In addition to chess and vodka, the Russians are very partial to problem solving. "The Chicken from Minsk", by Yuri Chernyak and Robert Rose, conatains many interesting puzzles. Here are a few to get you started:

Shopping with Boris and Marina

Boris and Marina want to buy ice cream bars. However, Boris is 24 kopeks* short of the price, and Marina is 2 kopeks short. They decide to pool their punds and buy a single bar. When they do, they find they still do not have enough money. How much does an ice cream bar cost?

* a kopek is to a ruble, what a penny is to a pound.

Drinking Problem

Vassily has aquired a 12-litre bucket of vodka and wishes to share it with Pytor. However, all Pytor has is an empty 8-liter bottle and an empty 5-liter bottle. How can the vodka be divided evenly?

Buying Berries

Berries are popular in Russia. In one warehouse, 1000 kg of fresh berries are stored. The berries contained 99% water when fresh, but a few days later, a test showed that there was now only 98% water, due to the drying of the berries. What do the berries weigh now?