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.
Jim and Joey were on vacation and driving along a deserted country road from the town of Kaysville to the town of Lynnville. They came to multiple forks in the road. The signpost had been knocked down and they were faced with choosing one of five different directions. Since they had left their map at the last gas station and there was no one around to ask, how could Jim and Joey find their way to Lynnville?
Think about what you can do at each fork in the road, and how you can use the process of elimination to your advantage.
They need to stand the signpost up so that the arm reading Kaysville points in the direction of Kaysville, the town they had just come from. With one arm pointing the correct way, the other arms will also point in the right direction.
Two male members of the aristocracy are positioned to engage in battle against one another. Their wives, undaunted and loyal, stand beside their husbands, despite the dangers of the impending conflict. The strength of each of the opposing forces is equal, but small, with a mere 14 fighting men for each force, aside from the husbands and their wives. The combat is about to commence, so I ask you ------- Which army will make the first move?
Think about a game, not a real battle...
The White Army. White always is required to make the first move ----- in a game of chess.
Right before a restaurant was about to open, someone stole all of the money from the cashier's desk. The chef said that he was working hard and didn't have time to walk or look around, so he didn't see anything. The security guard said that he was in the bathroom and didn't notice anything suspicious. The waiter said that he remembered seeing one visitor looking suspicious to him; somehow, he ignored the visitor and didn't stop him. The waiter got arrested for stealing the money. Why?
The hint is: Pay attention to the waiter's statement, specifically the phrase "somehow, he ignored the visitor..."
The phrase, "Right before a restaurant was about to open…" means that the restaurant was still closed. There couldn't have been any visitors inside. Therefore, the waiter is lying.
In a far-off kingdom, there is a castle with five rooms. Each room has a door with a different color: blue, red, green, yellow, or purple. Inside each room, there is a person with a different nationality: American, British, Canadian, Dutch, and Estonian. Each person has a favorite animal, which is also different for each person: cat, dog, elephant, giraffe, and horse. Additionally, each person has a favorite food, which is different for each person: pizza, sushi, spaghetti, tacos, and waffles. Using the following clues, can you figure out who lives in each room, what their nationality is, what their favorite animal is, and what their favorite food is? The person in the blue room is not Dutch or Estonian. The British person's favorite animal is a horse. The person who likes sushi lives in the red room. The Canadian person likes pizza. The Dutch person lives in the green room. The person who likes tacos lives in the yellow room. The American person's favorite animal is a giraffe. The person who likes waffles lives in the purple room. The person who likes spaghetti is Estonian. The person who likes elephants lives in the room adjacent to the person who likes giraffes.
Here's a hint to get you started:
Focus on the clues that mention specific room colors and nationalities first. Use the fact that the Dutch person lives in the green room and the person who likes sushi lives in the red room to start building your solution. Then, use the clues about favorite animals and foods to fill in the remaining rooms.
The blue room: American, favourite animal is a giraffe, favourite food is sushi. Red room: British, favourite animal is a horse, favourite food is tacos. The green room: Dutch, favourite animal is a cat, favourite food is spaghetti. Yellow room: Canadian, favourite animal is an elephant, favourite food is pizza. Purple room: Estonian, favourite animal is a dog, favourite food is waffles. Explanation: Clue #1 tells us that the person in the blue room cannot be Dutch or Estonian. This leaves us with American, British, Canadian, and Estonian. We can use other clues to narrow it down further. Clue #2 tells us that the British person's favourite animal is a horse, so they cannot be in the blue room. This leaves us with American, Canadian, and Estonian. Clue #3 tells us that the person who likes sushi lives in the red room, so the American person must be in the blue room. Clue #4 tells us that the Canadian person likes pizza, so they must be in the yellow room. Clue #5 tells us that the Dutch person lives in the green room, so they cannot be in the yellow room. This leaves us with British and Estonian. Clue #6 tells us that the person who likes tacos lives in the yellow room, so the British person must be in the red room. Clue #7 tells us that the American person's favourite animal is a giraffe, so they must be in the blue room. Clue #8 tells us that the person who likes waffles lives in the purple room, so the Estonian person must be in the purple room. Clue #9 tells us that the Estonian person likes spaghetti, so the Dutch person must like cats. Clue #10 tells us that the person who likes elephants lives in the room adjacent to the person who likes giraffes, so the Canadian person is just like an elephant. So the final solution is The blue room: American, favourite animal is a giraffe, favourite food is sushi. Red room: British, favourite animal is a horse, favourite food is tacos. The green room: Dutch, favourite animal is a cat, favourite food is spaghetti. Yellow room: Canadian, favourite animal is an elephant, favourite food is pizza. Purple room: Estonian, favourite animal is a dog, favourite food is waffles
Analogies are comparisons. Complete each analogy below. Here is an example: Ear is to hearing as eye is to? Sight.
1. Cardinals is to St. Louis as Dodger is to?
2. A.M. is to before noon as P.M. is to?
3. Three is to triangle as 8 is to?
4. Tear is to tore as see is to?
5. Springfield is to Illinois as Austin is to?
Here's a hint to help you solve the analogies:
"Think about the relationships between words, and look for patterns or connections that can help you complete the comparisons."
1. Los Angeles
2. Afternoon
3. Octagon
4. Saw
5. Texas
A boy was at a carnival and went to a booth where a man said to the boy, "If I write your exact weight on this piece of paper then you have to give me $50, but if I cannot, I will pay you $50." The boy looked around and saw no scale so he agrees, thinking no matter what the carny writes he'll just say he weighs more or less. In the end the boy ended up paying the man $50. How did the man win the bet?
Think about what the man could have written on the piece of paper that would make the boy's strategy of saying "more" or "less" impossible...
The man did exactly as he said he would and wrote "your exact weight" on the paper.
Rearrange all the letters in each of the sentences to form, in each case, a well-known proverb.
1. I don't admit women are faint.
2. It rocks. The broad flag of the free.
3. Strong lion's share almost gone.
What are the proverbs?
Here's a hint:
Think about phrases that offer advice or words of wisdom, and pay attention to the word order and letter arrangements. You might need to "rearrange" your thinking to uncover the well-known proverbs hidden within!
1. Time and tide wait for no man.
2. Birds of a feather flock together.
3. A rolling sone gathers no moss.
What are the only 2 states that have their state name in their capital?
Think about the words that make up the state names and their capitals... you might find that the answer lies in the fact that these two states have a certain "title" or "honorific" in their names.
It's raining, and you pass a bus stop. There are three people there; your trustworthy friend, the love of your life, and a woman about to go into labor. Your smart car only has two seats. What do you do?
You first give your keys to your friend and let them take the woman to a hospital, then you wait for the bus with your love.
Taking that internship in a remote mountain lab might not have been the best idea. Pulling that lever with the skull symbol just to see what it did probably wasn't so smart either. But now is not the time for regrets because you need to get away from these mutant zombies...fast. Can you use math to get you and your friends over the bridge before the zombies arrive? Alex Gendler shows how.
Think about the concept of "rate" and how it can be used to solve a problem involving time, distance, and speed.
At first it might seem like no matter what you do, you're just a minute or two short of time, but there is a way. The key is to minimize the time wasted by the two slowest people by having them cross together. And because you'll need to make a couple of return trips with the lantern, you'll want to have the fastest people available to do so. So, you and the lab assistant quickly run across with the lantern, though you have to slow down a bit to match her pace. After two minutes, both of you are across, and you, as the quickest, run back with the lantern. Only three minutes have passed. So far, so good. Now comes the hard part. The professor and the janitor take the lantern and cross together. This takes them ten minutes since the janitor has to slow down for the old professor who keeps muttering that he probably shouldn't have given the zombies night vision. By the time they're across, there are only four minutes left, and you're still stuck on the wrong side of the bridge. But remember, the lab assistant has been waiting on the other side, and she's the second fastest of the group. So she grabs the lantern from the professor and runs back across to you. Now with only two minutes left, the two of you make the final crossing. As you step on the far side of the gorge, you cut the ropes and collapse the bridge behind you, just in the nick of time.
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.
Two wine merchants arrive at the gates of Paris. One has 64 and the other 20 barrels of wine. Since they have not enough money to pay the custom duties, the first pays 40 francs and 5 barrels of wine. The second pays 2 barrels of wine but receives 40 francs in change.
What is the value of each barrel of wine and what is the duty payable?
"Think about the total value of goods and duties paid by each merchant, and how they relate to each other..."
The value of a barrel is 120 francs and the duty is 10 francs a barrel.
A woman is walking down a street night at a constant pace. As she passes the street light, she notices that her shadow becomes longer. Does the top of her shadow move faster, slower or the same when the shadow is longer as when it is shorter?
This point maintains a constant speed, independent of the lenght of the shadow.
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?
A man walked in to a bar and asked for a glass of water the bar man took out a gun and poined it at him the man who asked for the glass of water just smiled and walked away happy Why?
I hurt the most when lost, yet also when not had at all. I'm sometimes the hardest to express, but the easiest to ignore. I can be given to many, or just one. What am I?
"Think about something that can be a source of both pain and comfort, and is often difficult to put into words..."
I herald the darkness which descends on all creatures; You will know my approach by moans and wracked features. I visit the hippo, hyena, and horse, But never go near snails and spiders, of course. I would circle the globe, leaping one to the other, Should all the world's people ever clasp hands together.
What am I?
Think about something that affects all living creatures, but not all living things... and consider the phrase "clasp hands together" quite literally.
I have memories, but none of my own, whatever's on my inside is what is shown. If I'm ever different it's because you changed me, I feel like a decoration, here for you to arrange me. What am I?
Think about something that holds and displays the memories and thoughts of others, but doesn't have its own thoughts or experiences...
The riddle "Frozen Memories" is unanswered. Do you know the answer? If so, click ANSWER and add your answer in the comments section.
I am the center of gravity, hold a capital situation in Vienna, and as I am foremost in every victory, am allowed by all to be invaluable. Though I am invisible, I am clearly seen in the midst of a river. I could name three who are in love with me and have three associates in vice. It is vain that you seek me for I have long been in heaven yet even now lie embalmed in the grave. What am I?
"Think about a concept, not a physical object, and consider the multiple meanings of the words used in the riddle, especially those that can be interpreted as both literal and figurative."
What 8 letter word can have a letter taken away and it still makes a word. Take another letter away and it still makes a word. Keep on doing that until you have one letter left. What is the word?
"Start with a common, everyday activity..."
The word is "starting". Remove the middle "T" and you have "staring", Remove the "A" and you get "string", remove the "R" then you have "sting", remove the "T" and you get "sing". Remove the "G", and you get "sin", remove the "S" and you're left with "in", and finally, remove the "N" and you're left with "I".
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...
You are a bus driver at a station. 10 get on the bus and no one gets off. You drive 10 miles to another station where 3 people get on and 1 gets off. You drive another 10 miles only to get 25 people on and 5 people go off. Next you drive 3 miles while 12 people exit the bus. You drive back to the place knowing that a couple more stops along the way untill the ride is done. At the 2nd to last station 5 people get on and 2 get off. And at the last station (5.5 miles) 25 people get on for no reason and 1 gets off. What is the bus drivers eye color?
The hint is: You are not given enough information about the passengers, but you are given enough information about the bus driver.
You are the bus driver so, the answer is the color of your eyes.
What is the thing that is painful to fall on yet soft to walk on?
Think about something you might find in a park or a backyard, something that can be uncomfortable to land on, but feels gentle beneath your feet when you're strolling along...
What comes once in a year, twice in a month, thrice in a week, and 4 times in a day?
The letter 'R'.Once in YEAR. Twice in the month: FEBRUARY. Three times in the days of a week: SUNDAY, MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY Four times in the times of a day: ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN, ELEVEN, and TWELVE (X2 for AM & PM).
This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down. What am I?
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.
I saw a man in white, he looked quite a sight. He was not old, but he stood in the cold. And when he felt the sun, he started to run. Please answer me.
Who could he be?
Here's a hint: Think about something you might find in your freezer.
A very famous chemist was found murdered in his kitchen today. The police have narrowed it down to six suspects. They know it was a two-man job. Their names are Felice, Maxwell, Archibald, Nicolas, Jordan, and Xavier. A note was also found with the body: '26-3-58/28-27-57-16'. Who are the killers?
Think about the periodic table of elements...
Felice and Nicholas are the murderers. The numbers correspond to atomic numbers on the periodic table of elements: 'Fe-Li-Ce/Ni-Co-La-S'.