My Black Friday Shopping List Trivia Quiz

Answer: Washing machine

Firstly, an explanation of the solution:

Items 3, 4 and 6 all have names containing the same number of letters. This means they have to be the 13-letter long Christmas tree, designer dress and electric drill, as that is the only group of three items with names of the same length. Since alphabetically Item 6 comes directly before Item 2, Item 6 has to be the electric drill and Item 2 must be the game console. Item 4 includes a five-letter word in its name, so it has to be the designer dress and Item 3 is therefore the Christmas tree.

Item 8 has a name beginning with the same letter as Item 7, so has to be one of the four beginning with a T or a W. However, it also has to contain ten letters (one less than the 11-letter game console at Item 2). This means it must be the television and Item 7 has to be the toaster.

Item 5 then has to be either the headphones or the jigsaw puzzle as it starts with a letter in the first half of the alphabet. However, it can't be the jigsaw puzzle as both Item 1 and Item 10 have names containing more letters (and washing machine is the only remaining item containing more letters than jigsaw puzzle). So Item 5 is headphones, Item 10 is the jigsaw puzzle and Item 1 is the washing machine. That then leaves Item 9 to be the watch.

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A washing machine might not be the most fun purchase, but "white goods" and other expensive household items can often be found with sizeable discounts on Black Friday and the days around it (although it's always worth comparing to pre-sale prices to check whether the apparent discount is as good a deal as it might seem!). A washing machine is also the only item I've ever deliberately gone out and bought on Black Friday itself - although that was more to do with the timing of the catastrophic failure of my old one than a pre-meditated desire for a good deal...

Answer: Game console

Games consoles make popular Christmas presents for both adults and children, so being able to pick up a good deal on one in late November is ideal timing. They also have the added benefit of providing a good source of future present ideas in the form of extra games to play on them - well, for a while at least, until the next one is released and your expensive technology becomes obsolete!

Answer: Christmas tree

I'll admit that a Christmas tree is not an obvious Black Friday purchase, but large artificial trees with built-in LED lighting can be really expensive, so any possible chance of getting a discount on one shouldn't be ignored. Plus, being able to get your tree up nice and early maximises the time each year when your home has a nice Christmassy feeling.

Answer: Designer dress

Clothing and accessories, designer or otherwise, are popular items on a Black Friday shopping list. Having to visit an extra-crowded store or shop online to grab a bargain might not provide the best opportunity to ensure your new clothes actually fit properly - but the discount would hopefully be worth it!

Answer: Headphones

Headphones might seem like an afterthought compared to the expensive devices that actually play the music, but a pair of high-end good-quality headphones would be a must for a real music aficionado. They can also be really expensive, so a Black Friday deal might help cancel out the financial blow of buying them.

Answer: Electric drill

Power tools are essential kit for both keen DIYers and people working in various branches of the building trade. Personally, I'd steer well clear of an electric drill; it only made an appearance on my Black Friday shopping list as it is an example of a popular type of present for people who can be trusted not to injure themselves with these devices!

Answer: Toaster

Electrical devices of all types are popular Black Friday discount items and small kitchen appliances are no exception. Posh coffee makers or complicated multi-purpose blenders might be more interesting, but a good toaster is perhaps more necessary on a day-to-day basis!

Answer: Television

As TVs gain more smart features such as internet connectivity and built-in access to streaming platforms, not to mention bigger screens with improved high definition capability, upgrading a bog-standard box that simply uses an aerial to pick up terrestrial television signals is probably more of a requirement than a desire.

Answer: Watch

While a watch might once have been a small mechanical device that simply gave you the option of a quick glance at your wrist in order to find out the time, modern "watches" can now effectively be small mobile phones or computing devices with a wide range of functions.

However, if you fancy an expensive gold designer watch then I expect you might be able to find a Black Friday discount on one of those somewhere as well.

Answer: Jigsaw puzzle

Black Friday provides an ideal opportunity to stock up on toys and games for children's Christmas presents. But some of those games also make great Christmas family games and entertainment - spending a few days puzzling over a complicated 5,000 piece jigsaw should definitely keep family members of all ages suitably busy.