Common Puzzles Asked in Freshers Interview - Episode #2

Common Puzzles Asked in Freshers Interview - Episode #2

Fox Chicken corn
A farmer had a fox, a chicken, and some corn. He had to cross a river. There was a boat, but it could carry only the farmer and one more thing. How will he cross the river and carry all three across? If he leaves the fox and the chicken together, the fox will eat the chicken and if he leaves the chicken and the corn, the chicken will eat the corn. What should he do?

Mis-labeled Bags
you have 3 bags with you, one with pink toys only, one with blue toys only, and one with a mix of two colors. but, the labels on all three bags are wrong. what is the minimum number of draws you would need to make, in order to identify all three bags correctly?

Headshot Puzzles
Geek got kidnapped by a gangster. The Gangster puts two bullets in consecutive order in an empty six-round revolver, spins it, points it at her head and shoots. She is still alive. The Gangster then asked her, “Do you want me to spin it again and fire or pull the trigger again right away?”
Q. Which option should be preferred? For each option, what is the probability that she’ll be shot?

John has three cakes. One cake is poisoned
John has three cakes. One cake is poisoned, and he knows which one. What yes/no question can you ask John to find out which cake is poisoned?

Talk Between Horse and Camel
A horse and a camel were carrying boxes on their backs. The horse started complaining to the camel that his load is too heavy.The camel replied 'Why are you complaining? If you gave me one of your boxes I would have double what you have and if I give you one of my boxes we two would have an even load.' How many boxes do each of the animal (horse & camel) is carrying ?

A job interview is an opportunity to impress your potential employers by showcasing your talent and skill set. Apart from asking questions related to your experience and qualification, an interviewer may ask interview puzzles to test your lateral thinking and problem-solving skills. Preparing and answering these puzzles can increase the likelihood of getting hired for a desirable job.

commonly asked interview puzzles

What Are Interview Puzzles?
Interview puzzles are critical-thinking and logical reasoning problems that make candidates use their problem-solving and analytical skills to find a solution. Interviewers prefer to ask these puzzles because it helps them understand your thought process, and your ability to solve complex problems using strategies, and high-order thinking. Usually, candidates applying for software development, data science, or engineering roles may encounter such puzzles. Much like brain teasers and logical reasoning questions, puzzles for interviews may not directly relate to your job role.

By practicing commonly asked puzzles during an interview, you can increase your chances of answering the question correctly. Additionally, how you approach a problem may impress the interviewer and give them evidence of your ability to solve real-world problems.

How To Answer Puzzles For Interviews

Here are a few steps to follow to answer puzzles for interviews:

1. Take some time to think about the problem
Before answering a puzzle in haste, take a moment to think about the puzzle and its category. For instance, an interviewer may ask you a riddle, brain teaser, or a number trick puzzle. Once you understand the puzzle, you can use different problem-solving strategies to find the correct answer.

2. Seek clarification and ask questions
Puzzles and riddles can be confusing and you may misinterpret a part of your puzzle. Rather than finding the solution based on your misinterpretation, it is always good to seek clarification from the interviewer. Asking intelligent and meaningful clarifications tells an interviewer that you are not hesitant to seek information or resources to complete a task. It also shows that you are thorough and curious.

3. Use strategies you know
Most of the puzzles an interviewer asks may involve the use of basic mathematical concepts. So, instead of inventing a new formula, use strategies and concepts you already know to find a solution to your interview puzzle. This can help you ensure you find the correct solution.

4. Explain your answer
As you work through the puzzle, you can show the process and reasoning to the interviewer. This can help an interviewer understand your thought process, your ability to plan and execute problem-solving under pressure. Even if you fail to get the answer, the interviewer knows how you approach a problem and use your analytical mind to solve it.

5. Provide a solution
Usually, an interviewer does not ask puzzles to get the right answer. They ask puzzles to gauge your logic, reasoning and critical thinking abilities. So, even if you know your answer is wrong, provide a solution to every interview puzzle during your face-to-face interaction.

[SimplyLogical]

Fox Chicken corn
A farmer had a fox, a chicken and some corn. He had to cross a river. There was a boat, but it could carry only the farmer and one more thing. How will he cross the river and carry all three across? If he leaves the fox and the chicken together, the fox will eat the chicken and if he leaves the chicken and the corn, the chicken will eat the corn. What should he do?

Mis-labeled Bags
you have 3 bags with you, one with pink toys only, one with blue toys only and one with a mix of two colors. but, the labels on all three bags are wrong. what is the minimum number of draws you would need to make, in order to identify all three bags correctly.

Headshot Puzzles
Geek got kidnapped by a gangster. The Gangster puts two bullets in consecutive order in an empty six-round revolver, spins it, points it at her head and shoots. She is still alive. The Gangster then asked her, “Do you want me to spin it again and fire or pull the trigger again right away?”
Q. Which option should be preferred? For each option, what is the probability that she’ll be shot?

John has three cakes. One cake is poisoned
John has three cakes. One cake is poisoned, and he knows which one. What yes/no question can you ask John to find out which cake is poisoned?

Talk Between Horse and Camel
A horse and a camel were carrying boxes on their backs. The horse started complaining to the camel that his load is too heavy.The camel replied 'Why are you complaining? If you gave me one of your boxes I would have double what you have and if I give you one of my boxes we two would have an even load.'
How many boxes do each of the animal (horse & camel) is carrying ?

[TheNoiseySpectator]

Personally, I would have pulled the laces out of my boots, and made a leash to keep the chicken tied to a tree.
Then, taken home the fox first, because it is the most valuable and thus the most likely to get stolen, then put the fox away,
Then gotten the corn, put it away and come back for the chicken last.

Or, after putting away the fox, I would have gotten a longer rope, and a square shaped piece of wood.

Then, I would tie one end of the rope to the board, and the other to the boat, so it made a floating platform the chicken could stand on while I rowed and held the corn feed.👍

[TheNoiseySpectator]

Or, he could have put the chicken right into the pen when he got home.
Or, at least returned to chicken to the market, taken the other things home, then gone and bought another chicken.