Find the next number in the sequence

5 12 24 36 ?

Let's play a word game. Following are some meaningless words that can be completed by adding random letters on either side of the word.

For example, the word "rdo" can be formed into "pardon".

Using the same technique, can you complete the given words?
ecalc
airb
rinci
tibac
uidel
gorit
igna
eyho

Today is John's birthday.
A year ago, John had five candles and he lit all the candles except the one at the last.
Now he is going to light all the candles.

How old is John Today?

(He is not five today.....)

In order to complete the racing competition, the Mexico racetrack has to submit its top and the most famous three horses to win the competition. Due to an electrical storm, all the records are cleared and no one knows which horse holds the record. They all look identical and it becomes even more difficult to differentiate the horses. There are 25 horses in the Mexico racetrack. But there can be only five horses at a time on the track. What will the least number of races that can be conducted to find out the three fastest horses?

In two decks of cards, what is the least amount of cards you must take to be *guaranteed* at least one four-of-a-kind?

When my father was 31 I was 8. Now he is twice as old as me. How old am I?

Can you move 2 matchsticks to form four equal sized squares.

How can you take 2 from 5 and leave 4?

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

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 ?