# Clock puzzles Question & Answers

## What are Clock Puzzles?

Clock puzzles are generally asked in many competitive exams to test the knowledge and analytic skills of aspirants. The puzzles can be expected in different ways to find out the missing time or next expected time of clock in a series, the angles between two hands of the clock. By solving more several sample puzzles, one may improve the logical thinking to solve puzzles. Clock puzzles may be asked in competitive and entrance exams as CAT, MAT, XAT, Bank P.O.s, AIEEE, TOEFL, GRE and GATE etc.

We have a large database of sample questions on ‘Clock Puzzles’ that are frequently asked in many competitive exams for your practice and score high.

How many times in a day, are the hands of a clock in straight line but opposite in direction?

 A) 20 B) 22 C) 24 D) 48

Explanation:

The hands of a clock point in opposite directions (in the same straight line) 11 times in every 12 hours. (Because between 5 and 7 they point in opposite directions at 6 o'clcok only).

So, in a day, the hands point in the opposite directions 22 times.

Subject: Clock puzzles

36

A clock is started at noon. By 10 minutes past 5, the hour hand has turned through:

 A) 145 B) 150 C) 155 D) 160

Explanation:

Angle traced by hour hand in 12 hrs = 360º.

Angle traced by hour hand in 5 hrs 10 min.  i.e.,${\color{Black}&space;\frac{31}{6}}$ hrs ${\color{Black}&space;\left&space;(&space;\frac{360}{12}&space;\times&space;\frac{31}{6}\right&space;)^o}$= 155º

Subject: Clock puzzles

16

A watch which gains uniformly is 2 minutes low at noon on Monday and is 4 min. 48 sec fast at 2 p.m. on the following Monday. When was it correct?

 A) 2 p.m. on Tuesday B) 2 p.m. on Wednesday C) 3 p.m. on Thursday D) 1 p.m. on Friday

Explanation:

Time from 12 p.m. on Monday to 2 p.m. on the following Monday = 7 days 2 hours = 170 hours.

${\color{Black}&space;\therefore&space;}$ The Watch gains ${\color{Black}&space;\left&space;(&space;2+4\frac{4}{5}&space;\right&space;)&space;}$ min.  or ${\color{Black}&space;\frac{34}{5}&space;}$  min.in 170 hrs.

Now,  $\inline \fn_cm \frac{34}{5}$min.are gained in 170 hrs.

${\color{Black}\therefore&space;}$  2 min.are gained in${\color{Black}\left&space;(&space;170\times&space;\frac{5}{34}\times&space;2&space;\right&space;)&space;}$ hrs=50 hrs

${\color{Black}&space;\therefore&space;}$ Watch is correct 2 days 2 hrs. after 12 p.m. on Monday i.e., it will be correct at 2 p.m. on Wednesday

Subject: Clock puzzles

23

At 3.40, the hour hand and the minute hand of a clock form an angle of:

 A) 120 degrees B) 125 degrees C) 130 degrees D) 135 degrees

Explanation:

Angle traced by hour hand in 12 hrs. = 360º.

Angle traced by it in  ${\color{Black}&space;\frac{11}{3}}$ hrs=  ${\color{Black}&space;\left&space;(&space;\frac{360}{12}&space;\times&space;\frac{11}{3}\right&space;)^{o}}$=${\color{Black}110&space;^{o}}$

Angle traced by minute hand in 60 min. = 360º.

Angle traced by it in 40 min. =${\color{Black}\left&space;(&space;\frac{360}{60}&space;\times&space;40\right&space;)^{o}}$=${\color{Black}240^{o}}$

${\color{Black}&space;\therefore&space;}$ Required angle (240 - 110)º = 130º.