If in a car race, the man who came two places in front of the last man finished one ahead of the man who came fifth, how many contestants were there?

Given below is simple addition with a defined pattern pattern:
7 + 7 = 2
8 + 8 = 4
8 + 5 = 1
6 + 9 = 3
10 + 11 = 9

Can you analyze the pattern and find out the answer for:

4 + 9 = ?

I am white when I am dirty, and black when I am clean. What am I?

If 1+9+8=1, what is 2+8+9?

I inserted a coin in a bottle and closed its mouth with the help of a cork. Now, I was able to take the coin out from the bottle without taking out the cork or breaking the bottle. Can you tell me how I did it?

What goes up but never comes down?

John was going on a jungle trip. He asked his wife to pack something to eat, something to drink and something to burn if he feels cold in the jungle. When John opens the backpack he found just one thing in the bag. What was it?

You have a basket containing ten apples. You have ten friends, who each desire an apple. You give each of your friends one apple.
Now all your friends have one apple each, yet there is an apple remaining in the basket.
How?

Solve the following series:
AZ, GT, MN, __, YB

Two old friends, Jack and Jill, meet after a long time, and discussing as:

Jack: Hey, how are you, man?

Bill: Not bad, got married and I have three kids now.

Jack: That's awesome. How old are they?

Bill: The product of their ages is 72 and the sum of their ages is the same as your birth date.

Jack: Cool..But I still don't know.

Bill: My eldest kid just started taking piano lessons.

Jack: Oh, now I get it.

How old are Bill's kids?