Today, we have the exciting opportunity to explore a couple of fascinating puzzles from Alex Bellos’ latest book, “Think Twice: Solve the Simple Puzzles That (Almost) Everyone Gets Wrong.” Known for his passion for counter-intuitive puzzles, Alex is back to challenge our thinking. Let’s take a closer look at what he’s cooked up for us.

First on the agenda is what Alex calls the “Pint-sized problem.” The question is: Which is longer? Is it a) the height of a pint glass, or b) the circumference of its rim?

While this may evoke thoughts of traditional UK pint glasses, Alex clarifies that he’s referencing the continental-style pint glasses, which are typically thinner and taller.

Next, we dive into “Fool House.” Here, we find ourselves in a five-card stud poker game, where you receive five cards with no community cards on the table. The task is to figure out which of the two hands shown is stronger.

In this scenario, one hand is a full house with AAAKK, while the other is AAA99. As Alex explains, poker hand rankings start with the royal flush and move down to straight flushes, four-of-a-kind, and then full houses. When hands of similar rank are compared, the hand with the highest card wins.

Alex has a particular fondness for this poker puzzle, noting he’s never met anyone who answered it correctly. He encourages readers to avoid spoilers and to engage in discussions regarding topics like imperial measurements or card games while they ponder their answers.

Don’t forget to check back with Alex later for the answers! If you enjoy these mind-bending challenges, there’s a wealth of puzzles to discover in “Think Twice,” making it a fantastic choice for group activities—perhaps over a pint or a card game.

For those who might not be familiar with poker lingo, Alex clarifies that a royal flush consists of AKQJ10 in the same suit, while a straight flush is any sequence of cards in a single suit. A four-of-a-kind features four cards of the same rank, and a full house consists of two cards of one rank and three of another.

Since 2015, Alex has shared puzzles here every other Monday and is always eager to find intriguing new challenges. If you have a puzzle you think he should try, feel free to send your suggestions via email.