A swan sits at the center of a perfectly circular lake. At an edge of the lake stands a ravenous monster waiting to devour the swan. The monster can not enter the water, but it will run around the circumference of the lake to try to catch the swan as soon as it reaches the shore. The monster moves at 4 times the speed of the swan, and it will always move in the direction along the shore that brings it closer to the swan the quickest. Both the swan and the the monster can change directions in an instant.
The swan knows that if it can reach the lake's shore without the monster right on top of it, it can instantly escape into the surrounding forest.

How can the swan successfully escape?

Christina is practising her dance steps along with her friends. In a particular sequence, all of them form a row. At that point, Niharika is standing in the 4th position from either end of the row.
Can you find out how many girls are practising together?

Use only one mathematical symbol and all numbers (0-9) to get a sum of 99

I went to the bookshop and spent one-half of the money that was in my purse.

When I came out, I found that I had as many cents as I had dollars and half as many dollars as I had cents when I went in. Find the money in my purse when I entered the store.

You are in a room that has three switches and a closed door. The switches control three light bulbs on the other side of the door. Once you open the door, you may never touch the switches again. How can you definitively tell which switch is connected to each of the light bulbs?

You are playing a game with your friend Jack. There are digits from 1 to 9. You both will take turn erasing one digit and adding it to your score. The first one to score 15 points will win the game.

Would you want to play first or second?

PS: The sum should be exactly 15.

While preparing the table for dinner, wife came up with an idea to tease his mathematician husband. She asked her husband to pick nine toothpicks and make ten without breaking any toothpick.

The husband was also smart and did it within seconds. How ?

The two towns are exactly 100 km apart. John leaves City A driving at 30 km/hr and Jacob leaves City B half an hour later driving at 60 km/hr. Who will be closer to City A when they meet?

You are presented with three boxes. One of them has a red ball inside and the other two have a black ball inside each of them. You are asked to pick up the one with red ball and you pick one. Now, one of the other boxes is opened and it is found to have a black ball.

You are presented with a chance to change your box with the one that is left closed. Will you change your box? Why or why not?

2 ladies and 2 girls need to cross a river in a boat big enough for 1 LADY or 2 girls. How do they do it?