[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Quizzes Recommended for October

What is the ghost that turns into an animal when it sees a full moon, which also appears on Halloween?

Halloween is an event with a strong spooky image, filled with various monsters that bring its world to life.

Among the monsters that appear at Halloween, which one is known for transforming into an animal when it sees the full moon? It turns into the animal strongly associated with howling at the full moon, and you might also recognize it as a character in board games.

The answer is the “werewolf,” also known as the Wolf Man or jinrō, a monster whose legend dates back to ancient times.

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kappamaki

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What day does Halloween correspond to in Japan?

Halloween is often associated with events and festivals, but it was originally important in the calendar as well.

So what day in Japan would Halloween correspond to? It comes from the fact that in ancient Celtic Druidism, the day after Halloween—November 1—was considered the beginning of winter.

Thinking about it as a change of seasons and a celebration of that year’s harvest leads us to the answer.

The answer is “New Year’s Eve.” Because the start of winter was regarded as the start of the new year, it became established as an occasion to look back on the year’s harvest.

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kappamaki

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When children go around asking for candy and say “Trick or treat,” it literally means “Give me candy or I’ll play a prank on you.” So if you don’t give them candy, they’ll “trick” you—that is, play a prank.

You’ve probably heard kids say “trick or treat” when they go around collecting candy on Halloween, but can you explain what it really means? It might be a bit tricky for some seniors, but that also makes it fun to see what clever answers they come up with! When using it as a quiz question, a fill-in-the-blank format like “Give me candy or I’ll ______!” is recommended.

You can choose whether or not to tell them in advance that the answer is four letters.

Imagining the answer gives the brain a workout, so it’s great for brain training too!

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miyabi

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What is a ____ that starts with ____?

[What's a ___ that starts with ___?] A failproof, never-boring brain training activity [Whiteboard Recreation]

Here’s a brain-training quiz that you can enjoy with a large group as long as you have a whiteboard.

For example, let’s say you make a quiz like, “What are some ___ that start with ___?” First, you put a letter in the first blank.

Then you put a category in the second blank.

For instance, if you put “i” in the first blank and “foods” in the second, the quiz becomes: “What foods start with ‘i’?” Have everyone answer in turn.

If you say, “Let’s try to come up with 10,” everyone will think hard.

That’s what makes it a brain workout.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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A wordplay using the letters “BC”

Brain Teaser: Witty Letter Quiz Short ③ – Senior Brain Training Recreation #Shorts

Let’s combine symbols and letters to think it through! This is a wordplay puzzle using “BC.” It shows the characters “Star BC,” which don’t have motion or color, so it might be hard to find the answer from that alone.

The hints are that it refers to an actor and that the “A” in “ABC” has been replaced by a star.

The answer is “movie star.” It’s a clever twist where the “A” becomes a “star,” so it makes sense once you hear it! Bursts of insight stimulate the brain, so try posing it to people around you.

A wordplay lettering using “ka,” “n,” and “mai”

Brain Teaser: Witty Letter Quiz Short 9 – Brain Training for Seniors Rec #Shorts #Quiz #BrainTraining #BrainTeaser #DayService #Recreation #DementiaPrevention

Let’s try a riddle that feels satisfying once you get the answer.

Here’s a wordplay puzzle using “ka,” “n,” and “mai.” The letters “mai” are arranged vertically three times between “ka” and “n.” The hints are that it’s a type of greeting card and that there are three “mai” inside “ka” and “n.” The answer is “kanchū mimai” (a midwinter greeting card).

The key is reading the three “mai” as “mimai.” Once you reach the answer, the confusion clears up nicely!

“Sashisuseso” wordplay

Brain Teaser: Trick Letter Quiz (Short) – Brain Training Activity for Seniors #Shorts

I want to take on the challenge while picturing the Japanese syllabary! This is a wordplay puzzle using the “sa-shi-su-se-so” row.

Because it’s a simple prompt that says “sa-shi-su-se-so clothing,” it might take some time to reach the answer.

The hints are that it’s clothing worn for work, and that “sa-shi-su-se-so” is the “sa” row (gyō) in the 50-sound chart.

The answer is 'work clothes' (作業服).

“Sa-shi-su-se-so” corresponds to the ‘sa’ row, right? The puzzle is simple, but that might make the hints hard to grasp for some people.

It could be more engaging if you tweak or add hints.