Brainteaser challenges homeowners to spot seven hidden hazards in the kitchen - Money

With cleanliness at the forefront of most peoples’ minds at the moment, an educational seek-and-find puzzle challenges the nation to spot the seven hygiene hazards.

The tricky brainteaser, created by Hammonds Kitchens, aims to help people keep in mind important hygiene habits when it comes to their kitchens.

According to the creators, the current record to find them all is 45 seconds. So, how will you fare?

An educational seek-and-find puzzle, created by Hammonds Kitchens (pictured), challenges the nation to spot the seven hygiene hazards

The company found that while 98% of Brits have adopted new hygiene habits since lockdown began, these habits don’t seem to have made it into our kitchens, as the average UK residential kitchen would score just 1.6 out of five on the UK’s food hygiene ratings.

The research found that when reviewing the 14 criteria that can be applied to residential kitchens on the Food Hygiene Test checklist, only 3% of the 2,000 Brits surveyed were adhering to all 14 points.

So with that in mind, why not test your knowledge in trying to identify them in the busy graphic?

If you give up and are keen to fund out where the others are, then scroll down for all to be revealed.

Scroll down for the answers

The answers, which can be seen circled in red, are: Dirty sponges by the sink, meat and vegetables on the same chopping board, freezer brokeny, soap dispenser by the sink empty, dead flies by the window, food waste dropped around the bin and dirty equipment (knives, plates)

The hazards are: Dirty sponges by the sink, meat and vegetables on the same chopping board, freezer brokeny, soap dispenser by the sink empty, dead flies by the window, food waste dropped around the bin and dirty equipment (knives, plates).

Why the seven hygiene habits are hazards:

• Dirty sponges by the sink – old sponges can be bacteria-laden and when used to wipe down surfaces, could spread pathogenic bacteria around. Make sure you replace your sponge regularly.

• Meat and vegetables on the same chopping board – Uncooked meat can leave bacteria on your chopping board, which can then cross-contaminate your other food. You should use two different chopping boards for meat and vegetables.

• Freezer broken – freezing food is a great way to keep food safe to eat for a long period of time. Freezing keeps food safe by slowing the movement of molecules and the growth of microorganisms that cause both food spoilage and foodborne illness. A broken freezer could compromise the quality of the frozen food.

• Soap dispenser by the sink empty – It’s very important to wash your hands with soap and water when you cook to prevent the spread of germs.

• Dead flies by the window – flies are a hygiene hazards as they often land on dead animals, rotten food, animal waste and garbage, and can pick up diseases that are harmful to humans. Make sure you keep everything clean and wipe down surfaces where a fly may have landed.

• Food waste dropped around the bin – food waste dropped around the bin can attract flies and other pests.

• Dirty equipment (knives, plates) – It’s important to keep knives, wooden spoons, spatulas, tongs, and the like clean to help stop bacteria spreading to food.

Another vibrant puzzle, created by UK-based animal medication firm Animed Direct, challenges pet owners to find the 14 hidden hazards in a family home, and aims to raise awareness of the dangers that can be found in a typical home, particularly around the festive season.

There are 14 hazards hidden within this festive house – ranging from food to plants and decorations.

So can you find all 14?

UK-based animal medication provider Animed Direct has created this tricky brainteaser challenging puzzlers to find 14 common household hazards that pose a danger to your pets over Christmas

While the house doesn’t appear to be particularly cluttered, the real challenge is working out what things inside a home could be dangerous to your beloved animals.

What makes this brainteaser even more tricky is the house being split across two floors, so you have even more ground to cover.

Try keeping your eyes open for things that an animal might be interested in or could easily get into its mouth.

Have you found all 14? Or maybe you’ve given up and need to know where the rest are?

Scroll down for the answers.

There they are! Did you manage to locate all 14 hazards? If not, which ones did you miss out on?

The answers are: Mistletoe, real Christmas trees, grapes, Christmas pudding, nuts and chestnuts, stuffing, alcohol, avocados, turkey bones, vegetables, chocolate, sweets, coffee and tea.

Why are the 12 items dangerous for your family pets?

Mistletoe: If you’re puckering up under the mistletoe, keep it well away from your furry friends. Mistletoe berries are poisonous to dogs and, if eaten, can cause stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in the worst cases can result in seizures and even death.

Christmas tree: Pine oil is toxic for dogs, and Christmas trees can be risky. Their sharp needles can get stuck in a dog’s throat and stomach and cause internal damage if eaten, and can also get stuck in their paws. It’s a good idea to choose a tree with low needle-drop (and you save on the vacuuming, too).

Grapes: Delicious with your after-dinner cheeseboard but dangerous for your dog. Grapes contain a toxin that can cause liver and kidney damage in dogs, so avoid giving them grapes and go for a cheesy treat instead. Most cheeses – except for blue cheese – are fine in small amounts.

Christmas pudding: It’s not just the fruit form of grapes that’s toxic to dogs – but dried fruit like raisins, sultanas and currants, too. That means Christmas pudding, fruit cake and mince pies are all off the menu for dogs. Don’t be tempted to spoil him with pudding – give him a dog-friendly treat.

Nuts and chestnuts: Another of our favourites at Christmas, but not something your dog should be snacking on. As well as being a serious choking hazard, some nuts such as macadamias, walnuts and pecans contain toxins that can affect your dog’s digestive, muscle and nervous systems.

Stuffing: What’s Christmas dinner without stuffing, gravy and sausages? Sadly, the onions and garlic that make our dinner so tasty are highly toxic to dogs. Raw or cooked, onions contain toxins that can damage your dog’s red blood cells and cause anaemia and lead to organ failure.

Alcohol: The bar is closed for furry friends. Beer, wine or any alcohol is unsafe for dogs – even the smallest amount can make them disorientated and cause sickness, diarrhoea and breathing and nervous problems. If you want to include your dog in the festivities, check out the doggy tipples from Woof & Brew.

Avocados: A superfood for us, but poison for dogs. Avocado plants contain a substance called persin, which is safe for humans but can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs. The high fat content can affect their intestines and pancreas – and of course the stone is a serious choking risk.

Turkey bones: Dogs love a bone to chew on – but remember to give them only uncooked bones. Cooked bones can easily splinter and cause choking, or perforate your dog’s intestines or stomach, which can be fatal. A raw bone or some scraps of boneless turkey are perfect for your dog’s Christmas dinner.

Vegetables: The good news is that most green veg is safe for dogs. They can tuck in to green beans, Brussel sprouts and peas in moderation, even parsnips and swede, but too much may cause wind or diarrhoea. Watch out for veg like corn on the cob – although the corn is digestible, the cob could block their intestine.

Chocolate: A big ‘no’ for dogs! Chocolate can be very dangerous and life-threatening for them. It contains a stimulant called theobromine, which humans can digest but dogs can’t. It can cause serious reactions such as tremors, seizures, breathing and heart problems. So keep your edible tree decorations out of reach.

Sweets: Don’t let your dog get their paws on sweets. While sugar is clearly not good for them, sugar-free products are much worse. They often contain an artificial sweetener called Xylitol, which can cause hypoglycaemia, liver failure and blood clotting disorders. Stick to specially-formulated dog treats.

Coffee and tea: Our go-to cuppas that keep us energised through the day can be harmful to dogs. They have a much lower tolerance for caffeine than us humans, and can suffer nervous system, heart and breathing problems from ingesting only small amounts of coffee or tea, coffee grounds and teabags.

Did you enjoy this puzzle? Why not try this one too where you have to search for the mute button hidden in the video call.

The vexing challenge has been created by UK-based event insurance provider Protectivity, who made the puzzle after phrases like ‘sorry I was on mute’ became commonplace in 2020.

With only one hidden symbol to find, puzzlers will have to look extra closely at the fiendish puzzle to spot the mute button.

With no record to beat, could you become the fastest puzzler to complete the challenge?

Scroll down for the answer

UK-based event insurance provider Protectivity has created a fiendishly tricky new seek-and-find puzzle tasking players to spot the hidden mute button

After a year spent on video calls, it hasn’t come as a surprise that many Christmas parties this year will be spent over Zoom.

With this in mind, the insurance provider recommended making your call more exciting by trying cocktail making, a Murder Mystery party, Christmas karaoke or a virtual secret santa to make the event more enjoyable.

If you’re struggling to find the button, turn your attention to the bottom right corner of the virtual party.

If you still haven’t spotted the pesky mute button, scroll down to find the answer.

Found it yet? The mute button is located in the bottom right corner of the festive Zoom scene

Beaten the last test? Another fiendish brainteaser challenges puzzlers to find the only red-nosed reindeer in a busy festive scene.

The puzzle, created by London-based discount code provider Savoo, shows a herd of reindeer with brightly-coloured noses prancing through the snow.

There is a 30-second record to beat – do you think you can do it?

Scroll down for the reveal

A brainteaser challenges puzzlers to find the only red-nosed reindeer in a busy festive scene

With so many reindeer covering this wintery scene, locating the one animal with a red nose can be quite tricky.

The puzzle is made harder by the addition of wrapped presents covered in different coloured paper and decorative bows.

Need a clue? Try searching towards the bottom right area of the puzzle.

Think you’ve found the ruby reindeer? Or are you completely stumped? Scroll down to find the answer!

There he is! The red-nosed reindeer is leaning down towards the bottom-right corner of the picture. Did you manage to find him within 30 seconds?

If you liked that brainteaser, why not give this challenging puzzle a go?

The puzzle, created by UK-based communications firm Moneypenny, challenges players to find the single telephone hidden among the speech bubbles.

There is a 55-second record to beat – so can you find it any faster?

Scroll down for reveal

Players are tasked with tracking down the phone symbol hidden among the sea of ‘hellos’

With such a busy scene, puzzlers could be forgiven for finding this challenge a little harder than most.

But if you’re struggling, try taking a closer look toward the bottom right-hand side of the screen.

Need another clue? Check out what is nestled between ‘Hola’ and ‘Bongu’.

Scroll down to look at the answer below if you’ve given up or want to check whether you’ve got it right.

The phone can be seen nestled between ‘Hola’ and ‘Bongu’. The time to beat was 55 seconds – but did you find it any faster?

But if you want more seek-and-find fun this next tricky festive brainteaser challenges you to spot the only grumpy child in a bustling Christmas market

The illustration, created by UK-based Rimmers Music, tasks you with finding the unhappy attendee who is covering his ears with mittens.

The current record stands at three minutes – but can you solve it any quicker?

The illustration, created by UK-based Rimmers Music, tasks you with finding the unhappy attendee who is covering his ears with mittens

The scene is bustling with layered-up locals shopping for presents, holding sheets of music and clinking mugs of mulled wine – making it almost impossible to spot the boy in the crowd.

But, if you’re struggling, try focussing your attentions to around the base of the Christmas tree.

Need another clue? He is dressed all in green…

The boy can be found standing between the base of the Christmas tree and the wooden cabin selling sweet treats

And this isn’t the only festive brainteaser on offer with the puzzle below released in a bid to get the nation into the Christmas spirit.

The festive-themed graphic, created by UK-based home furnishings retailer Terrys, challenges puzzlers to track down the only nutcracker without a moustache.

However, the current record stands at an impressive 46 seconds. So, can you find him any faster?

A brainteaser, created by UK-based home furnishings retailer Terrys, challenges players to track down the only nutcracker without a moustache (pictured)

With so many nutcracker men huddled together, puzzlers could be forgiven for finding this challenge a little harder than most.

And if you’re struggling to spot the man without facial hair lurking in the crowd, try taking a closer look toward the left-hand corner.

Need another clue? He is dressed all in blue…

If you’re struggling to spot the man without facial hair lurking in the crowd, try taking a closer look toward the left-hand corner (answer pictured)

Sill keen for more? The below puzzle challenges players to spot the six Christmas presents hidden in the cosy scene.

Online furniture store Furniturebox created the baffling brainteaser to spread some festive fun, despite celebrations being a little different this year.

The colourful illustration is filled with similar objects that are sure to distract even the most eagle-eyed puzzlers.

It takes an average of 90 seconds to find them all – but how fast can you do it in?

Online furniture store Furniturebox created the baffling brainteaser for puzzlers to spot the six hidden Christmas presents

If you’re struggling to spot the presents lurking in the living room scene try taking a closer look toward the fire place.

Still can’t spot them? Some of the others can be found sitting on the rug…

Scroll down to look at the answer below if you’ve given up or want to check whether you’ve got it right.

The colourful illustration is filled with similar objects to distract even the most eagle-eyed puzzlers

This next challenge tasks you with finding the robot disguised as a snowman in a vibrant winter scene.

The illustration, created by UK-based electronics company RS Component, is made all the more difficult by the fact that there are a number of other snowmen dressed and on display in the scene.

Do you have what it takes to spot the frosty robot from the real snowmen?

Do you have what it takes to find the snowman hiding in this Winter scene in a brainteaser created by electronics company RS Components?

Try your luck and scroll down to find the right answer circled below.

Struggling? The best way to find the robot snowman is to focus on each accessories each snowman is wearing in the picture, some wear hats, other have scarves and one has…!

Need a little extra help? Focus your attention to the right of the picture.

Think you found it or giving up? Find the answer below, along with other brainteasers to keep your brain working.

The snowman robot was hiding behind the largest Christmas tree, and was recognisable thanks to the camera on its head

Another tricky brainteaser has left players scratching their heads with even the most eagle-eyed puzzlers stumped.

Independent opticians Book An Eye Test has put together the challenge as a way of getting Britons to workout their brain, memory and eyes.

Players are tasked with trying to track down the cat hiding among the crowd of faces in a very busy scene.

The current record stands at an impressive four seconds, but can you find it any faster?

Independent opticians Book An Eye Test has put together the brainteaser (above) to challenge puzzlers to track down the cat hiding among the crowd of faces in a very busy scene

So, have you found it yet? Or do you need a clue…

Here’s a hint: Cast your eyes down towards the bottom left of the picture.

Are you ready for the solution, or are you still looking? If you think you’ve found him and want to check or you’ve given up searching, look below for the answer circled in blue.

The pesky pet (circled in blue) can be seen towards the bottom left of the picture but did you beat the four-second record?

But its not the only baffling brainteaser sweeping the web.

Another seek-and-find puzzle challenges players to spot the seven elves hidden in a virtual Christmas party.

UK-based business support platform Rovva created the baffling brainteaser as many Britons prepare to socialise via video call during the festive season amid the pandemic.

The colourful illustration is filled with similar objects to distract even the most eagle-eyed puzzlers.

According to the creators there’s a 30 second record to beat – so how fast can you spot all seven elves?

A tricky new seek-and-find puzzle challenges players to spot seven elves hiding in a busy scene of virtual Christmas celebrations

If you’re struggling to spot the elves lurking in the virtual Christmas celebrations try taking a closer look at the top row of illustrations.

The centre and right celebrations on the below two rows also have a festive character lurking in the background.

The tricky puzzle is the latest in a series of challenges designed to help keep minds busy throughout the nation’s lockdown.

The deceptively difficult to spot elves can be seen hiding in the centre and right columns, as well as the top of the left column