Imagine Johnny, a party clown, is carrying three pieces of gold each piece weighing one kilogram. While taking a walk he comes to a bridge that has a sign posted saying the bridge could hold only a maximum of 80 kilograms. John weighs 78 kilograms and the gold weighs three kilograms. Johnny reads the sign and still safely crossed the bridge with all the gold. How did he manage this?
Think about the state of Johnny when he's not carrying the gold...
Johnny is a clown so he has mastered juggling. When he came to the bridge he juggled the gold, always keeping one piece in the air.
A young girl, Violet by name, was visiting with a group of her schoolmates at a friend's house. The air was filled with the noise of loud conversations, when an older woman called out for silence. She then asked one of the girls in attendance to remove something from a black bag she was holding. The older woman then announced, "Violet, you have the honor of being first!" Violet was then ushered to the center of the room where the older woman pushed a body part of an animal into Violet's hand. Suddenly, everything went dark for the young girl. Violet began to feel dizzy, and felt someone's hands on her. She then felt a slight push. As Violet staggered forward in the darkness, the loud chanting and shouting increased around her. Finally, Violet's hand bumped into something which, when the darkness was gone, gave her a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. Was this scenario part of some bizarre, warped initiation into some strange cult, or is there a more pleasant explanation for these events.
The atmosphere seems ominous, but think about a common celebration where a group of young friends gather...
Violet was at a birthday party, and was selected to be first in the Pin the Tail on the Donkey game they were playing. She was successful in pinning the tail just where it belonged. The body part of the animal was, of course, the donkey’s tail.
A woman, who is the executive director of a large and profitable business, has an interesting job description. Among her many duties, she is primarily responsible for the gathering and dispensing of pictures of dead people. In fact, she has a special room within her facility which is specifically designed to hold many thousands of these pictures, and she is assigned the task of securing this room against any and all unscrupulous scoundrels who might try to steal them. Her gang of laborers spend most of the week exchanging these pictures with those who frequent her establishment, sometimes collecting, and sometimes giving these pictures to others at their request. This woman and her employees appear to enjoy their work, as they all carry these pictures of deceased individuals in their purses and wallets outside of work. Is this woman and her gang of laborers morbidly deranged, or are they more normal than they initially appear to be? Just what is this business in which these people are engaged?
Think about a place where people often go to remember and honor their loved ones who have passed away...
The woman is a bank president, and her gang of laborers are the tellers who work there. The pictures of dead people are the many thousands of bills and coins, each with a picture of a former President or a high ranking official who are now deceased, from our past government.
Steve woke up after a good night's sleep. He wanted to make a big breakfast for himself. He has a dozen eggs in a carton. He breaks two eggs, fries two, and eats two. How many eggs are there in the carton afterward?
Think about what happened to the eggs, but don't forget to consider what didn't happen to the eggs...
Afterwards, there are 10 eggs in the carton. Steve broke, fried, and ate the same two eggs. This is because: 1) cooking the egg while it is still in its shell would be considered boiling the egg, not frying it; after all, you would need to break the egg into a pan before frying it, and; 2) you cannot eat a raw egg while it is still in the shell because of the risk of foodborne illnesses.
A hundred stones are placed, in a straight line, a yard distant from each other. How many yards must a person walk, who undertakes to pick them up, and place them in a basket stationed one yard from the first stone?
Think about the journey, not the destination. Focus on the total distance traveled, not the number of trips made.
In solving this question it is clear that to pick up the first stone and put it into the basket, the person must walk two yards, one in going for the stone and another in returning with it; that for the second stone he must walk four yards, and so on increasing by two as far as the hundredth, when he must walk two hundred yards, so that the sum total will be the product of 202 multiplied by 50, or 10,100 yards. If any one does not see why we multiply 202 by 50 in getting the answer, we refer him to his arithmetic.
If 10 bags of jelly beans and 6 licorice sticks cost $1, and 10 licorice sticks and 6 jelly bean bags cost 92 cents.
How much does one licorice stick cost?
Think about the ratio of jelly beans to licorice sticks in each scenario, and how that ratio relates to the cost.
Now matter what, I come to you round, Floating up, floating down, A single pop, I'm on the ground, Then comes your unpleasant frown. What am I?
Think about something that is often associated with celebrations, but can also bring disappointment and frustration when it meets its demise...
I am a bubble. Bubbles always come out round no matter how you blow it. Bubbles also pop when they touch the ground. Usually bubbles go up and then down. Most of the time you and I will frown when a bubble pops. Therefore, the answer is a bubble.
Shiver me timbers! Here's a hint: It's a word that pirates use to express enthusiasm or excitement, and it's often shouted loudly when they discover hidden treasure!
I am heard before I am seen. Startled and I am alive. I rumble like thunder, yet I pour like rain. I am felt before I arrive; stand with me and you won't survive. What am I?
"Think about a force of nature that can be both fierce and gentle, and is often associated with changes in the weather..."
I come in darkness, but fill the mind with light. I bring enlightenment to some while gripping others in the hand of fear. For me, it can be a journey of inexplicable joy and sorrow. What I will show you will often be unreachable. Journey with me and what you see may haunt you. Journey with me and you may never want to return home. Journey with me and you will never know when it will end. What am I?
"The answer is often shrouded in mystery, but think about an experience that can be both thrilling and terrifying, bringing both understanding and unease. It's a path that's not always easy to follow, but one that can leave a lasting impression."
I have a foot, yet no legs. I have a house yet no furniture. I choose to be on the move, but moving isn't so easy. What am I?
Think about something that has a "foot" or a base, but not legs, and has a "house" or a container, but not furniture. Also, consider what it means to be "on the move" but still have difficulty moving. Look to the natural world for your answer.
I'm done with a hand, one at a time;
A motion to make words, but not to make lines;
I'm known as correct, and as a way, in a way;
And even if you don't take me away, none of me would be left.
What am I?
Think about an action you perform with your hand that helps you communicate, but isn't about drawing or writing.
It can't be seen, can't be felt, can't be heard, and can't be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, Ends life, and kills laughter. What is it?
Think about something that is invisible and intangible, yet has a profound impact on the world and our lives. It's a concept, not a physical object.
One of the four words does not belong with the other three. Which word does not belong? What is it that the others have in common?
1. Green, yellow, red, blue. 2. April, December, November, June. 3. Cirrus, calculus, cumulus, stratus. 4. Carrots, radishes, potatoes, cabbages. 5. Fork, comb, rake, shovel.
Think about the categories that each group of words belongs to, and look for the one word in each group that doesn't fit the common theme or characteristic shared by the other three words.
1. Green. Yellow, red and blue are primary colors, green is not.
2. December. The other months have only 30 days.
3. Calculus. The others are cloud types.
4. Cabbage. The others are vegetables that grow underground.
5. Shovel. The others have prongs.
While sitting in his living room one evening, Jim thought he heard some voices outside. At that same moment, he observed a dark blur quickly pass by his window, just as daylight was fading. He saw it return to pass by his window a second, a third, and a fourth time. Thinking it must be a bird or a bat, Jim thought little of it, until about 20 minutes later when he saw the same blur pass by his window --- but this time it was a dull greenish color! He immediately jumped to his feet and ran to the window, just in time to see a glowing disk-shaped object hover, and then land on top of his neighbor's roof where it remained motionless. Jim watched for a long time, as it slowly began to lose its glow. He considered calling the police to report a possible U.F.O. sighting, but he didn't want to risk becoming a "community crackpot", so he decided instead to wait until morning to see if the strange, glowing craft remained on the roof where it had landed. What do you suppose Jim saw on his neighbor’s roof the next morning?
Think about something that can change color, is often seen flying, and might be found on a roof...
The "U.F.O." Jim had seen was a black frisbee two kids had been throwing in his back yard. As it began to get dark, they switched to a glow-in-the-dark frisbee to see it better. Unfortunately, the first time they threw it, they quickly ran off, as they saw they had thrown it onto the neighbor's roof, and they didn't want to get into trouble.
What creature has one voice, but has four feet in the morning, two feet in the afternoon, and three feet in the evening?
Think about the different stages of a person's life...
Man crawls on all fours as a baby, walks on two as an adult, and needs a walking cane when old. The Sphinx posed this riddle to Oedipus who solved the riddle correctly.
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
Half of me will mend, the other half will imprison. When I am together, I will poison. Who am I?
Think about something that has two distinct parts, where one part is associated with healing or fixing, and the other part is associated with confinement or restriction...