What is the next number in this matchsticks series riddle?

A cricket has 6 legs, a squirrel has 4 legs and a spider has 8 legs.

In a local zoo, it was found that the total number of legs is 612. Also, there are equal number of each of the above animals/insects.

Can you find out how many animals are there in the zoo?

I have some blue and red sock in my drawer. I have a total of 4 socks. I pick 2 socks and the chance that I get a pair of red socks is 1/2.

What is the chance of picking a pair of blue socks?

I have holes on the top and bottom. I have holes on my left and on my right. And I have holes in the middle, yet I still hold water. What am I?

A Miser man decided to go on a vacation for a month. He goes to the bank and asks for a trip loan of $500. The bank officer asks the man that the loan can only be approved when he mortgage some valuable thing at the bank. Miser man mortgages his only car whose worth was a whopping $80000. The Bank officer laughed at him and approve the loan instantly. After vacation when the miser man returns, the bank officer asked him "Are you an idiot, why is your mortgage such an expensive car for such a short loan?".

Miser man replied with some reason and the bank officer agreed that the miser man is actually not an idiot.

What did miser man reply to the bank loan officer?.

What is next number in the pattern below:

131 517 192 123 ?

One night, Louis and Adam were sitting together. Adam was watching a movie while his wife Louis was reading a mystery book. Suddenly the power went out and Adam decided to go to bed, but strangely Louis kept on reading. There was no artificial light around, so Louis kept on reading. How come?

John replied, when asked how old he was. In 2 years he will be twice as old as he was five years ago.' How old is he ?

They do not possess flesh or feathers or scales or bone
But still, they are blessed with fingers and thumbs of their own.

We are a group of eight brothers. We consider the weak, yet we protect the king in every battle. If we move ahead, we never turn back. Who are we?