Transform the word THINK into BRAIN while changing only one letter at a time in a manner that each of the word in the process is a real word!!!

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

John went to a parrot shop in Mexico, and the parrot owner told him that his parrot is so unique that he repeats everything he hears. John got excited and immediately bought the parrot. John went home and spoke many words, but the parrot does not repeat anything.
He went again to the parrot shop and complaint to the shopkeeper, but the shopkeeper never lied. Explain?

Chef Andrea has to light the kitchen stoves to open her restaurant for the day. There are three stoves in the kitchen: A glass stove, a brick stove, and a wood stove. She only has one match. Which does she light up first?

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?

I am white when I am dirty, and black when I am clean. What am I?

You are a prisoner sentenced to death. The Emperor offers you a chance to live by playing a simple game. He gives you 50 black marbles, 50 white marbles, and 2 empty bowls. He then says, 'Divide these 100 marbles into these 2 bowls. You can divide them any way you like as long as you use all the marbles. Then I will blindfold you and mix the bowls around. You then can choose one bowl and remove ONE marble. If the marble is WHITE you will live, but if the marble is BLACK... you will die.'

How do you divide the marbles up so that you have the greatest probability of choosing a WHITE marble?

If,

A = 1

B = 2

C = 3

...

...

Z = 26.

Based on above rule, you need to find an eleven letter word whose letter sum is equal to 52.

Make eight squares by moving only two matchsticks.
Note- Square can be of different sizes.

It is a 5 letter word if you take away first letter it is something you get from sun, if you remove second letter you will get something to eat, if you remove third letter you get a word you use in pointing at and if you remove the fourth letter you get something to drink. What is it?