Can you start the fire using two pieces of wood?

John gave half of the apples he had plus one more to Jacob. He gave half of the remaining ones plus one more to James. Now, John was left with just one apple.

Can you find out how many did he have in the beginning?

You can win me and lose me but never buy me
You can not eat me and never want to part with me
I can make you cry or bring you joy
I am not a machine and definitely not a toy
You keep me but i am not forever just yours
You might find me in a case or on a shelf next to a vase
I am hard and i am tall if you bump me i am sure to fall
I am made of different materials and am at many events
If your lucky and fight hard I might be yours
What am I ?

I am thinking of a five-digit number such that:
The first and last digits are the same, their submission is an even number and multiplication is an odd number and is equal to the fourth number. Subtract five from it and we obtain the second number. Then divide into exact halves and we get the 3rd number.

What number I am thinking of?

If in a code language, DISTANCE is written as IDTUBECN and DOCUMENT is written as ODDVNTNE, the how will THURSDAY be coded as in the same language?

A wooden log balances equally on the scales when weighed with three-quarters of a pound and three-quarters of a wooden log.

Can you calculate the weight of the entire wooden log?

After undergoing a successful eye operation, A blind girl has just boarded a train to her home. The doctor asked her to open the bandages after 3 hours. On her train journey, she opened the bandages and within a fraction of the time she commits suicide by jumping off the train.

Though her operation was successful, Why did she commit suicide?

A lion and its tamer are standing inside a cage that measures 1 unit in radius. Both of them can effortlessly run at the speed of 1 unit maximum.

1) Suppose the lion is hungry, will he be able to eat up the tamer?
2) If yes, how long can the tamer survive?

A four-digit number (not beginning with 0) can be represented by ABCD. There is one number such that ABCD=A^B*C^D, where A^B means A raised to the B power. Can you find it?

Fate has decided that you will only be pleased to meet me when you need me

Maybe that is why, when I am working, I start working

However annoying I may be to the regulars, the little ones are always inspired

I will always be waiting if you try to reach me

How many of you can guess my name, let me see