When I get multiplied by any number, the sum of the figures in the product is always me. What am I?

Which of the following words don't belong in the group and why?
CORSET, COSTER, SECTOR, ESCORT, COURTS

Two boys wish to cross a river. The only way to get to the other side is by boat, but that boat can only take one boy at a time. The boat cannot return on its own, there are no ropes or similar tricks, yet both boys manage to cross using the boat.

How?

You have two rectangular wires.

Both of them have property that when you light the fire from one end , it will take 60 minutes to get completely burn.

However, they do not burn at consistent speed (i.e it might be possible 1st 20% burn in 50 minutes and 80% can burn in 10 minutes).

So how could you measure 45 minutes ?

Our product and our sum always give the same answer. Who are we?

A man plots the murder of his wife. His plan is full proof. Nobody saw them leaving their house. He stabbed her with a knife while driving. She died on the spot. He threw her body in a valley. He threw the knife carefully wiping his finger prints on a random garbage bin. Then he went back to his home and no one was watching him this time as well.

After an hour, he was called by the local police department who informed him that his wife was murdered. They asked him to reach the scene of crime immediately. But as soon as he arrived at the crime scene, he was arrested by them.

How did the police know that he himself is the murderer?

There is a brick of gold and a brick of iron in a boat (both 10-inch blocks), if they are both dropped into the water which will make the water level higher?

A father told his three sons he would die soon and he needed to decide which one of them to give his property to. He said, “Go to the market and buy something large enough to fill my bedroom, but small enough to fit in your pocket. From this, I will decide which of you is the wisest and worthy enough to inherit my land.” They all went to the market, and each came back with a different item. The father told his sons to come into his bedroom one at a time and try to fill up his bedroom with their items. The first son came in and put some pieces of cloth he bought and laid them across the room, but it barely covered the floor. The second son came in and laid some hay on the floor, but there was only enough to cover half the floor. The third son came in and showed his father what he bought. He wound up getting the property. What did the third son show his father?

What does man love more than life, hate more than death or mortal strife; That which contented men desire; the poor have, the rich require; the miser spends, the spendthrift saves, and all men carry to their graves?

We have shown you a regular water barrel as below. Without using any measuring device can you check if the barrel is more than half-filled or less than half-filled?