teasers to test your general knowledge

Try out some of the best riddle quiz questions around, as well as some tricky brain teasers

  • 15:58, 12 MAY 2020
  • Updated 09:00, 25 JAN 2023

Try out these riddles and brain teasers

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Think you are a bit of a genius problem solver? Then have a go at our challenging riddles and tricky brain teasers.

You may already think you're a know-it-all when it comes to quizzes but this is a whole different ball (or mind) game. So if you are up to the test why not get your brain in action with our 40 questions and answers below.

We have put together a hefty list of some of the best and hardest riddles and teasers around, just for you to try out. Some of them may seem simple but don't be fooled, they will leave you pulling your hair out until you know the answers.

So, whether you’re a riddle wizard or fancy trying something new we have all the top teasers and answers all in one place. Scroll down below to put your mind’s puzzle power to the test.

1. What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?

2. What can you break, even if you never pick it up or touch it?

3. I have branches, but no fruit, trunk or leaves. What am I?

4. What can you catch, but not throw?

5. What has to be broken before you can use it?

6. I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?

7. What goes up but never comes down?

8. The more of this there is, the less you see. What is it?

9. What can travel all around the world without leaving its corner?

10. What question can you never answer yes to?

11. What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?

12. What has 13 hearts, but no other organs?

13. What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?

14. What can fill a room but takes up no space?

15. What has one eye, but can’t see?

16. If you drop me I’m sure to crack, but give me a smile and I’ll always smile back. What am I?

17. The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they?

18. What breaks yet never falls, and what falls yet never breaks?

19. I am always hungry and will die if not fed, but whatever I touch will soon turn red. What am I?

20. What has one head, one foot and four legs?

21. The person who makes it has no need of it; the person who buys it has no use for it. The person who uses it can neither see nor feel it. What is it?

22. I have lakes with no water, mountains with no stone and cities with no buildings. What am I?

23. What has a head, a tail, is brown, and has no legs?

24. Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?

25. What begins with an “e” and only contains one letter?

26. What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you?

27. What can point in every direction but can't reach the destination by itself.

28. What has many keys, but can't even open a single door?

29. A man rode out of town on Sunday, he stayed a whole night at a hotel and rode back to town the next day on Sunday. How is this possible?

30. What has six faces, but does not wear makeup, has twenty-one eyes, but cannot see? What is it?

31. This is as light as a feather, yet no man can hold it for long. What am I?

32. What runs around the whole yard without moving?

33. The more you take away, the more I become. What am I?

34. I have two hands, but I can not scratch myself. What am I?

35. Poor people have it. Rich people need it. If you eat it you die. what is it?

36. What goes up when the rain comes down?

37. I have no feet, no hands, no wings, but I climb to the sky. What am I?

38. If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I?

39. I am full of holes but I can still hold water. What am I?

40. I can be cracked, I can be made. I can be told, I can be played. What am I?

1. The future

2. A promise

6. A candle

7. Your age

8. Darkness

10. Are you asleep yet?

11. Silence

12. A deck of cards

13. A river

15. A needle

16. A mirror

17. Footsteps

18. Day, and night

21. A coffin

23. A Penny

24. Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

25. An envelope

26. Your name

27. Your finger

28. A piano

29. His horse was called Sunday

31. Your breath

32. A fence

34. A clock

35. Nothing

36. An umbrella

38. A secret

39. A sponge

Test yourself with these:

  • 50 more riddles and brain teasers to test your general knowledge
  • 20 dinosaur quiz questions to test your fossil-mad friends
  • 20 animal pub quiz questions to test your general knowledge
  • 90s quiz: 40 questions you'll only get right if you grew up in this time
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LiveCareer

Can You Answer These 21 Mind-Blowingly Funny Interview Questions?

LiveCareer Staff Writer

“When a hot dog expands, in which direction does it split and why?” This is a real interview question. Could you answer it on the spot? Here’s a hint: you can’t provide a black or white, right or wrong answer. The trick to succeeding is all in the gray area.

Funny interview questions, or brain teasers, are popular with hiring managers because the way you answer will provide some indication of your ability to do the job.

Whether you perceive brain teasers to be difficult or just a bunch of funny interview questions, the answers you provide will help the interviewers evaluate your problem-solving skills, critical thinking process, creativity, and your ability to perform under stress.

Funny interview questions are common during any interview. The interviewer is not necessarily trying to catch you off-guard, but rather wants to see how you work through the problem and arrive at your conclusion. The route you take in your explanation says a lot about the way your mind works. Are you a deep and focused thinker? Does your method of solving the problem jive with the team?

Though there is technically no right or wrong answer, the more you question the original inquiry, chances are, the more the conversation will flow and an answer will appear.

When you are asked funny interview questions, it’s always a good idea to walk the interviewer through your thought process to show how you arrive at a conclusion. Below are three tips to assess and answer funny interview questions:

  • Take your time to think about the question. Don’t feel pressured to answer quickly. You want show the interviewer that you are considering a variety of options, not jumping to a conclusion.
  • Ask questions. To ensure you understand the question, ask the interviewer more questions. You may find that their answers provide you with more data to help you arrive at a good answer.
  • Talk out your thinking process. Verbalize the steps you take to solve the brain teaser. Emphasize your approach, not on the final answer.

So if you find yourself in an interview and the hiring manager asks you, “When a hot dog expands, in which direction does it split and why?” Here’s a way to answer:

Start by asking, “Is the hot dog boiled, microwaved, or grilled?” Think about their answer, and envision a hot dog in the microwave, on the grill, and boiled in water. Break down the question and then answer in a way that shows your creative problem-solving skills .

If you have the knowledge that the hot dog is being heated up in the microwave, for example, you may talk your answer out by stating, “A microwave tends to heat up faster than a grill, and therefore the hot dogs will expand faster. In a microwave, the ends of the hot dog would crack first, and then the hot dog would eventually split from one end to the other.”

Remember, when it comes to funny interview questions, the answer is usually irrelevant. Hiring managers are not looking for the correct answer; they look at how you arrived at the answer.

Here are 21 funny interview questions that can get your creative juices flowing:

  • What would you do if you found a penguin in the freezer?
  • If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be and why?
  • Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?
  • How would you sell hot cocoa in Florida?
  • How many basketballs would fit in this room?
  • You’re a new addition to the crayon box, what color would you be and why?
  • What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?
  • Describe the color yellow to someone who is blind.
  • If you were a pizza deliveryman how would you benefit from scissors?
  • Why is a tennis ball fuzzy?
  • If you could throw a parade of any caliber through your office, what type of parade would it be?
  • What would you do if you were the one survivor in a plane crash?
  • If you woke up and had 2,000 unread emails and could only answer 300 of them how would you choose which ones to answer?
  • If you could have a machine that produced $100 dollars for life, how much would you be willing to pay for it?
  • How lucky are you and why?
  • If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?
  • If you could get rid of any one state, which would it be and why?
  • A penguin walks through the door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?
  • You’re in a room with three light switches, each of which controls one of three light bulbs in the next room. You need to determine which switch controls which bulb. All lights are off to begin, and you can’t see into one room from the other. You can inspect the other room only once. How can you find out which switches are connected to which bulbs?
  • How would people communicate in a perfect world?
  • Why are manhole covers round?

Brain teasers are funny interview questions that will get you thinking creatively and strategically. Remember, there isn’t a correct answer, so take your time and engage the interviewer.

Related Content

Interview Q&A: How Would You Weigh A Plane Without Scales?

Interview Q&A: What Do You Know About This Company?

Interview Q&A: What Did You Like Least About Your Last Job?

About the Author

LiveCareer Staff Writer •

At LiveCareer, we live and breathe the belief that we can help people transform their work lives, and so do our contributors. Our experts come from a variety of backgrounds but have one thing in common: they are authorities on the job market. From journalists with years of experience covering workforce topics, to academics who study the theory behind employment and staffing, to certified resume writers whose expertise in the creation of application documents offers our readers insights into how to best wow recruiters and hiring managers, LiveCareer’s stable of expert writers are among the best in the business. Whether you are new to the workforce, are a seasoned professional, or somewhere in between, LiveCareer’s contributors will help you move the needle on your career and get the job you want faster than you think.

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Khan Academy Blog

Free Math Worksheets — Over 100k free practice problems on Khan Academy

Looking for free math worksheets.

You’ve found something even better!

That’s because Khan Academy has over 100,000 free practice questions. And they’re even better than traditional math worksheets – more instantaneous, more interactive, and more fun!

Just choose your grade level or topic to get access to 100% free practice questions:

Kindergarten, basic geometry, pre-algebra, algebra basics, high school geometry.

  • Trigonometry

Statistics and probability

High school statistics, ap®︎/college statistics, precalculus, differential calculus, integral calculus, ap®︎/college calculus ab, ap®︎/college calculus bc, multivariable calculus, differential equations, linear algebra.

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‘A nightmare’: Special counsel’s assessment of Biden’s mental fitness triggers Democratic panic

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden sidestepped any criminal charges as the investigation into his handling of classified documents concluded, but the political blowback from the special counsel’s report Thursday could prove even more devastating, reinforcing impressions that he is too old and impaired to hold the highest office.

Special counsel Robert Hur’s portrait of a man who couldn’t remember when he served as Barack Obama’s vice president, or the year when his beloved son Beau died, dealt a blow to Biden’s argument that he is still sharp and fit enough to serve another four-year term.

In deciding not to charge Biden with any crimes, the special counsel wrote that in a potential trial, “Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview with him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

It was tough enough for Biden to reassure voters about his health before Hur’s report hit like a thunderclap Thursday afternoon, prompting members of his own party to question whether he could remain the nominee in November.

“It’s a nightmare,” said a Democratic House member who asked to speak anonymously to provide a frank assessment, adding that “it weakens President Biden electorally, and Donald Trump would be a disaster and an authoritarian.”

“For Democrats, we’re in a grim situation.”

Biden wasted little time before attempting to minimize the fallout. He held an unexpected exchange with reporters in the White House on Thursday night, in which he disputed Hur's assessment of his mental acuity.

Biden grew emotional when invoking the part of the report addressing the date of his son's death.

"How in the hell dare you raise that?" Biden said. "Frankly, when I was asked the question I thought to myself, 'It wasn't any of their damn business.' "

‘Beyond devastating’

Polling has long shown that age looms as Biden’s greatest liability in his expected rematch with Trump. A January poll by NBC News found that 76% of voters have major or moderate concerns about Biden’s mental and physical health.

“It’s been a problem since way before this ever happened,” said a longtime Democratic operative who noted that when focus groups are asked to apply one word to Biden, it is often “old.”

Just this week, Biden twice referred to conversations he’s had as president with foreign leaders who’ve long since died. In his remarks Thursday night defending his competency, while talking about the war in Gaza, he referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi as being the head of Mexico. White House press aides have downplayed such lapses as the sort of mistake anyone in public life can make.

The Hur report strips away the defenses that Biden’s press operation has used to protect him and raises fresh doubts about whether Biden is up to the rigors of the presidency, Democratic strategists said in interviews.

“This is beyond devastating,” said another Democratic operative, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk candidly about Biden’s shortcomings. “It confirms every doubt and concern that voters have. If the only reason they didn’t charge him is because he’s too old to be charged, then how can he be president of the United States?”

Asked if Hur’s report changes the calculus for Democrats who expect Biden to be the party’s nominee, this person said: “How the f--- does it not?”

Another Biden ally called it “the worst day of his presidency.”

“I think he needs to show us this is a demonstrably false characterization of him and that he has what it takes to win and govern.”

Biden has overwhelmingly won the first primary contests — notching victories in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. It would be virtually impossible for anyone else to challenge him at this point; the deadline has passed in more than 30 states to get on primary ballots.

Some of the president’s allies were quick to defend him. They pointed to the timing of the interview with the special counsel — days after Hamas’ attack on Israel, which had captured much of the president’s focus. Others said that in their own dealings with Biden, he shows no sign of infirmity.

“He did so well in this discussion with members,” Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., told NBC News after seeing the president on Thursday. “He’s very sharp, no memory issues, and his only stumbling is when he trips over words consistent with his lifelong speech impediment.”

‘Prejudicial language’

Though Biden was fortunate to escape indictment, the special counsel report may give Trump additional fodder as he fights charges for allegedly mishandling classified records at his Mar-a-Lago social club. Republicans are already accusing Biden of benefiting from a double standard . Trump will likely brandish the Hur report as proof that Biden has “weaponized” the Justice Department for political advantage.

What’s more, Democrats will now be hard-pressed to capitalize on Trump’s indictment over retaining classified records. Before Hur’s report came out, Democrats argued that the two cases were very different. Whereas Trump failed to turn over classified records even after he was asked to do so, Biden willingly cooperated with authorities and relinquished all the material he had, Biden allies had argued.

“The public understands the essential difference between presidents or vice presidents like Joe Biden who occasionally behaved in sloppy ways with respect to where they were taking documents, and a president like Trump, who deliberately makes off with hundreds of classified government documents and then hides them and refuses to return them,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said on Wednesday, before the report was released. (Trump has denied any wrongdoing.)

Now, the distinctions may be harder for Biden allies to draw, given that Hur wrote that there was evidence Biden “willfully retained and disclosed classified material after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen.”

The report mentions an instance in February 2017, when he was no longer vice president, when Biden read notes containing classified information “nearly verbatim” to a ghostwriter helping him with his book, “Promise Me, Dad.”

Storage of sensitive government secrets was haphazard. The report describes certain classified records involving the war in Afghanistan in Biden’s Delaware garage inside a “badly damaged box surrounded by household detritus.”

Before the report was released, Biden aides had been bracing for a finding that he had simply been careless in his treatment of classified records, a person familiar with the White House’s thinking said.

The political fallout from the report, though, is likely to be “worse,” this person said. What will stick in people’s minds is what Hur said about Biden’s memory, the person added.

Biden’s lawyers disputed the report’s description of Biden’s forgetfulness.

“We do not believe that the report’s treatment of President Biden’s memory is accurate or appropriate,” two of his lawyers wrote in a letter to Hur. “The report uses highly prejudicial language to describe a commonplace occurrence among witnesses: a lack of recall of years-old events.”

In the hours after the report was released, people close to the Biden campaign rolled out a different rebuttal. Jim Messina, who ran Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, wrote on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, that Hur is a Republican who “knew exactly how his swipes could hurt Biden politically.”

That’s a familiar argument. Trump has also claimed that law enforcement is trying to sway the election, meaning both sides are now claiming victimization at the hands of partisan prosecutors.

“Hur knew exactly what he was doing here,” Stephanie Cutter, a veteran Democratic operative, wrote on X. “To provide political cover for himself for not prosecuting, he gratuitously leveled a personal (not legal) charge against the president that he absolutely knows is a gift to Trump. And, guess what we are all talking about?”

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Peter Nicholas is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

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