Little William Dilly, a five-year-old kindergarten student, approached his mother after school one day and related the following story: "Today in school I saw a man-eating lion! Then I saw a man-eating tiger! Then I saw a man-eating panther!" "That’s nice," his mother replied, only half listening to him. William continued; "And then I saw a man-eating camel and a man-eating zebra, and a man-eating sheep!" This caught his mother’s attention. "Did your class go to the zoo today? I sent no permission slip; or is your wild imagination exposing itself again --- because there are no camels, zebras, or sheep that eat people," his mother replied. "Honest, mom! I really did see everything I just told you!" Indeed, young William had seen everything he had reported to his mother. How could it be possible for William to have actually seen all he claimed to see?
Think about a place where you would typically find pictures or representations of these animals, rather than the animals themselves.
Little William’s kindergarten teacher was a man who enjoyed having fun with his students. At lunchtime that day, he took out a box of animal crackers, and holding up one animal at a time he would announce to the class, “You are now seeing a man eating lion, or a man eating sheep,” etc., and then proceed to eat each cracker, much to the children’s amusement. Little William was just reporting what he had seen his teacher doing and saying that day.
Lucille had recently received her real estate license and was out evaluating a bunch of properties in a certain neighborhood. As she traveled around the area, she saw some properties which were very expensive, and others that were more affordable. The area was sprinkled with a mixture of little greenhouses, a couple of hotels, a few businesses, and she noticed there was also some access to railway travel. Some of these properties were for sale but others were not. The bizarre thing is, Lucille ended up in jail three separate times that day and had to be bailed out on each occasion! She received no traffic citations and swears she did absolutely nothing wrong, and yet, she was incarcerated three times that day. What do you suppose happened that caused her to be locked up in jail three times in one day?
Think about the activities Lucille was doing that day, and how they might relate to the properties she was evaluating... and the game she was playing.
Lucille had indeed recently received her real estate license, however, that really had little to do with the fact she was playing a game of Monopoly with some friends; and unfortunately for her, landed in jail three times during the game, and had to bail herself out so she could continue playing.
It was the snowiest winter in the past 25 years, and Tina called the police to report a theft. The woman suspected that her neighbor, Natalie, had stolen her clothes. Tina said, "At 10:00, I went outside to hang my laundry. When I looked out of my window two hours later, I saw Natalie folding the clothes and putting them into a big bag. I immediately called the police after that,". Tina was taken into custody for slandering Natalie. Why?
Think about the timing and the weather...
It was very snowy all day. In two hours, damp laundry would be so frozen that Natalie wouldn't possibly be able to fold it so neatly and put it into a bag.
Colin recently bought a new motorbike. One morning, he polished the bike for his evening bike ride, closed the garage, and went to work. When Colin came back, he found that the motorbike was gone. The man called the police, and the officers questioned three neighbors. Jessica said that she had stayed home all day because she was sick. Elizabeth said that when she was walking her dog, she saw that the motorbike was still in the garage. Pete said that he had come to Colin's house to ask for some garden tools, but when nobody opened the door for him, he simply left. Who stole the motorbike?
Think about who had a reason to lie about their whereabouts that day...
Elizabeth stole the motorbike. She couldn't possibly see that the bike was still in the garage because Colin closed the garage before leaving to go to work.
Jade works at a luxury store in the city. One day, a woman came up to her and decided to purchase a $1,000 purse. This customer gave Jade two bills and didn't even need change, but Jade refused to sell the item to the woman and called the police. Why?
The woman's payment method was quite... unusual.
The purse costs $1,000, but the woman gave Jade only two bills and didn't need any change. This means that the two bills were worth $500 each, and those bills don't exist.
A store has on sale a computer and word processor small enough to fit in your pocket. It can add, multiply, subtract, divide, and write in all languages. A delete device will correct any error. No electricity is required to operate it. The price? Only a few cents! How can the store make a profit by selling it so cheap?
Think old-school, non-electronic, and something you might find in a stationery store...
The names of three trees are hidden in the sentences below. The letters are in consecutive order. Can you find them? On this farm, we get ham from a hog any time. The farmer will help in every possible way. He faced two very similar choices, both bad.
Hint: Look for common tree names that are also common words in everyday language.
One day, you woke up in a place you haven't seen before. There, you saw three rooms, all bringing you to the exit. But, in those rooms, there were notes. It said: 1: the room is filled with poison gas 2: the room has more than 15 lions that haven't eaten for 5 years 3: the room is filled with snipers that would kill anyone who steps in You have no other choice, but to choose one of the three. Which room would be the way that could get you out without being harmed?
Think about the behavior of lions when they haven't eaten for a long time...
2. Because if the lions hadn't eaten for five years, they would be dead.
Dynamite is a tool that can be used to cut down trees. Cutting a tree 18 inches in diameter requires five sticks of dynamite: one on the north, south, east and west sides of the tree, and the fifth stick on the side to which the tree should fall. During the construction of a dam, a tree 18 inches in diameter was completely covered by water. Since the treetop was fouling the boat's propellers, it had to be cut down. A diver went down and put a stick of dynamite on the four sides of the tree. Since the current is flowing south at 2 knots per hour, on which side of the tree would you instruct the diver to put the fifth stick of dynamite if you wanted the tree to fall north?
Think about the current's direction and how it will affect the tree's fall...
It doesn't matter where the fifth stick is placed, since the tree won't fall in any direction. Being wood, it will float and rise to the surface.
I move very slowly at an imperceptible rate, although I take my time, I am never late. I accompany life, and survive past demise, I am viewed with esteem in many women's eyes.
What am I?
Think about something that grows or develops gradually, often associated with beauty and femininity...
There are two numbers whose product added to the sum of their squares is 109, and the difference of whose squares is 24. What are the two numbers?
Think algebraically, and consider the two numbers as x and y. You'll need to form two equations based on the given conditions, and then solve for x and y. Focus on the difference of whose squares being 24, as this might help you find a crucial relationship between x and y.
5 and 7.
(5)² = 25(7)² = 49(5x7)+25+49=10949-25=24
My only timepiece is a wall clock. One day I forgot to wind it and it stopped. I went to visit a friend whos watch is always correct, stayed awhile, and then went home. There I made a simple calculation and set the clock right.
How did I do this even though I had no watch on me to tell how long it took me to return from my friend's house?
Think about what you can observe at your friend's house, besides their correct watch...
Before I left, I wound the wall clock. When I returned, the change in time equaled how long it took to go to my friends house and return, plus the time I spent there. But I knew the latter because I looked at my friends watch when I arrived and left.
Subtracting the time of the visit from the time I was absent from my house, and dividing by 2, I obtained the time it took me to return home. I added this time to what my friend watch showed when I left, and set the sum on my wall clock.
A bird has a head 9cm long. The tail is equal to the size of the head plus a half of the size of the body. The body is the size of the head plus the tail.
How long is the bird?
Think algebraically! Let the length of the head be H, the length of the tail be T, and the length of the body be B. You'll need to set up equations using the given information and then solve for H + T + B.
72cm. Th head is 9cm. The tail is 18 + 9= 27cm. The body is 9 + 18 + 9= 36cm. 9 + 27 + 36= 72cm.
Two convicts are locked in a cell. There is an unbarred window high up in the cell. No matter if they stand on the bed or one on top of the other they can't reach the window to escape. They then decide to tunnel out. However, they give up on the tunneling because it will take too long. Finally one of the convicts figures out how to escape from the cell. What is his plan?
Think about the physical characteristics of the convicts that could be used to their advantage...
His plan is to dig the tunnel and pile up the dirt to climb up to the window to escape.
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?
What's the only thing you know for sure is going to happen?
Think about something that is universally true, and is always going to occur, no matter what... It's not a specific event, but rather a general certainty...
What kind of personality disorder does Venterloquin have when he had a conversation with his partner? Venterloquin: partner is it you that kill my friend out of jealousy? If so , I understand forgive me partner for hanging much more time on him than to you my dear partner. Muppet: No partner, it is you who kill your friend after you caught your wife red handed while she is cheating at your back.
A clever riddle! Here's a hint:
Think about the names used in the conversation...
Split personality or Associative Identity Disorder.
I am the beginning of sorrow and the end of sickness. You cannot express happiness without me, yet I am in the midst of crosses. I am always in risk, yet never in danger. You may find me in the sun, but I am never out of darkness. What am I?
Think about a single letter that can be found in many words related to the descriptions given...
It is hard for me to live, but easy to die. I am only present when I am not given away. Many people know about me but not what I am. You can keep me, but it is hard. What am I?
Think about something that is often desired, but its existence is fleeting...
I have a scent. You use me everyday. The more you use, the more you take away. What am I?
Think about something you use daily, perhaps in the morning, and its purpose is to remove or take away something, but in doing so, it leaves a pleasant smell behind...
When in hot water I get harder. I am only useful once broken. Some people eat only the white part for its low fat, high protein nutritional content. What am I?
Think about something you might find in a kitchen, but isn't always edible in its original form...
I can be any color you can imagine. You see me in everyday life. I have been around for many, many years, look around, you can probably see some of me right now.
What am I?
Think about something that surrounds you, something you might be sitting on, walking on, or even wearing...
Some are Precious, Some are Plain, Some Used for Building, Some Used for Pain. What am I?
Think about something that can be valuable and coveted, yet also ordinary and unremarkable. It's something that can be used to create and construct, but also to hurt and harm. The answer is something you might find in a treasure chest, a construction site, or a medicine cabinet...
You'll find me all around you;
I can be clear but not seen through;
If I get cut you can glue me shut, but I can do it too.
What am I?
Think about something that's often overlooked, yet omnipresent in our daily lives. It can be transparent, but not necessarily transparent in the classical sense. And when it's "cut" or damaged, it can be repaired, but it can also repair itself in a way...
I come to you shattered and broken; And though not a word will be spoken; I will reveal to you, a world all anew; If you've the patience to make me unbroken. What am I?
"Think about something that's often fragmented, but when put together, reveals a new perspective or picture..."
Where man is, there I am
I'm natural, man makes me
I'm a shield, a weapon
I enchain to release
A stable foundation
Though ever-evolving
My body is quite vast
Though I'm not physical
I have many branches
I'm not a tree or plant
No guesses, you know me now
No mercy, if you are wrong
What am I?
Think about something that is inherently connected to human existence, yet is not a living thing, and has a dual nature that can be both protective and restrictive...
The letters of the alphabet but only just a few;
It's hard to say if I was invented or just discovered by you.
What am I?
Think about a fundamental concept in language that is based on a subset of alphabet letters, and its origin is still a topic of debate among scholars...
'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.
"First think of the person who lives in disguise, Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies. Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend, The middle of the middle and end of the end? And finally, give me the sound often heard During the search for a hard-to-find word. Now string them together, and answer me this, Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"
"Think about the world of espionage, broken things, and language struggles..."
What is equal to time, more likely to corrupt, possessed by the rich, needed by the poor, and if taken away, leads to a loss of status?
"Think about something that is often measured, yet can have a dark influence, and is coveted by those who have it, but desperately needed by those who don't..."
Five hundred begins it, five hundred ends it, Five in the middle is seen; First of all figures, the first of all letters, Take up their stations between. Join all together, and then you will bring Before you the name of an eminent king. Who am I?