Sandy Wood
Brain Game: In Spades
by Sandy Wood - February 27, 2009 - 4:30 AM

bloghead_braingames.jpg

I wonder what percentage of American households don’t have at least one deck of playing cards stashed away? While I’m off looking that up, enjoy today’s Brain Game: Three Questions about playing cards (those from a common 52-card deck). Good luck!

1. The names of what two specific cards in
a 52-card deck contain the letter “U” twice?

2. What is the most obvious difference between
the two jokers included in a typical deck of cards?

3. What is the only card in the diamonds suit whose
design is NOT identical upside-down and right-side-up?

NOTE: The text of question #3 was tweaked after readers pointed out some issues. Thanks!

Here are the ANSWERS.

 

Pages: 1 2
« Previous Post   -   Next Post »
Click here to get a Risk-Free issue of mental_floss magazine
Comments (12)

  1. Hey, what about the deuce of clubs?

    posted by Ron on 2-27-2009 at 8:12 am

  2. I might be picking at nits, but I would submit that the aces of hearts, clubs, and spades are not horizontally symmetrical either. The top and bottom halves of the pips (symbols) don’t match. The diamond is a symmetrical shape, so no question there.

    posted by mike on 2-27-2009 at 8:26 am

  3. Actually, Mike, you make a good point. The locations of the pips are symmetrical in the other suits, but the pips themselves are not because of their shape. I’ve adjusted the question to ask specifically about the diamonds suit. Thanks for the heads-up!

    posted by Sandy Wood on 2-27-2009 at 8:54 am

  4. You’ve changed the question, but not the answer. I went 3/3, but a great start to a slow friday!

    posted by Bob on 2-27-2009 at 9:05 am

  5. 3. What is the only card in the diamonds suit whose design is NOT horizontally symmetric

    A: the Seven of Clubs

    …

    How is the seven of clubs in the diamonds suit?

    [ED NOTE: My bad, Phil. It should have said Diamonds instead of Clubs (and does, now!)]

    posted by Phill on 2-27-2009 at 9:07 am

  6. I had the same question as Phill. Additionally, none of the face cards do.

    posted by Will on 2-27-2009 at 9:24 am

  7. Will, the face cards are not mirror images, but they do depict the same image on both sides. And since it’s Friday, instead of doing the digging to find the proper phraseology, I’ll just say “when you flip ‘em over.” :)

    posted by Sandy Wood on 2-27-2009 at 9:48 am

  8. Hmph! I thought it was Big joker / Little joker.

    Good quiz, though!

    Cheers,

    Mitch

    posted by Mitchell Allen on 2-27-2009 at 12:41 pm

  9. This was a fun puzzle, Sandy! Have a great weekend!

    posted by Ophelia on 2-27-2009 at 1:13 pm

  10. Will, I think the face cards have rotational symmetry.

    posted by Dinosaur on 2-27-2009 at 1:28 pm

  11. My first thought about the differences in jokers was to think of Bicycle brand playing cards.

    In a Bicycle pack, the two jokers are both black and white, but one image takes up the full face of the joker, while the other is smaller, in order to make room for the guarantee.

    However, before looking at the answers, the black-and-white/color answer did occur to me.

    posted by gmsc on 2-27-2009 at 1:58 pm

  12. I was thinking Deuce of Clubs as it is referred to in poker. Forgot the four since I already had the Deuce and the Queen.

    posted by Matt on 6-19-2009 at 3:31 pm

Comment

commenting policy