2, 3, 5, 9, 17, _ What is the next number in the sequence?

There is a family that live in a round house. The two parents go out for a movie and leave a babysitter to watch their son. They come back and the kid was not there. Some one kidnapped him. The maid said she was cleaning in a corner. The cook said he was making pizza. The babysitter said she was getting a board game. Who kidnapped him.

A man was convicted of a minor offence in Akbar court. Akbar decided to give him a chance. He asked him to give a statement. If the statement is true, he will be killed by lions and if it is false, he will be killed by trampling of wild elephants.

The convicted person requested help from Birbal and since the crime was not a big one, Birbal decided to help him. Whatever Birbal suggested impressed Kabir and he let the convicted person go.

What did Birbal suggest to the person?

John killed hundreds of people mercilessly and yet the police were not able to put her behind the bars. Why?

How can I get the answer 24 by only using the numbers 8,8,3,3?

You can use the main signs add, subtract multiply and divide.

In the Chess Board picture below white army is arranged. You need to add a black army on the board such that no piece is under any threat.
Note: Army comprised of 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns.

If you read clockwise, you can form a word by inserting three missing letters in the picture given below. Can you do it?

A farmer and his neighbour once went to Emperor Akbar"s court with a complaint. "Your Majesty, I bought a well from him," said the farmer pointing to his neighbour, "and now he wants me to pay for the water."
"That"s right, your Majesty," said the neighbour. "I sold him the well but not the water!"?
The Emperor asked Birbal to settle the dispute. How did Birbal solve the dispute?

There are people and strange monkeys on this island, and you can not tell who is who (Edit: until you understand what they said - see below). They speak either only the truth or only lies.
Who are the following two guys?
A: B is a lying monkey. I am human.
B: A is telling the truth.

I am taken from a mine and shut up in a wooden case, from which I am never released, and yet I am used by almost every person. What am I?