Two women sit staring and glaring at each other across a small table. Although the two women don't appear to be friendly toward each other, they do eventually hold each other's hands. A man approaches, puts his hand on top of theirs, and says to them, "I hope I don't have to use the strap on you two." A few seconds later he quickly removes his hand, and shouts out one word to the women. Both women immediately become very tense. What is the word the man shouts to the women, and what in the world is going on here?
Think about a situation where two people might be in a tense, competitive relationship, and a third person is overseeing their interaction...
The word the man shouts to the women is, "Go!" This is the way most women's arm wrestling competitions start, and hopefully the wrist straps, to keep their hands from slipping apart, won't have to be used.
A young woman enjoys riding around on a large machine which has huge tires on the back and smaller tires on the front. She rarely carries any passengers. At times, she takes her machine on the highway, but she prefers to drive off-road to accomplish her missions. Her machine is not built for speed, as she can only reach a top speed of 25 mph. The strange thing about this woman is her hatred of grass --- she allows only a small patch of grass to exist on her property. To accomplish this, the young woman loves to use her large machine to tear up the ground on her property, until only a small portion of grass remains around her home. What is this woman's occupation, and what is the machine she uses in her profession?
Think about a profession that involves working on land, removing unwanted growth, and having a specific goal in mind for the terrain...
The young woman is a farmer, and the machine she uses is a tractor.
Kimberly's mother has seven grandchildren. The first six grandkids are named Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday respectively. What is the name of the seventh grandchild.
Think about who is telling you the story...
The seventh grandchild's name isn't "Sunday"; it's "What", because "What is the name of the seventh grandchild." is a statement, not a question.
On a certain planet located in one of the outer spiral arms of the Milky Way Galaxy, three life forms are seeking to capture other life forms and incarcerate them in glass prisons. The authorities on this planet have allowed such imprisonments for hundreds of years, despite the fact many of the captured life forms often die within 24 hours of their confinement, either by being accidentally crushed to death or by suffocation, as some of the prison cells do not have proper ventilation to supply needed oxygen to the prisoners. On this planet, hunting for these living creatures takes place after dark. The three hunters mentioned above do not follow any tracks to find their quarry, but instead, rely on these creatures to expose themselves, which they do by emitting short bursts of light. If it wasn't for the Prime Directive, I'm certain Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, or the Federation of Planets would have put an end to this barbaric practice of hunting and imprisoning these life forms long ago. By the way, what form of life were the three hoping to capture?
Think small, think bioluminescent, and think of a common household item...
An old man with a long, white, scraggly beard, dressed in old, dirty blue jeans, innocently approaches a group of females and takes a seat next to one of them. After saying a few words of greeting to her, he suddenly reaches out and grabs hold of her private parts, and begins pulling at her repeatedly. Surprisingly, the female shows no objection to this aggressive action by the man, and even feels relieved by his actions. Even more surprising, is the fact that all of the other females present in the group seem undisturbed by the incident. This is not a house of ill repute, and the man offers no money or other gifts to the female. But the man doesn't stop there, as he systematically moves to each of the other females in turn, and repeats the same sordid actions to each of them. Where is the outrage? Why isn't this man behind bars, instead of being allowed to molest females? And why aren't the other females objecting to the man's advances? Or perhaps, this situation isn't as bad as it appears. What exactly is going on here?
Here's a hint for the riddle:
Think about a common, everyday situation where a person might be touching or handling a specific part of a woman's body in a way that might seem inappropriate at first, but is actually harmless and even beneficial.
Once every year a farmer walks about on his farm property, picks out his favorite tree, and chops it down with an axe. He then drags the tree home and puts it in a metal bowl. The farmer then spends time lovingly caring for the tree by watering it every day and providing it with the best plant food money can buy to keep it as healthy as possible. Two weeks later he throws the tree outside, sets it on fire, and burns it to a crisp. How can you explain this apparent drastic change in the farmer's mood toward this tree?
Think about a specific time of year and a popular tradition that involves trees...
The man owns a Christmas tree farm where he grows thousands of Christmas trees for sale to the public. He is simply performing his annual Christmas ritual of selecting a tree, placing it in a tree stand, keeping it healthy for two weeks, and then disposing of it.
1. Carnation, Peony, Tomato, Rose
2. North America, Australia, Asia, Canada
3. Dodgers, Cubs, Cowboys, Cardinals
4. Laugh, Giggle, Chuckle, Cry
5. Southeast, Southwest, Northeast, East
Which one does not belong to each line?
Here are the hints for each line:
1. Think about the common use of each item.
2. Consider the type of geographic entity in each option.
3. Notice the difference in the type of sports teams.
4. Pay attention to the emotions expressed by each word.
5. Look at the directions and think about what's missing.
1. Tomato because the others are all flowers.
2. Canada because the others are all continents.
3. Could be Dodgers because it starts with a D or could be Cowboys because the others are baseball teams.
4. Cry because the others are about happiness and being glad.
5. East because the others are intermediate directions.
Think about what makes a pin "bad" and what makes a lead pencil "broken"... Both have something in common that makes them useless for their intended purposes.
Since a person uses about the same amount of energy walking 2 miles as they would run for 2 miles, would a person use more energy running for 10 minutes, walking for ten minutes, or the same amount of energy?
Think about the pace, not the distance!
Since a person running for 10 minutes would cover more distance than that same person would walking for 10 minutes, he would use more energy running for 10 minutes.
Two fathers and two sons went fishing one day. They were there the whole day and only caught 3 fish. One father said, that is enough for all of us, we will have one each. How can this be possible?
Think about family relationships and generations...
There was the father, his son, and his son's son. This equals 2 fathers and 2 sons for a total of 3!
A man went on a trip with a fox, a goose, and a sack of corn. He came upon a stream that he had to cross and found a tiny boat to use to cross the stream. He could only take himself and one other - the fox, the goose, or the corn - one at a time. He could not leave the fox alone with the goose or the goose with the corn. How does he get all safely over the stream?
Take the goose over first and come back. Then take the fox over and bring the goose back. Now take the corn over and come back alone to get the goose. Take the goose over and the job is done!
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.
A forest exists somewhere on Earth. This forest has no life except for trees. After a storm, a tree was hit by lightning and falls.
What sound would it make?
Think about the phrase "no life except for trees"... what does that really mean?
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.
The distance from the Earth to the Sun is about 100 million miles. The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second, and light takes eight minutes to reach the Earth from the Sun. Let's say the Sun rose at 6am this morning, and that by some freak of physics the speed of light is suddenly doubled to 372,000 miles a second.
What time will the Sun rise tomorrow?
Think about what the speed of light has to do with the Sun rising...
6am again. After all, what diffrence does the speed of light make to the answer? It's irrelevant- only the speed of the roation of the Earth matters here.
Tom volunteered to be the chief organizer for the world's tether ball championships. There were 657 contestants from around the world. The tournament was set up whereby the winner would advance and the loser would be eliminated. Since there was an odd number of participants, the initial pairing leaves one player out. That player gets a bye and automatically advances to the next round. How many matches will Tom have to schedule to determine the tether ball champion?
Think about how many matches are needed to eliminate half of the contestants, and then how many matches are needed to eliminate half of the remaining contestants, and so on...
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 group of campers have been on vacation so long, that they've forgotten the day of the week. The following conversation ensues.
Darryl: What's the day? I don't think it is Thursday, Friday or Saturday.
Tracy: Well that doesn't narrow it down much. Yesterday was Sunday.
Melissa: Yesterday wasn't Sunday, tomorrow is Sunday.
Ben: The day after tomorrow is Saturday.
Adrienne: The day before yesterday was Thursday.
Susie: Tomorrow is Saturday.
David: I know that the day after tomorrow is not Friday.
If only one person's statement is true, what day of the week is it?
"Pay attention to the contradictions, and find the one statement that doesn't contradict any of the others."
It is Wednesday. If it was any other day of the week, more than one statement would be true. To solve the riddle, evaluate each person's statement and write down what day it could be according to the statement. David's statement indicates it could be any day of the week except for Wednesday. When you list the days that it could be according to everyone's statement, it turns out Wednesday is the day mentioned only one time. Darryl: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday Tracy: Monday Melissa: Saturday Ben: Thursday Adrienne: Saturday Susie: Friday David: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday
A boy leaves home in the morning to go to school. At the moment he leaves the house he looks at the clock in the mirror. The clock has no number indication and for this reason, the boy makes a mistake in interpreting the time (mirror-image). Just assuming the clock must be out of order, the boy cycles to school, where he arrives after twenty minutes. At that moment the clock at school shows a time that is two and a half hours later than the time that the boy saw on the clock at home. What time is it?
Think about what happens when you look at a clock in a mirror...
The difference between the real time and the time of the mirror image is two hours and ten minutes (two and a half hours, minus the twenty minutes of cycling). Therefore, the original time on the clock at home that morning could only have been five minutes past seven: The difference between these clocks is exactly 2 hours and ten minutes (note that also five minutes past one can be mirrored in a similar way, but this is not in the morning!). Conclusion: The boy reaches school at five minutes past seven plus twenty minutes of cycling, which is twenty-five minutes past seven!...
There is a bus full of people travelling to San Francisco and no one gets off the bus throughout the journey. But when it gets to the other side there is not a single person left. How is this possible?
Think about the purpose of the bus and the type of people on it...
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?
I am four letters long, I can be seen in the sky, I am the ocean & I am the sea. Can you guess me?
Here's a hint: Think about a word that can have multiple meanings, and its meanings are all related to the descriptions given. It's a very common word, and you might be looking at it right now...
I can deliver but cannot walk, I can say things but have no mouth, I am small but can contain big things. What am I?
Think about something that can "deliver" a message or an object, but doesn't have the physical ability to walk or move on its own. It can also "say" things, but not through a physical mouth. And despite being small, it can hold or contain things that are much larger than itself...
I have an eye but am blind, a sea, but no water; a bee, but no honey; Tea but no coffee; and a why, but no answer. What am I?
Think about a place where you might find words or letters, and consider the words in the riddle as literal representations rather than figurative ones.
I am everything. I am nothing. I can make you tremble in fear or make your sadness disappear. I've been with you since you arrived and I will be with you at the moment you die. We've known each other for our entire lives. I know you but you create me. What am I?
Think about the emotions and experiences that are universal to all humans, and how they can be both intensely personal and yet universally relatable.
I am a feeling expressed by words. Truthfully told by few, lies from many. I can cause the greatest happiness, or the deepest sorrow. Yet one still comes back tomorrow. What am I ?
Think about something that can be conveyed through words, and is often associated with emotions, honesty, and repetition...
I take you by night, by day take you back. None suffer to have me but do from my lack. What am I?
"Think about something that is often associated with darkness and light, and is essential for our well-being, but its absence can cause great distress..."
You use me everyday but let me rest at night. I have an identical twin beside me all the time. For some reason you always cover me up. I am not alive but I have a soul. What am I?
Think about something you use daily, has a "twin" or duplicate part, and is often concealed or protected...
A blanket of crystals that covers all. Nothing can escape its fall. It will put you to sleep in a harsh way, and you will never again see the day It's on the earth always and forever, part of our lives leaving, never. Floats and falls like little butterflies. Catch them and they will surely die. What am I?
Here's a hint: Think about something that is present everywhere on Earth, is delicate yet can be deadly, and is often associated with winter.
Adored by few, Feared and hated by many. Mistress of the entire universal reason, Master in the art of numbers. Some may have solved many of your mysteries, But there still much of them to find. What are they?
Think about a field of study that is often revered by some, but intimidated or disliked by others, and is deeply connected to the underlying principles of the universe...
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.
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...
Think about a fruit that's often associated with a festive and lively atmosphere, and its name has a word that implies a sense of unrestrained energy...
This thing runs but cannot walk, sometimes sings but never talks. Lacks arms, has hands; lacks a head but has a face. What is it?
Think about something you might find in a public place, often in a city or town, that has a "face" that shows information, and "hands" that move in a circular motion...
An old billionaire offers a million-dollar prize to whoever can guess what he is thinking of. Plenty of people tried but they old got it wrong, until one young boy came up. Soon after, the boy walked away a millionaire. What did he guess?
The hint is: Think about the situation, not the object.
The boy said, "You are thinking of something you thought I wouldn't guess". The boy was right by technicality.
Out of a man's mouth it comes forth, lightening hearts and inspiring souls to be steadfast. Tales of old it tells, of warriors and kings, of castles and dungeons. It tells of sunshine and hills, flowers and grass. Of food and drink it encourages you to press on, of fantasies it gives you rest and delight. It carries on through ages and never an ending does it find. What is it?
With a little detective work and deep thought, the following facts can make an accurate statement. 11 is a racehorse 12 is 12 1111 race 12112. Can you figure it out?
11 is a racehorse 12 is one too 11 won one race 12 won one too
Four kings of whom I am one lord. Often on deck but never on board. Though I have a large heart, I am always seen at war. During which I always wear a suit, but never a suit of armor. Who am I?
Think about a game where strategy and skill are key, and the "war" is more of a mental battle...
Mrs. Collins went missing one afternoon. The police officers found a hint in her bedroom: First of July; Second of November; Third of June; Sixth of February; First of September. What is the name of the person behind the disappearance?
Look for a connection between the dates and the calendar...
This person's name is Jonas. "First of July" means the first letter of July (J), "Second of November" means the second letter of November (O), and so on.