Bouncing Bob was riding a particularly frisky horse when suddenly its bridle came off. As they raced down the road, a screaming Bob clung to the horse's ears for dear life. Out of the corner of his eye, Bob saw a car coming, and realizing the horse was completely out of control, he panicked. Flailing his arms about, he accidentally caused the horse to come to an abrupt halt. What could Bouncing Bob have done to make the horse stop?
Think about what Bob did with his arms that might have affected the horse's ears...
Bob accidentally put his hands over the horse's eyes. If a horse can't see he will automatically stop.
I have seven yellow pencils, seven red pencils, and seven blue pencils. I have to divide them into two groups; the first group has to have three fewer yellow pencils than the second group, the second group should have one more red pencil than the first group, and the first group should have five more blue pencils than the second group. How many blue pens would be in each pile?
Think about the constraints on the yellow and red pencils, and how they might "balance out" in each group. The question is asking about blue pencils, but the answer might not be a straightforward division of the 7 blue pencils...
There are eight people waiting at a bus stop. When an empty bus approaches the stop, half of these people get in. Then, the bus goes to the second stop, where five people are waiting. Two of the people in the bus get out at this stop, while three of the people at this bus stop get in. Finally, the bus goes to the third stop, where seven people are waiting. None of these people get in, but all of the passengers currently in the bus get out. How many people are in the bus now?
Think about the phrase "empty bus" in the first sentence...
There is one person left–the driver. You know that buses can't go without a driver, right?
Zane is a big boss in a hugely successful company. Every week, however, he finds out that one of his worst employees has been stealing his documents. After a whole year of stolen documents, Zane rounds up his three worst employees– Kelly, Raymond, and Natalia– and questions them. Kelly says, "Raymond has been stealing your documents!". Raymond says, "I haven't been stealing your documents!". Natalia says, "I haven't been stealing your documents, either!". Only one of the employees is telling the truth. Who has been stealing the documents, and which employee is telling the truth?
Think about it this way: if the thief was Kelly or Natalia, they would both be accusing someone else, but only one of them would be telling the truth. But what if the thief was Raymond?
Natalia has been stealing the documents. Raymond is telling the truth. If Kelly was the one stealing the documents, then she would be lying, and Raymond would be telling the truth. But then, Natalia would also be telling the truth, which goes against the condition that only one employee is telling the truth. If Raymond was the one stealing the documents, then he would be lying, Kelly would be telling the truth, and Natalia would also be telling the truth. This also contradicts that only one employee is honest. If Natalia was the one stealing the documents, then she is lying. But then, who is telling the truth? It's not Kelly, because if it was so, both she and Natalia would be telling the truth, and Raymond would be lying, which doesn't meet the requirements. Therefore, Raymond is telling the truth, Kelly and Natalia are both lying, and Natalia is the one stealing the documents.
Angela had a disease that required her to take pills. One day, her doctor prescribed her three pills that would help to cure her of her disease. She needed to take one pill every 30 minutes. How much time will pass before Angela takes all of the pills?
Think about the timing of each pill...
One hour will pass. Once Angela takes the first pill, she'll wait 30 minutes. After that, she will take the second pill and wait another 30 minutes. And then she will take the last pill after that. After all, the first pill doesn't take 30 minutes to take.
You place a cup of coffee in front of your friend. You then ask your friend, "What's before you?". Your friend answers, "Tea,". Why is this answer correct?
Think about the words, not the objects.
If the answer to your question was "coffee", you would have never asked such a simple question. In fact, the question and answer were a play on words; you were asking your friend what comes before the letter U (you) in the alphabet. The letter T (tea) comes before the letter U, so your friend's answer was correct after all.
Willow is a mother of three children-Richard, aged 17, Sasha, aged 15, and Xavier, aged 13. One morning, Willow was about to leave for work when she discovered that her money was stolen. Her husband was away on a business trip, so the thief could only be one of her kids; Willow asked each of them what they had been doing the previous night. Richard said that he was at the club with his friend David. Sasha said that she had a headache, so she took a painkiller and went straight to bed. And Xavier said that he was at his team's baseball practice. Willow immediately knew which child was lying. Who was it?
Think about the alibis each child provided... one of them is impossible to verify, while the other two can be easily confirmed.
Richard is lying. He couldn't be at the club because he's only 17. And before you say, "He could've been at an after-school club", just note that "the club" usually refers to a nightclub; only folks who are 21 or older can get inside. Because Richard is not old enough to get into the club, he couldn't be in there with his friend. Therefore, he must have taken Willow's money.
Yvonne and Diane are two friends going out on a camping trip. Here are some of the things they plan to take with them: chair, lamp, rice, game, tent. Can you guess which item the girls should leave at home?
Think about what you typically associate with a camping trip, and what might not be necessary (or even possible) to bring along...
Yvonne and Diane should leave the chair at home. "Lamp", "Rice", "Game", and "Tent" all have four letters, while "Chair" has five letters.
Such a slim little stripe in a shiny, round coat! How it grows in the warm sun's bright rays! But its jacket still fits, and it's worthy of note That it isn't so, tall on cool days. Hint: It's not a fishing pole.
Think about something you might find in a garden or a park, and how it changes appearance depending on the temperature...
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Anna. Anna's father, the King, wanted to be sure his daughter married an intelligent man. To test his daughter's suitors the King hid Anna's picture in one of three boxes. The suitor had to be able to select the box with Anna's picture on one try and within twenty seconds. On the gold box was the message "Anna's picture is in this box". The silver box had the message "Anna's picture is not in this box." "Anna's picture is not in the gold box" was written on the bronze box. The King would tell each suitor "Only one of the three messages is correct." Which box contained Anna's picture?
Think about it like this: if a message is true, what would it imply about the other two boxes?
The silver box contained Anna's picture. If her picture had been in the gold box, two statements would have been true. (The messages on both the gold box and the silver box.) If her picture had been in the bronze box, two statements would have been true. (The messages on the bronze box and the silver box.)
A wealthy wise old woman feared that her daughter was lazy and as a result rather stupid. When the old woman died, her will stipulated that her assets were to be liquidated and a check was to be written for the full amount. The check was to be placed in one of three envelopes. The other two envelopes would contain a blank piece of paper. If the daughter could determine from the writing on the envelope which envelope contained the check, she would inherit her mother's fortune. Otherwise, the fortune would go to the old woman's favorite charity for animals. The daughter was not allowed to touch the envelopes. Her decision had to be made based on the writing on the envelopes. The daughter was told that only one envelope had a true statement and that the other two statements were false. The envelopes had the following writing: 1. This envelope does not have the check 2. This envelope has the check 3. The second envelope does not have the check Which envelope should the daughter pick?
Think about it this way: if an envelope says something true, what would it say? And if an envelope says something false, what would it say?
The daughter should pick envelope 1. Unfortunately she picked envelope 3. Statements 1 and 2 were false, and the only true statement was statement 3. If the check was in envelope 1, that would make statement 1 false, statement 2 false and statement 3 is the only true statement. If the check was in envelope 2, statements 1 and 2 would both be true. If the check was in envelope 3, statements 1 and 3 would both be true.
A man phoned his daughter to ask her to buy a few things he needed for a trip. He told her she would find enough dollar bills for the purchase in an envolope on his desk. She found the note with 98 written on it.
In the store she bought $90 dollars worth of things, but when it was time to pay she not only did have $8 left over but she was short.
By how much and why?
Hint: Think about the difference between the number 98 and the amount of dollar bills the daughter found.
(A). $4. She had read 86 upside down.
(B). Turn 9 upside down and exchange it with the 8. Both columms will add to 18.
You are in a car hungry, thirsty, and broken. You come across three doors on the side of the road. One is full of food, one is full of glasses of water, and one is filled with millions of dollars. Which door do you open first?
Think about the order of priority when you're in a car and in a state of distress...
A pet shop owner had a parrot with a sign on its cage that said "Parrot repeats everything it hears". Davey bought the parrot and for two weeks he spoke to it and it didn't say a word. He returned the parrot but the shopkeeper said he never lied about the parrot.
How can this be?
Think about what Davey did (or didn't do) during those two weeks...
A man is on one side of a river, his dog on the other. The man calls his dog, who immediately crossed the river without getting wet and without using a bridge or a boat. How did the dog do it?
There were 5 children in a room. Iris drew a picture, Barry played video games, Andrew played chess, and Trina read a book. What is the fifth child, Mindy, doing?
Mindy is playing chess with Andrew. You can't play chess alone!
Mr. Green, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Black meet up for coffee one Monday morning. Mr. Green says, "Hey, do you realize that we're all wearing shirts of colors that don't match our names?". The man wearing the brown shirt says, "Wow, Mr. Green, you're right"! What colored shirt is each man wearing?
Think about what the man wearing the brown shirt says...
Mr. Green cannot be wearing the green shirt, because his statement that all three men are wearing shirts that don't match their names is correct. And he cannot be wearing the brown shirt, because the man wearing the brown shirt replied to his words, and let's be honest–it doesn't make sense to reply to your OWN words, right? This means Mr. Green can only be wearing the black shirt. Mr. Brown can either be wearing a green or a black shirt. The black shirt is already taken, so Mr. Brown is wearing the green shirt. And Mr. Black is wearing the brown shirt.
A hiker comes to a fork in the road and doesn't know which way to go to reach his destination. There are two men at the fork, one of whom always tells the truth while the other always lies. The hiker doesn't know which is which, though. He may ask one of the men only one question to find his way. Which man does he ask, and what is the question?
Think about asking a question that will give you a reliable answer regardless of whether you're talking to the truth-teller or the liar...
Either man should be asked the following question: "If I were to ask you if this is the way I should go, would you say yes?" While asking the question, the hiker should be pointing at either of the directions going from the fork.
A man is walking down a road with a basket of eggs. As he is walking he meets someone who buys one-half of his eggs plus one-half of an egg. He walks a little further and meets another person who buys one-half of his eggs plus one-half of an egg. After proceeding further he meets another person who buys one-half of his eggs plus one half an egg. At this point he has sold all of his eggs, and he never broke an egg. How many eggs did the man have to start with?
Think about the pattern of egg sales: each time, the man sells half of his remaining eggs, plus a fraction of an egg...
7 eggs. The first person bought one half of his eggs plus one half an egg (3 1/2 + 1/2 = 4 eggs) This left him 3 eggs. The second person bought one-half of his eggs plus one half an egg, (1 1/2 + 1/2 = 2 eggs) leaving the man 1 egg. The last person bought one-half of his eggs plus one-half an egg, (1/2 + 1/2 = 1 egg) leaving no eggs.
Robert and David played several golf matches against each other in a week. They played for a pizza at each match, but no pizzas were purchased until the end of the week. If at any time Robert and David had the same number of wins, those pizzas were canceled. Robert won four matches (but no pizzas), and David won three pizzas. How many rounds of golf were played?
Think about the sequence of wins and how the "cancellation" rule affects the outcome. Consider when Robert's wins are "wasted" and how David can still win pizzas despite Robert's wins.
Eleven, David won 7 matches, 4 to cancel out Robert's 4 wins, and 3 more to win the pizzas.
One-fourth of the population of a newly discovered planet has 4 legs while the rest have two legs. There are 60 legs in total. What is the population of the newly discovered planet?
Think about the total number of legs: if one-fourth of the population has 4 legs, that means the rest (three-fourths) have 2 legs. Can you set up an equation using "L" for the total population and "4L/4" for the number of 4-legged creatures?
4 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 10 legs and 4 inhabitants. Repeat this six times to use up all 60 legs and you end up with 24 total inhabitants.
Lily is a lilypad in a small pond. Lilly doubles her size each day, On the 20th day she covers the whole pond. On what day was Lily half the size of the pond?
Think backwards!
Day 19, it's not 10 because on day 20 she doubled from day 19, so 19 must be half the size of the pond.
Four cars come to a four-way stop, all coming from a different direction. They can't decide who got there first, so they all go forward at the same time. They do not crash into each other, but all four cars go. How is this possible?
You're an FBI agent and you are assigned to the case of a murder. A man named Julious Jill was murdered by someone in the house. At least that's what people say. You are to interview everyone who was in the house on Sunday at 6:30 pm. You interview the kids first you ask them "What were you doing on Sunday at 6:30" The kids said we were playing with our toys. You interview the wife and you ask the same thing. The wife says she was cleaning the kids' room because the maid said she was going out with friends. So Mts. Jill said she would clean. Next, you ask the maid what she was doing the maid says she was getting the mail. Who murdered Mr. Jill?
Hint: Pay close attention to the maid's alibi...
The maid: the maid said she was getting the mail on a Sunday the mail doesn't come on Sundays and she lied to Mrs. Jill about going out with friends.
You are in a haunted house. But this is an advanced haunted house. The haunted house has electricity. There are three doors. One door leads to a tiger that hasn't eaten for 3 months. Another door leads to an electric chair that has electricity this time. And the last door has a man waiting to chop your head off. Which door do you go through?
Think about the condition of the tiger...
Duh, the door that leads to the tiger that hasn't eaten for three months because wouldn't he have starved to death by now?
Each clue leads to a word beginning with B.A.T. 1. A BAT used by an orchestra conductor. 2. This BAT fight crime. 3. A BAT that you soak in. 4. Which BAT stores electricity? 5. This naval BAT sails the sea. What are the answers?
"Look for words that are not necessarily related to the flying creature, but all start with the letters B-A-T..."
The things I bite, they don't bleed,
I don't bite until you push me;
I bring my victims together each time I bite,
But they'll come undone if you pull it just right.
What am I?
Think about something you use every day, often without even realizing it, and which has a very specific purpose...
Ice melts when heated up. But I solidify when I'm heated up. What am I?
Think about something that changes its state from liquid to solid when its temperature increases, a process that's opposite to what happens with ice...
The fuel for life, Important parts of the day, Even if it is a long time away. Long lasting use, Long lasting fuse, Until my explosive death day. What am I?
Think about something that provides energy, is often associated with daily routines, and has a "shelf life" before it eventually "burns out" in a dramatic way...
I come in different shapes and sizes. Parts of me are curved, others are straight. You can put me anywhere you like, but there is only one right place for me. What am I?
Think about something you use every day, something that can be found in many different forms, but has a very specific purpose and "home"...
I cannot be felt, seen or touched; Yet I can be found in everybody; My existence is always in debate, Yet I have my own style of music.
What Am I?
"Think about something that is abstract, yet has a profound impact on individuals, and has been a topic of discussion and creativity throughout history..."
I hang around all day and night keeping you safe. I might have only one arm, but it is very strong. Nevertheless, I can defend you and everything you care about without moving a muscle. What am I?
Think about something you might find on a wall or a door, that provides protection and security...
I was born in the 18th century, yet still live on today. Appearing on TV when I have something to say. Called everything from "honest" to a dirty rotten "crook", I used to wear a wig, but have had several looks. I've always had a party, but never disturb the neighbors. I've been shot at many times - major stories for the papers. What am I?
Think about a figure that has been represented in various ways over the centuries, often in a theatrical or dramatic sense, and has been associated with both positive and negative qualities...
Never resting, never still. Moving silently from hill to hill. It does not walk, run or trot, All is cool where it is not. What is it?
Think about something that can move across the landscape without making a sound, and its presence is often associated with a decrease in temperature...
This thing runs but cannot walk, sometimes sings but never talks. Lacks arms, has hands; lacks a head but has a face. What is it?
Think about something you might find in a public place, often in a city or town, that has a "face" that shows information, and "hands" that move in a circular motion...
Mark my words, and Mark them well, I've a very fine name to tell. I've said it twice, and I'll say it once more. Don't get frustrated, just write the answer down, Make sure you Mark it very well. What's my name?
Pay close attention to the repeated use of the word "Mark" in the riddle, and think about what it might be instructing you to do...
A girl named Sadie was home alone one night. She wanted to relax after a long day instead of going to the movies. Her parents were really running late! So Sadie watched horror movie after horror movie after horror movie! But then she called 911 because she saw a man on her patio! Quickly the police came. They observed the whole house and the patio but their were no footsteps anywhere! Then, one cop found the answer to it all. What was it?
Here's a hint:
Think about what Sadie was doing all night...
A man had broke into the house and hid behind the couch. The cop found footprints back there, and it was the mans reflection that Sadie saw.
Be you ever so quick, with vision keen, by your eyes, we are never seen. Unless perchance it should come to pass, you see our reflection in a looking glass. What are we?
Angry and Hungry are two words ending in 'gry" There are three words, (Using popular terminology) in the English Language, that ends in "GRY".
The word is something that everyone uses every day. If you have listened carefully, I have already told you what it is. What is the third word?
Listen carefully to the riddle, the answer is hidden in the phrase "I have already told you what it is."
The answer is terminology. It's the third word ending in gry. Using popular terminology
Two ladies were detained by security officers at an airport–one of whom claimed to be a computer scientist, and one of whom claimed to be a geographer. One of them was secretly a smuggler! A security officer asked the supposed computer scientist, "Do you know about the Gava computer program?". The woman answered, "Do you mean Java?". The security officer then asked the supposed geographer, "Have you ever been to the capital of Spain, that is, Granada?". The geographer said, "Yes! It's a beautiful city!". Who was the smuggler?
Think about the answers the women gave... did they really answer the questions they were asked?
The capital of Spain is Madrid, not Granada. If the second woman was really a geographer, she would know this; she must be the smuggler!
Three employees–A, B, and C–get called into the office. One of them is fired, another one is promoted, and the last one wants to resign at first, but changes his mind. You know that one, the employee who is fired is older than the rest and single, and two, Employee B is younger than the employee who stays, and he doesn't know C's wife. Who is fired?
Think about the relationships between the employees and how the clues about age and marital status can help you figure out who is fired...
C can't be fired because he's married (i.e. he has a wife). B can't be fired either because he's younger than the employee who stays (B can't be younger than A because nobody was fired and decided to stay at the same time, and he can't be younger than himself either, so B is the youngest). It means that A has been fired.