1. The man is very, very short and can only reach halfway up the elevator buttons.
However, if it is raining then he will have his umbrella with him and can
press the higher buttons with it.
2. The surgeon was his mother.
3. It was day time.
4. At the time she went into labor, the mother of the twins was traveling by boat. The older twin, Terry, was born first early on March 1st. The boat then crossed a time zone and Kerry, the younger twin, was born on February the 28th. Therefore, the younger twin celebrates her birthday two days before her older brother.
5. A square manhole cover can be turned and dropped down the diagonal of the manhole. A round manhole cannot be dropped down the manhole. So for safety and practicality, all manhole covers should be round.
6. The poison in the punch came from the ice cubes. When the man drank the punch, the ice was fully frozen. Gradually it melted, poisoning the punch.
7. They were two of a set of triplets (or quadruplets, etc.). This puzzle stumps many people. They try outlandish solutions involving test-tube babies or surrogate mothers. Why does the brain search for complex solutions when there is a much simpler one available?
8. Freeze them first. Take them out of the jugs and put the ice in the barrel. You will be able to tell which water came from which jug.
9. Sure you can: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow!
10. The letter "e," which is the most common letter in the English language, does not appear once in the long paragraph...