Brain Teaser Interview Questions

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If you are in the middle of a hiring process and thinking about how you can make it more interesting? Then brainteaser interview questions can be the solution that you are looking for. They are captivating questions and give you an idea of how the person thinks. There is a fun element to it that you can use as one of the ways to lift the mood of the hiring process.

What are the Brain Teaser Questions?

A brain teaser is a form of puzzle that has some twist or confusion. There is never a straightforward answer, and it always requires creativity or lateral thinking to come up with a solution. To answer it correctly, a person needs to think differently than in conventional ways. It says a lot about the person making it a popular choice for the interview. The logic and method you use to find the answer often matter more than the right answer.

There are different types of brainteasers to test different skills. Some might be targeted to check mathematical logical thinking or mathematical expertise, while others help to understand how good a person is at the act of listening. For some brain-teaser questions, there is only one right answer or stay open to interpretation and set candidates free to come up with many possible creative solutions.

What are the types of Brain Teasers?

There are many types of brain-teasers. People think that they are all the same, but that’s not correct. With a particular type of brain teaser, you can identify specific skills.

If you are part of a hiring team, then the types of brain teasers can help you understand which one of the available options you should choose according to the qualities needed for the job. If the interviewers are not satisfied with the answer the candidate gave, does that affect their confidence? That is also something you need to watch for. Do they ask for another chance, demand an explanation of what makes their solution wrong, or do they just give up? You can tell how they handle setbacks from that.

1. The Brainteaser with a ‘How Many?’

To answer such questions, one needs to think deeply about the problem. They need to consider some facts and estimates to arrive at an answer that can be close to the actual number. On questions like this one, do not expect the correct answer. Many of these questions and answers will not be found in the encyclopedia or on the internet. This is not about checking if a man or a woman has all the random facts with them, but how they work their way to estimate when they do not have it.

For example – How many park benches are in Bangalore?

2. The Riddle Brainteaser

These brain teasers involve some bizarre situations and ask how a person would react in a given situation. When you have asked such a question in the interview, their answers show how fast they think or how can they bring in creativity to find the solution. Out of the three types of brain teasers, interviewers prefer this type more. It makes candidates think about how can you find a solution by thinking in different directions.

3. The Brainteaser on Math Problems

These brain teasers are asked to check mathematical skills and are often asked in interviews related to mathematical skills. This can be in the form of a series of numbers, and it can be anything like “in the following sequence, the first term is”; there are a few given in the sequence like that, and the candidate needs to find out what they are going to fill in the other or next blank space in the sequence and why. Here, they need to observe the sequence in the brain teasers and understand the pattern, to arrive at the answer.

Why Should Brain Teaser Questions be Asked in the Interview?

The brain teasers in the interview are to get a better idea about problem-solving skills. It also tells how the candidate reacts to the unexpected situation. It gives insight into how they look at the difficulties and how they approach unforeseen situations. Along with many other technical skills that the person may need on their job a brain teaser question helps to identify the soft skills that are equally important. It also shows how well they can handle the stress.

What Qualities Can Brain Teasers Identify?

When there are multiple possible solutions or when they are asked to justify the answer, it gives a glimpse into their presentation and communication skill as well as their convincing power. Brain teasers help gauge verbal skills well. Below are some qualities that brain teasers help to identify and how they help in their job.

Problem-solving Skills

It shows how a candidate handles daily challenges at work.

Critical Thinking

The ability to see the bigger picture and evaluate options for a solution.

Analytical Skills

Its ability to analyze data helps to make decisions according to the information from the data.

Creativity

Finding better ways to do the job, finding new solutions and unique ideas.

Performing Under Pressure

Keeping calm and being logical while working under pressure is essential to maintain productivity.

Following are some Fun Brain Teasers to be asked in an Interview

1. What five-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?
2. How far can a deer run into the woods if the diameter of the wood is 10 miles?
3. What runs but doesn’t walk, has a mouth but no teeth, has a bed but cannot sleep?
4. What is it that comes once in a month, twice in a moment but never in a thousand years even in eternity?
5. What is it that the person who makes it has no need for it? The one who purchases it does not use it. The person who does use it does not know that they are using it?
6. What would you say was the highest mountain on this planet before we discover Mount Everest?
7. Rahul’s height is six feet and three inches. He works at a butcher’s shop and wears size 9 shoes. What does he weigh?
8. You’re escaping a labyrinth, and there are three doors. The first one leads to a room filled with deadly gas. The second leads to an assassin. The third leads to a tiger that hasn’t eaten in five years. What is the door that you will choose?
9. The man stands on one side of a river and his dog standing on the other side of the river, the dog immediately crosses the river to reach the man without getting wet and without using a bridge or a boat. How is this possible?