What brings you down but never up?

What is the next number in this matchsticks series riddle?

A guy in his thirties is found dead in a forest. The shocking thing about the body is that he is wearing his swimming trunks snorkel and a facemask.

For your information, the nearest lake is some 10 miles away and the sea is hundreds of miles away.

How did he die then?

A woman lives in a skyscraper thirty-six floors high and is served by several elevators which stop at each floor going up and down. Each morning she leaves her apartment and goes to one of the elevators. Whichever one she takes is three times more likely to be going up than down. Why?

What has a ring but no finger?

How can you make number one disappear by adding something to it?

Two batsman each on 94 runs. Seven runs needed to win in last 3 balls. Both make 100*. How?

Can you solve this amazing hard number series problem?
7, 8, 10, 12, 16, 18 ?

Queen Elizabeth organised a royal party.

To Avoid uninvited guest royal family set a password.
Jack (an uninvited person) plan to enter the party. He stand nearby the door.

First guest comes, the security person said 'twelve' and guest replied with six.
Second guest comes , the security person said 'six' and guest replied with 'three'.

Jack thought is enough and he walked to the entry point. The security person said 'eight' , Jack replied smilingly 'four'.
He was immediately thrown out of the party. why ?

A Club organizes a Running Race, and John, Jacob, Minda, and Tony participated.

The results are as follows

John beats Jacob
Minda beats Toni
Toni beats John

Who came first in the race?