I am found in the sea and on land, but I do not walk or swim. I travel by foot, but I am toeless. No matter where I go, I'm never far from home. What am I?
Think about something that can be found in both sea and land, and is often associated with "foot" but doesn't have toes... and is always close to "home" no matter where it goes. Consider a feature that is common to both sea shores and land surfaces.
Marvin is a typical boy who attends a typical elementary school. However, Marvin is considered by some to be a bit eccentric. His teachers have noted he has a habit of carrying some unusual things in his pockets. Some of these items include: onion skins, some toothpaste, a lifeless bumblebee, a steel ball, pearls, some spaghetti, and a small turtle. The most bizarre item he carries in his pockets though, is far more disturbing --- a cat's eye!!! Why haven't the teachers reported this to the authorities? Where are the animal rights activists when you need them? Why hasn't the school psychologist been contacted so Marvin can receive a mental health evaluation? Of course, it is possible Marvin isn't such a strange little boy after all. What do you think? What's going on here?
Marvin's pockets are not as strange as they seem... Think about the context in which Marvin is carrying these items.
Marvin loves to play the old game of marbles. He always carries some in his pockets, some of which include: onion skins (marbles with a swirled and layered design that resemble an onion); toothpaste (marbles with the colors of red, white, blue, black, and orange inside), bumblebee (a yellow marble with two black stripes on the sides), a ball bearing made of steel called a steelie), pearls (marbles with a mother-of-pearl coating), spaghetti (marbles with entwined lines inside them), a turtle (a marble with green and yellow wavy steaks), and a cat’s eye (a marble which closely resembles the eye of a cat).
Spencer wakes up in the middle of a forest. A few seconds later, a witch and three magic tunnels–a red, a yellow, and a blue–appear in front of the guy. The witch tells Spencer, "Two of these tunnels will make you disappear forever, and the other one will send you back to your house. Listen to these clues VERY carefully,". Clue 1: Choose the red tunnel, and you won't not disappear. Clue 2: It's a lie to say that the yellow tunnel isn't dissimilar. Clue 3: The blue tunnel doesn't have less in common with the red than with the yellow. Which tunnel should Spencer choose?
Think about the clues as statements about the tunnels, and consider what would be true if a tunnel led to Spencer's house versus if it made him disappear forever. Pay close attention to the use of double negatives and words like "dissimilar" to help you decipher the witch's tricky clues.
Spencer should choose the yellow tunnel. If he chooses the red tunnel, he will not NOT disappear; in other words, Spencer WILL disappear if he enters the red tunnel. We can therefore exclude the red tunnel. If he chooses the blue tunnel, he will also disappear; this is because the blue tunnel doesn't have less in common with red than yellow. In other words, the blue tunnel has more in common with red than yellow, so the blue tunnel will also make Spencer disappear. Choosing the yellow tunnel is the safest option because if it's a lie to say that yellow isn't dissimilar, the truth is that yellow IS different from the red and blue tunnels.
It was during a television advertisement on the reality show "Dog the Bounty Hunter" that Jean first received her calling to become an actual bounty hunter. Immediately after viewing the ad, Jean stood up, walked directly to her car, and proceeded to drive to a rather seedy location where she felt certain she would be able to secure her first bounty. Fearlessly, Jean entered the location without weapons of any kind and without handcuffs, and yet, she was able to apprehend her intended target without causing any disturbance, and without encountering any physical resistance from her prey. What gave Jean the courage and the confidence to think she could handle the duties, dangers, and responsibilities associated with the bounty hunting profession?
Think about the "seedy location" Jean drove to and what kind of "target" she might be looking for...
As Jean was watching her favorite TV show “Dog the Bounty Hunter” one evening, a commercial for Bounty paper towels appeared. Jean remembered she had just used her last roll of paper towels earlier that day and had always wanted to try the Bounty brand, so she drove to a local mini-mart and picked up a roll to try it, to see if it was truly “The Quicker - Picker - Upper”.
A man rode his horse to the top of a high hill. He tied his horse to a large birch tree, and removed a blanket, a flint and steel for making fire, and a small hatchet to cut down a bunch of green saplings. He then gathered a bunch of dried leaves and took them, along with the green saplings, to an open area near some smaller rocks. Using the flint and steel, he tried to start a fire with the leaves and green wood. As the fire struggled to burn, the man did something remarkable. He suddenly took his blanket and covered the fire with it. Apparently, regretting his actions, he removed the blanket from the smoldering fire; but then, a few seconds later, he placed the blanket back over the fire. Again and again he repeated his actions of throwing the blanket on and off the fire. Was this man an obsessive-compulsive pyromaniac, or was there some kind of method to his madness?
Think about the man's profession and how his actions might be related to his work...
The man was a Native American Indian in the old West who was sending smoke signals to his tribe.
Messy Marge's mother was scolding her once again for keeping such a messy bedroom -- and right after she had said she was done cleaning it. Her mother began her lecture by saying, "Messy Marge (that is what her mother called her), I just finished inspecting your room, and I was shocked by some of the things I discovered on your bedroom floor. I found 11 red balloons, 7 orange-colored stars, 9 green things which resembled clover leafs, 4 moon-shaped objects of a bluish color, and 10 little pink hearts; but the mess that really irritated me was the 26 horse shoes I found on your closet floor! Is Messy Marge destined to be the next subject on the TV show "Hoarders: Buried Alive," or is there some less horrific explanation for the contents of her room?
Think about the items mentioned and what they might have in common... they're all things you might find on a specific type of item, often associated with celebrations or special occasions.
Messy Marge is messy with her belongings, but she has also been caught eating in her room. In this case, she’s been eating bowls of Lucky Charms cereal, and spilling many of the colored marshmallows in various places in her room.
Hidden in the poem below, a female's name you'll seek; just read and listen to the rhyme, but please, don't take a week! MYSTERY POEM: A pig that is not dirty, I might just one day see; but pigs and soap suds do not mix, in bathtub history! What is the female name you hear?
Pay attention to the words that sound similar to a female name when read aloud, especially in the first and last lines of the poem.
As you are getting off your plane, you are met by two animal quarantine officials who work for one of the 50 United States. They inform you that your pet squirrel, "Nut Job", is not allowed in their state, as their state is squirrel-free. They further inform you that ferrets, gerbils, hamsters, and snakes also do not exist in their state, and will never be welcome there. What kind of southern hospitality is this, and what is the name of this state?
Think about a state that's known for its unique wildlife and has a name that's closely related to a type of animal...
The state is Hawaii, and the animals listed in the puzzle above do not exist in the state, because it is illegal to own or bring them onto any of the Hawaiian islands.
Four men sat down to play, They played all night till the break of day. They played for gold and not for fun, With separate scores for every one. When they had come to square accounts, They all had made quite fair amounts. Can you the paradox explain, If no one lost, how all could gain?
Think about a game where the "gain" is not necessarily at the expense of the others...
Shirley's two-year-old granddaughter carries around with her something Shirley recently purchased for her in the produce section of a local supermarket. The little girl has the item wrapped in a blanket, pretending it is her baby. She carries her "baby" with her everywhere she goes, and even sleeps with it at nighttime. However, the "baby" has no body, but consists of a brown head with two eyes and a mouth; or is it two eyes and a nose? Sometimes it is difficult to tell, but only the face of the baby peeks out from the surrounding blanket. What type of produce is this "baby" that Shirley's granddaughter carries around with her?
Think about a type of produce that has a "head" with features that resemble a face, and is often brown in color...
The two-year-old’s “baby” is actually a coconut which she wraps in a blanket, with the three circular indentations of the “face” turned outward.
The king dies and two men, the true heir and an impostor, both claim to be his long-lost son. Both fit the description of the rightful heir: about the right age, height, coloring and general appearance. Finally, one of the elders proposes a test to identify the true heir. One man agrees to the test while the other flatly re-fuses. The one who agreed is immediately sent on his way, and the one who re-fused is correctly identified as the rightful heir. Can you figure out why?
The key to this riddle lies in the nature of the test itself, rather than the physical characteristics of the two men. Think about what kind of test would be proposed that one man would willingly agree to, while the other would refuse...
The test was a blood test. The elder remembered that the true prince was a hemophiliac.
There is a dead man in the middle of a field, nothing is around him and there are no footprints of any sort. There is an unopened package next to him. How did he die? HINT: As he approached the field he knew he was going to die.
A subtle and intriguing start! Here's a hint: Think about a common, innocent phrase that might be used to describe a particular scene or situation. The answer is not meant to be offensive or provocative, but rather a play on words.
A woman who lived in Germany during World War II wanted to cross the German/Swiss border in order to escape Nazi pursuers. The bridge which she is to cross is a half mile across, over a large canyon. Every three minutes a guard comes out of his bunker and checks if anyone is on the bridge. If a person is caught trying to escape from the German side to the Swiss side they are shot. If caught crossing the other direction without papers they are sent back. She knows that it takes at least five minutes to cross the bridge, at which time the guard will see her crossing and shoot her. How does she get across?
Think about the guard's routine and how the woman can use it to her advantage. Consider what would happen if she started crossing the bridge, but not necessarily from the German side...
She waits until the guard is inside his hut, then walks halfway across before starting to walk back. The guard, seing she has no papers, sends her "back".
George was cleaning the windows on the eighteenth floor of an office block when there was a massive power failure. The electric hoist on his platform was immoblized.
So how did he manage to get down before the power was restored?
Think about what George was doing when the power failure occurred...
George walked down the stairs. He was cleaning the inside of the windows.
You want to send a valuable object to a friend. You have a box which is more than large enough to contain the object. You have several locks with keys. The box has a locking ring which is more than large enough to have a lock attached. But your friend does not have the key to any lock that you have. How do you do it? Note that you cannot send a key in an unlocked box, since it might be copied.
Think about sending the box to your friend in multiple stages, with each stage adding a layer of security...
Attach a lock to the ring. Send it to her. She attaches her own lock and sends it back. You remove your lock and send it back to her. She removes her lock.
Three working women have different careers. If only one of statements 1, 2 and 3 are true, can you tell whether or not Mary is a nurse? 1. This statement is only true if statement 5 is false. 2. This statement is true if statements 4 or 5, or both 4 and 5 are true. 3. This statement is false only if both statements 6 and 1 are true. 4. Mary is a nurse 5. Karen is an artist. 6. Sarah is a photographer.
Pay close attention to the relationships between the statements, especially statements 1, 2, and 3, as they will help you navigate the puzzle.
Mary is not a nurse. The way to solve this riddle is to consider statements 4, 5, and 6 and create a chart of all possible true and false answers. Next, fill in the chart according to statements 1 through 3. You will discover that there is only one line where only one of the statements one, two, and three are true. Thus, it is determined that: Statements 4 and 5 are false and statement 6 is true.
How can you cut a cheese round into 8 pieces with only three cuts?
Think vertically!
First you cut the cylinder lengthwise. With the two pieces stacked end to end, you cut the cheese into quarters with two cuts. The result is three cuts and 8 pieces of cheese. See the image below for three cuts needed to divide a cheese round into eight pieces.
Which number would be bigger: the product of all of the numbers on your calculator, or the SUM of those numbers?
Think about the number 0...
The sum would be bigger because multiplying any number by zero always results in zero. Yes, you have to include zero; it is also a number on your calculator.
Given two 2s, "plus" can be changed to "times" without changing the results: 2 + 2= 2 x 2.
The solution with three numbers is easy too: 1 + 2 + 3= 1 x 2 x 3.
What is the answer for 4 numbers and for 5 numbers?
Think about rearranging numbers to create a mathematical balance...
Solution for 4 numbers:
1 + 1 + 2 + 4= 1 x 1 x 2 x 4.
Solution for 5 numbers:
1 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 5= 1 x 1 x 1 x 2 x 4
1 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 3= 1 x 1 x 1 x 2 x 4
1 + 1 +2 + 2 + 2= 1 x 1 x 2 x 2 x 2
There's a body lying dead on a bed, and on the floor beside it is a pair of scissors. The scissors were instrumental in his death, yet there's no trace of blood. The body reveals no signs of any cuts or bruises. How could the person have been murdered with a pair of scissors?
Think about a profession that often uses scissors, and a situation where they might be "instrumental" in someone's death, but not in a violent or bloody way...
The person slept on a waterbed. His killer used the scissors to cut the bed open and drown him.
A woman went into a bank to cash an insurance refund check. By mistake the teller gave her dollars for cents and cents for dollars. She put the money in her purse but accidentally dropped a nickel on the floor. When she got home, she found that she had exactly twice the amount of the check she had cashed. She didn't have any money in her wallet before going to the bank. What was the exact amount of that check?
Think about the mistake the teller made: if they gave dollars for cents and cents for dollars, that means they swapped the decimal point...
The amount must have been $31.63. She received $63.31. After she dropped a nickel there would remain the sum of $63.26, which is twice the amount of the check.
Julie is going on an extended trip for three weeks. She lives in a remote area where there are frequent electrical power outages which can last up to three or four days. Julie has quite a bit of food in her freezer which would go bad if it thawed and then re-froze. She does have digital clock and a VCR which would flash 12:00 if the power went out. Unfortunately the clock and VCR flash even if the power only goes out for a few seconds. What can Julie do so that when she returns home she will be able to determine whether the power was out long enough to thaw her food? Asking a neighbor whether the power was out, isn't a reliable option because the nearest house is half a mile away, and one house may have power, while another house may have no power. She won?t be able to have a neighbor check on her house every day, and has no one to house sit.
Think about using a device that can measure the passage of time, but is not affected by short power outages...
One thing Julie could do is freeze a tray of ice-cubes, and turn the tray of ice upside down in her freezer. When she comes home, she should check the tray. If the ice cubes are still in the tray, the food is safe to eat. If the trays are empty, it's time to clean out the freezer. She will have to make a judgment call if the ice-cubes are only slightly thawed.
A guy bet his neighbor 50 bucks that his dog could jump higher than a house. Thinking this was not possible, the neighbor took the bet and lost.
Why did he lose the bet?
Lighter than what I am made of, More of me is hidden Than is seen. What am I?
Think about something that is often associated with being "heavy" or "dense", but surprisingly, it's actually lighter than its constituent parts. Also, consider an object where most of its mass is not visible to the naked eye...
I have no voice and yet I speak to you, I tell of all things in the world that people do. I have leaves, but I am not a tree, I have pages, but I am not a bride or royalty. I have a spine and hinges, but I am not a man or a door, I have told you all, I cannot tell you more. What am I?
Think about something you might find in a library or a bookshelf, something that conveys information and stories, but isn't a living thing...
I am two-faced but bare only one, I have no legs but travel widely. Men spill much blood over me, kings leave there imprint on me. I have greatest power when given away, yet lust for me keeps me locked away.
What am I?
"Think about something that has a dual nature, is often associated with conflict and power, and is paradoxically more powerful when surrendered..."
You can feel me but, I can't feel you. I can uproot trees and tear roofs off their houses. Yet, I can make a Baby sleep and be gentle. I can howl and whisper. I can spread and stop fires. I can toss boats and help them glide too. What am I?
"Think about something that can be both fierce and soothing, and is often associated with the outdoors..."
I can be anything I want to be, yet known to many as just one, but if things don't work out, I will be known by hardly anyone. What am I?
Think about something that can take on many roles or identities, but is often associated with a single, well-known persona... and consider how its reputation might change depending on its success or failure.
I feel your every thought. I feel your every move. I'm with you from birth and I'll see you rot. What am I?
You're looking for something that's always with you, from the moment you're born, and will stay with you until the end. Think about something that's closely tied to your existence, something that's always "feeling" your emotions and movements...
A mile from end to end, Yet as close to you as a friend. A precious commodity, freely given. Seen on the dead and on the living. Found on the rich, poor, short, and tall, But shared among children most of all. What is it?
Think about something that is universally shared among people, regardless of their background or status, and is often associated with innocence and purity.
There once was a book that was only owned by the wealthy, but now everyone can have it. You can't buy it in a bookstore or take it from a library. What book is it?
Think about something that was once a luxury item, but with the advent of technology, has become accessible to everyone...
A harvest sown and reaped on the same day In an unplowed field, Which increases without growing, Remains whole though it is eaten Within and without, Is useless and yet The staple of nations.
What is it?
Think about something that is not a living thing, but is often associated with harvest and food, and is a crucial part of a nation's economy and identity.
I am slim and tall, Many find me desirable and appealing. They touch me and I give a false good feeling. Once I shine in splendor, But only once and then no more. For many I am "to die for". What am I?
Think about something that people often crave, but can also be deceiving, and its appeal is short-lived...
A cloud was my mother, the wind is my father, my son is the cool stream, and my daughter is the fruit of the land. A rainbow is my bed, the earth my final resting place, and I'm the torment of man. Who Am I?
Think about a natural phenomenon that is born from the sky, nourishes the earth, and can be both life-giving and destructive to humans.
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!