A woman is put in a cement room without windows. The door is mechanically bolted shut and under strict watch so that nobody can come in or out. It is secured in every possible way. 24 hours later, the door is opened, and there are now 2 people inside the room. How is this possible?
Think about the woman's condition when she was first put in the room...
Irene and her friend Mark were walking down the street when they saw two houses. Mark wanted to play a game with Irene. He said, "One family lives in each house. And each family has two pets: either dogs or cats. The first family has a dog who likes dry food, while the other pet likes canned food. The second family has a 6-year-old dog and a newborn pet. If you can guess which family has a cat, I'll take you out for lunch." Irene manages to get the riddle right, and the two of them go out for lunch. Which family did she choose?
Pay close attention to the age of the pets...
Irene chose the first family. There are three different possibilities for the pets that the first family has: 1) an older dog and a younger cat; 2) a younger dog, and an older cat, and; 3) two dogs. Two of these options involve a cat, and all of them are equally possible, so the chance of the first family having a cat is 2/3. There are two different possibilities for the pets that the second family has: 1) a 6-year-old dog and a newborn dog, and; 2) a 6-year-old dog and a newborn cat. One of these options involves a cat, and both of them are equally possible, so the chance of the second family having a cat is 1/2. Irene's odds of winning will be higher if she chooses the first family.
A certain man who is called "Captain" by his crew, is infamously known for his hatred of a particular group of young boys. He especially dislikes the leader of this group of children, to the extent he would actually kill him if given the chance. This man is neither a basketball player, nor a boxer, nor a fisherman, as his name suggests, but he is the "captain" of a ship called the Sea Devil which flies a black and white flag. This man sails on his ship with his own group of grown men who are a scurvy bunch who enjoy criminal activities. Although he presents himself as being fearless, there is one thing that sends him into a frightened panic -- the sound of a ticking clock! Who is this infamous man, and why haven’t the authorities arrested or imprisoned him and his evil crew?
Think of a classic tale of piracy on the high seas, but also consider a different kind of "captain" and a story that may not be entirely historically accurate...
The infamous man is Captain Hook, the arch-enemy of Peter Pan and the lost boys. He fears the loud ticking of a clock which a monstrous crocodile swallowed at some point before Peter Pan cut off the captain’s hand during battle, and fed the hand to the beast. The clock now resides in the crocodile’s stomach, and the ticking warns Captain Hook of the creature’s presence, as the crocodile wants to eat the rest of the tasty captain.
A man is sitting in a room along with a group of mostly women. The man suddenly begins shouting out a list of letters and numbers, alternating between the two, (e.g., letter - number - letter - number - letter - number, etc.). This goes on for some time, with the man shouting, and those in attendance remaining silent. Eventually however, one of the women in the room shouts a one word response to the man, which causes some in the room to feel disappointment, while the woman who shouts out, feels happiness. What is happening here?
Think about a common social event where a group of people, mostly women, gather and a man plays a key role in it...
The man is calling a Bingo Game for a group of mostly women. The woman who shouts out says, "Bingo!", and feels happy, while the rest of the people feel disappointment.
Romeo and Juliet are found dead on the floor in a bedroom. When they were discovered, there were pieces of glass and some water on the floor. The only furniture in the room is a shelf and a bed. The house is in a remote location, away from everything except for the nearby railroad track. What caused the death of Romeo and Juliet?
Think about the environment and the objects in the room, but also consider the "stage" they're on...
Romeo and Juliet are fish. The rumble of the train knocked the tank off the shelf, it broke and Romeo and Juliet did not survive.
You're in a magical bathroom with no windows and the only way things can get in and out is by an open door. You decide to have a bath so you turn on the tap, you shut the door and the handle breaks so you can't open it, you then turn off the tap and the knob breaks so water keeps coming. How do you save yourself from drowning?
Think about what you can do BEFORE the water starts rising...
The marathon man timed himself and found out that if he wore a bright white outfit he ran 20 miles in 80 minutes, but when he wore a dark outfit, he ran 20 miles in one hour and twenty minutes. What does this mean for his next race?
Think about how the marathon man's outfit might be affecting his running time, and it's not because of the physical properties of the outfit itself...
Absolutely nothing, as 80 minutes equals an hour and twenty minutes.
I know what my job is, The point has been made. You say I have a big head, And you're right, I'm afraid. Put me in my place, And then leave me alone. What I need most, Is someone to drive me home. What am I?
Think about an object that has a "head" or a prominent top part, and is often associated with a particular profession or activity. The phrase "put me in my place" might be a literal instruction...
There are 2 cops parked along a one-way street looking for traffic violations. They spot a taxi driver going in the wrong direction, yet they do nothing.
Why?
Think about the situation from a different perspective... Are the cops really "looking" at the taxi driver?
The taxi driver wasn't driving at the time, he was walking.
In Jamaica, if you drop a steel ball weighing five pounds from a height of 45 inches, will it fall more rapidly through the water at 20 degrees Fahrenheit or water at 40 degrees Fahrenheit? Or will it make no difference?
Think about the properties of water at different temperatures...
40 degrees Fahrenheit. At 20 degrees Fahrenheit the water would be ice.
Tom and his younger sister were fighting. Their mother was tired of the fighting and decided to punish them by making them stand on the same piece of newspaper in such a way that they couldn't touch each other. How did she accomplish this?
Tom's mother slid a newspaper under a door, each sibling standing on each side.
At a local bar, three friends, Mr. Green, Mr. Red, and Mr. Blue, were having a drink. One man was wearing a red suit; one a green suit; and the other a blue suit. "Have you noticed," said the man in the blue suit, "that although our suits have colors corresponding to our names, not one of us is wearing a suit that matches our names?" Mr. Red looked at the other two and said, "You're absolutely correct." What color suit is each man wearing?
Think about what Mr. Red said: "You're absolutely correct." If Mr. Red were wearing a red suit, he would be saying that he himself is wearing a suit that matches his name, which would contradict the initial statement. So, what color suit must Mr. Red be wearing?
Since none of the men are wearing the color of suit that corresponds to their names, and Mr. Red was replying to the man in the blue suit, it had to be Mr. Green to whom he replied. We then know that Mr. Green is wearing a blue suit. Therefore, Mr. Red is wearing a green suit and Mr. Blue is wearing a red suit.
There are five doors in front of you in the following order: black, blue, black, black, blue. Only one door will lead you to freedom, and you only have one chance to pick it. Assuming that all three hints are true, can you pick the correct door? 1) The correct door is black. 2) The correct door is not next to the leftmost or the rightmost door. 3) The correct door is not in the middle.
Pay close attention to hint 2, it's not just telling you what the correct door is not, but also giving you a subtle clue about the other doors...
The leftmost door is the correct door. There are only three black doors, so it's one of them (we can eliminate doors two and five because they are blue and not black). The fourth door should be eliminated next because it's next to the rightmost door, which contradicts the second hint (we can't eliminate the first door because it's not correct to say that the leftmost door is next to itself). And the middle door is a trap, too. Therefore, the first door is the best choice.
I have three envelopes, into one of them I put a $20 note. I lay the envelopes out on a table in front of me and allow you to pick one envelope. You hold but do not open this envelope. I then take one of the envelopes from the table, demonstrate to you that it was empty, screw it up and throw it away. The question is would you rather stick with the envelope you have selected or exchange it for the one on the table. Why? What would be the expected value to you of the exchange?
Hint: Think about the probability of the $20 note being in each envelope initially, and how that probability changes when one envelope is eliminated. It's not 50/50!
The answer might seem a little counter intuitive at first but we'll see... The short answer is that it is in your advantage to exchange. But why? Well initially there was a 1/3 chance that you were holding the envelope with the note in it and a 2/3 chance that the note was on the table. This is still the case after one of the envelopes on the table has been removed, there is still a 1/3 chance that you have the note and a 2/3 chance of it being on the table. If this is confusing then it may help to think that the questioner knows which envelope the $20 note is in, though in practice it doesn't actually matter. The questioner would always be able to demonstrate that the note was not in one of the envelopes on the table regardless of where the note was, so the fact that he was able to do this changes nothing. Consider a different example.... Say there are a 1000 envelopes on the table, 1 with a note inside. You pick 1 envelope, the chance that this has the note in it is clearly 1/1000, where as the chance that it is still on the table is 999/1000. Odds are its on the table. Now the questioner could, assuming he can remember where the note is demonstrate to you that the note is not in 998 of the envelopes on the table. In this case nothing would have happened to change the fact that there is only a 1/1000 chance of you having the note. That is why you exchange. What is the value of the exchange? Simply before the exchange you have 1/3 of $20 and afterwards you will have 2/3 of $20, ie the advantage to you is about $6.66
There is a barrel with no lid and some wine in it. "This barrel of wine is more than half full," said Curly. "No it's not," says Mo. "It's less than half full." Without any measuring implements and without removing any wine from the barrel, how can they easily determine who is correct?
"Think about the shape of the barrel..."
Tilt the barrel until the wine barely touches the lip of the barrel. If the bottom of the barrel is visible then it is less than half full. If the barrel bottom is still completely covered by the wine, then it is more than half full.
How can you make the following equation true by drawing only one straight line: 5+5+5=550? Can you figure it out?
Think Roman numerals...
Draw a line on the first plus sign that turns it into a 4! The equation then becomes true: 545+5=550. You could also change the equal symbol to a crossed out equal symbol which means "not equal to".
If you go to the movies and you're paying, is it cheaper to take one friend to the movies twice, or two friends to the movies at the same time?
Think about the number of tickets you need to buy in each scenario...
It's cheaper to take two friends at the same time. In this case, you would only be buying three tickets, whereas if you take the same friend twice you are buying four tickets.
A man bumps into his mathematician friend on the street whom he hasn't seen in 5 years. The man asks the mathematician how old his children are. The mathematician, who always replies in riddles said, "I now have three children. The sum of their ages is equal to the number of windows on the building in front of you and the product of their ages equals 36." The friend then says "I need one more piece of information." The mathematician then replies "My youngest child has blue eyes." What are the ages of the mathematician's three children?
Pay close attention to the building in front of you...
There are 10 people in an empty, square room. Each person has full sight of the entire room and everyone in it without turning his head or body or moving in any way (other than the eyes). Where can you place an apple so that all but one person can see it?
There is a man, with his horse he is going to a town. The man went to the town on Monday. He stayed there for 3 days and then he came back on Friday. How? His horse was not tired, he wasn't sleepy and took rest.
I am something people love or hate. I change people's appearances and thoughts. If a person takes care of them self I will go up even higher. To some people, I will fool them. To others, I am a mystery. Some people might want to try and hide me but I will show. No matter how hard people try I will Never go down. What am I?
There is a green house. Inside the green house, there is a white house Inside the white house there is a red house. Inside the red house, there are lots of babies. What is it?
It is a watermelon. Explanation: The skin of the watermelon is green (green house), the watermelon rind is white (white house), the watermelon flesh is red (red house), and the watermelon seeds located in the red flesh are the babies.
I can bring you joy or sorrow, or everything in between. None have seen, smelt or felt me, yet many still know what I am. I have many types, but I am really just one thing. What am I?
Think about something that can evoke different emotions in people, and is often described or referred to, but can't be perceived through our five traditional senses...
The rich people want me, the poor people have me, if you eat me you die. What am I?
Think about something that's often associated with wealth and luxury, yet is also commonly found among those who are less fortunate. And be careful what you "consume" - it might just be deadly!
I have many feathers to help me fly. I have a body and head, but I'm not alive. It is your strength which determines how far I go. You can hold me in your hand, but I'm never thrown. What am I?
Think about something you might find at a sporting goods store or a recreational activity that involves flying, but isn't a living thing...
I am as loud as a plane, as precise as a pen, I never run out, even when I'm on end, I can be refilled. But when I stop working, I just need to recharge. I can help you with ink and paper, just tell me when! What Am I?
"Think about a tool that's often used with ink and paper, but doesn't actually hold the ink itself..."
I can make you smile and frown. Make you laugh, and even make you cry. I can cause crashes, also you use me every day. I can make you dance. Some use me to go to sleep. What am I?
Think about something that can evoke emotions, is used daily, and has a strong impact on our lives... It's not a living thing, but it's always around us.
Looking for something? Open me. I'm sure that something inside of me lies. Of course, you can always find hope in me (Though despair must come first; and later, surprise), What's sought, though, depends on the seeker - One looks for bobbin; another, for beaker; Others, for nature; still others, for nurture - The quarry will vary from searcher to searcher. And yet (I suspect this will strike you as strange), My contents are set and will not ever change. If you cannot still guess what I mean, here's a clue: The answer - what I mean - lies inside of me, too. What am I?
Think about a common object that people often open to find different things, and its contents are fixed, yet what's sought can vary greatly from person to person...
I sit here collecting dust, I can wait forever to open me and you will not be disappointed, I can make you laugh, cry, and sad, I contain all the knowledge of the world, let me take you to a faraway land. What am I?
Think about something that can evoke emotions, transport you to different places, and hold a vast amount of information, all while often being found in a dusty, forgotten state...
I'm pleasing to the eye A tool for many absent of mind A tapestry of fickle lies Blind to even the most pensive spies I'm often the breeder of fervent lust But I am by far one you shouldn't trust.
What am I?
"Think about something that is visually appealing, yet can be misleading and untrustworthy, often influencing people's desires and perceptions..."
'Tis found in our troubles, 'tis mixed with our pleasures, 'Tis laid up above with our heavenly treasures; 'Tis whispered in heaven, and 'tis muttered in hell, And it findeth a place in each sybilline spell; In Paradise nestled, 'mid Eden's fair flowers, It has sported with Eve in rose-perfumed bowers; 'Tis muttered in curses, yet breathed in our prayers; From the path of our duty it tempts us in snares. Deep, deep in our hearts you will find it engraved; Though in misery sunk, yet from sin it is saved. 'Tis found in the stream that flows on to the ocean; Though in bustle forever, 'tis ne'er in commotion. 'Tis wafted afar o'er the land in each breath; In the grave 'tis decaying-you'll find it in death. It is floating away on the broad stream of time, Yet it findeth a place in eternity's clime. In the legends of nations it holdeth a place; There's no charm without it to the beautiful face. In thunder you'll hear it, if closely you listen; In moonbeam and sunbeam forever 'twill glisten. In the dew-drop it sparkles; 'tis found in the forest; It whispers in peace when our need is the sorest. What am I?
Pay attention to the words that describe its presence and behavior, such as "whispered", "muttered", "breathed", "wafted", and "sparkles". It's something that can be found in various forms and is often associated with sounds and movements.
A detective who was mere days away from cracking an international oil smuggling ring has suddenly gone missing. While inspecting his last-known location, officers find a note: 710 57735 34 5508 51 7718. Currently, there are 3 suspects: Bill, John, and Todd. Can you break the detective's code and find the criminal's name?
Hint: Look for a pattern in the numbers that corresponds to a common method of communication, and think about how the detective might have used this method to conceal the name of the suspect.
Bill is the suspect if you read upside down the numbers it says: "Bill is boss. He sells oil."
When you don't know what I am, I am something. When you know what I am, I am nothing.
What Am I?
Think about a situation where your understanding or knowledge of something changes its significance or existence...
The answer was what that question was! The answer would be a riddle! a riddle would be nothing if you knew it and if you dunt know the answer to the riddle, it's still something.
What has 4 letters and has 3 letters but never has 5 letters but has 3 if it is spelled with 2 letters?
Think about a word that refers to a quantity or amount, and how it can be represented in different ways...
Riddle is the answer. Don't read it as a question, read it as a statement. What= 4 letters And= 3 letters Never= 5 letters But= 3 letters If, it ,is= 2 letters
My name starts with "rain" and ends with the first letter of my name. I get mistaken for other things a lot. I am usually present in children's stories. I am usually flying in mid-air too. What am I?
Think about something that is often depicted in children's stories and is commonly mistaken for something else... and pay attention to the wordplay in the riddle, especially the part about the first letter of the name!
If you screw a light bulb into a socket by turning the bulb toward the right with your right hand, which way would you turn the socket with your left hand in order to unscrew it while holding the bulb stationary?
A robber comes in a house that a rich person owns and hears a voice Jesus is watching you. He goes in the kitchen and hears it even louder. Jeaus is watching you and keeps going room through room it getting even louder till he comes to the bedroom and sees a parrrot that is saying, "Jesus is watching you" The robber is freaked out when he hears something moving behind him. What is it?
Here's a hint: Think about what might be a natural companion to a parrot in a bedroom...
I have a heart that never beats, I have a home but I never sleep. I can take a man's house and build another, And I love to play games with my many brothers. I am a king among fools. Who am I?
Think about a game where strategy and power are key, and a piece that can capture others and control the board...
There are eight people who like each other? Rhonda likes Jim. Tom likes Amber. Cameron likes Britney. Will likes Katie. They all know that they're liked by at least someone. The question is, who is loved? *Hint think about the *words in this statement...
Pay attention to the verb "likes" vs. the verb "is loved" in the statement.
A person dressed in black from head to toe is walking along a street. All of the street lamps are turned off. A black car is speeding behind the person, and its headlights are turned off. But somehow, the driver is able to stop the car without hitting the person. How?
Think about the time of day...
It was daytime; I didn't say it was nighttime after all!