I have seven yellow pencils, seven red pencils, and seven blue pencils. I have to divide them into two groups; the first group has to have three fewer yellow pencils than the second group, the second group should have one more red pencil than the first group, and the first group should have five more blue pencils than the second group. How many blue pens would be in each pile?
Think about the constraints on the yellow and red pencils, and how they might "balance out" in each group. The question is asking about blue pencils, but the answer might not be a straightforward division of the 7 blue pencils...
Mr. Plessy, one of the best pilots in his town, came to his insurance company to file a report. He said that someone had robbed him in the street, but he couldn't see what the robber had looked like because of his poor eyesight. The insurance manager refused to proceed with the case and called Mr. Plessy a liar. Why?
Think about Mr. Plessy's profession and how it relates to his claim...
Mr. Plessy is a pilot, but it's impossible to work as one if you have poor eyesight.
Sofia is a student in high school. Her professor, Ms. Davis, assigned her an essay that would be due in three days. Sofia, being the worst student in her class, procrastinates and doesn't even begin the essay. Three days later, Sofia begs Ms. Davis to push the essay date back by five more days, and Ms. Davis agrees. Five days go by, and still…no essay. Sofia begs Ms. Davis to push the essay date back by a week, and Ms. Davis agrees. One week later, Sofia comes to the class with a burning candle (How did she even bring it in there?), but no essay. Sofia asks Ms. Davis if she can push the essay back until the candle wick burns out, and Ms. Davis agrees once again. Sofia laughs because she doesn't have to ever worry about the essay again. Why?
Think about the properties of a candle wick...
Sofia blew out the candle. She said, "until the candle wick burns out", NOT, "until the flame burns out". Therefore, Sofia can keep the candle unburned forever and never submit her essay.
My brother has always been the adventurous type. Unlike me, a high ranking government official, my dear brother avoids politics whenever possible, choosing to pursue more dangerous interests. In fact, my brother has many enemies ----- enemies who have tried to kill him by gun, knife, drowning, poison dart, strangulation, and by trying to infect him with a deadly disease. His life has been threatened by a vicious killer dog, a deadly poisonous snake, and a very large rat. To top it all off, my brother is a drug addict. Even his partner, who has some medical knowledge, has been unsuccessful in freeing him from this addiction. So, with all of this information, can you state my name and the name of my brother?
Think about fictional characters, and consider the phrase "high ranking government official" as a clever misdirection.
My name is Mycroft Holmes, and the name of my celebrated brother is Sherlock.
A senior citizen, Marge recently made financial arrangements for a young, bald-headed man to come to her house, as she needed some assistance with some of her cleaning chores, including mopping the floors and general surface cleaning. However, despite her best efforts, Marge has been unable to convince the man to do any work for her. He just stands there with a constant smile plastered on his face, with his arms crossed, and his gold earring dangling from his left ear, as he watches Marge do all of her house cleaning -- but he never lifts one finger to help her! How long will Marge put up with this freeloader? After all, Marge has paid good money to get this man to come to her home to help her, but she ends up doing all the work! Where are the senior advocates? Just what exactly is going on here, and why is Marge allowing this situation to continue?
Think about the type of "assistant" Marge hired, and what their typical behavior might be...
Marge’s helper, which she purchased at a local grocery store, is a bottle of Mr. Clean, floor and surface cleaner.
A retired zookeeper owned a huge house with a very large and beautifully landscaped yard. The neighbors of the man drove past his home daily, and admired his arrangement of all the large trees and numerous healthy bushes which adorned the front yard. One day, a neighbor drove by the former zookeeper's house, and was astonished to see a living, fully-grown ostrich standing in the yard. A week later, neighbors reported seeing a live, fully-grown bear standing near the ostrich. As the next few weeks passed, the neighbors saw a tiger, a lion, a hippopotamus, and finally an elephant appear in the yard of the retired zookeeper --- all fully- grown and alive, but without any cages or bars to protect the neighborhood from them. Amazingly, not one person who lived in that area ever expressed any fear of the uncaged animals, and no one ever called the police for protection. Were these people living in the Twilight Zone? What exactly was going on here, and why weren't any of these people afraid for their lives?
Think about the profession of the homeowner...
The retired zookeeper was also a professional topiary expert. Mixing together the best of his two worlds, he sculpted zoo animals from his fully-grown, healthy, living bushes in his front yard, much to the delight of his neighbors.
A man decided to go for a walk. He made numerous stops during his stroll, hoping to hear some good news each time he stopped. Despite his usual excellent sense of direction, he realized he had been walking in circles. He was certain of this, as he noticed his favorite number 8 kept reappearing before his eyes. After continuing his walk for a long time, he finally received the good news he had been hoping for; and he then returned home, a little poorer than when he had started, but glad to be leaving with the sweet love of his life. What was going on in this bizarre-sounding narrative, and who/what was the sweet love of his life which was mentioned?
Think about a common activity people do for leisure, where they often stop at numbered stations, and the outcome can bring joy and sometimes cost money.
The man gave a monetary donation to participate in a cake walk. Eventually, his number was called for the space he was standing on, and he went home with the dessert he truly loved ———— a beautiful cake!
Many different types of my last seven letters can be found in newspapers, magazines, & journals. Physicists have built devices to get me moving very fast. What am I?
Think about a word that has multiple meanings, and its last 7 letters relate to written publications, while also being connected to speed and physics...
Wendy and Maverick are participating in a mathematical game show. Their scores are tied, so whoever gets the last riddle correct wins. The riddle goes like this: I am thinking of a number. It is a five-digit whole number. It can be read the same way forwards, backwards, and upside-down. The second digit is half of the third. The last digit is the product of the first and last digits. And the sum of all five digits is 10. What number am I thinking of? Wendy says, "12,421". Maverick says, "10,801". Who is correct?
Think symmetry!
Maverick is correct. The number is 10,801. This is why: Both numbers meet most of the requirements, but 12421 does not meet the second requirement because it CANNOT be read the same way upside-down as right-side-up. Many think 10801 does not meet the third requirement, but 0 CAN be half of 8 if you cut 8 in half horizontally. This way, you will get two zeros, and 10801 DOES meet the third requirement. Since only 10801 meets all the requirements, it is the correct answer, and Maverick is right!
There are three guards and three prisoners who need to cross a river. Their boat only holds two people at a time, and the number of prisoners must NEVER be allowed to outnumber the number of guards on either side of the river; otherwise, the prisoners will overpower the guards and, well, the story will come to an abrupt end. List each of the trips that need to be made and who is in the boat, and who is on each of the riverbanks during each trip. How many trips it will take to safely transport all of the guards and prisoners across the river?
Here's a hint:
Think about the initial state: 3 guards and 3 prisoners on one side, 0 on the other. To ensure the prisoners never outnumber the guards, consider sending one guard with one prisoner on the first trip. Now, think about how to return a guard to the initial side without leaving the prisoners in a vulnerable situation...
The riddle "GUARDS AND PRISONERS" is unanswered. Do you know the answer? If so, click ANSWER and add your answer in the comments section.
Eight years ago, Bill was eight times the age of his son Bill Jr. Today, if you add their ages together, they add up to 52. How old are Bill and his son?
Think about the relationship between Bill's age and his son's age 8 years ago, and how that relationship has changed over time...
You are given a set of scales and 12 marbles. The scales are of the old balance variety. That is, a small dish hangs from each end of a rod that is balanced in the middle. The device enables you to conclude either that the contents of the dishes weigh the same or that the dish that falls lower has heavier contents than the other. The 12 marbles appear to be identical. In fact, 11 of them are identical, and one is of different weight. Your task is to identify the unusual marble and discard it. You are allowed to use the scales three times if you wish, but no more. Note that the unusual marble may be heavier or lighter than the others. How can you identify it and determine whether it is heavy or light?
Here's a hint:
For your first weighing, try to create a situation where you're comparing a group of marbles against another group of the same size. Think about how you can use this weighing to divide the 12 marbles into three groups of 4, and what information you can gain from this weighing...
Number the marbles from 1 to 12. For the first weighing put marbles 1,2,3 and 4 on one side and marbles 5,6,7 and 8 on the other. The marbles will either they balance or not. If they balance, then the different marble is in group 9,10,11,12. Thus, we would put 1 and 2 on one side and 9 and 10 on the other. If these balance then the different marble is either 11 or 12. Weigh marble 1 against 11. If they balance, the different marble is number 12. If they do not balance, then 11 is the different marble. If 1 and 2 vs 9 and 10 do not balance, then the different marble is either 9 or 10. Again, weigh 1 against 9. If they balance, the different marble is number 10, otherwise, it is number 9. That was the easy part. What if the first weighing 1,2,3,4 vs 5,6,7,8 does not balance? Then any one of these marbles could be a different marble. Now, in order to proceed, keep track of which side is heavy for each of the following weighings. Suppose that 5,6,7 and 8 is the heavy side. We now weigh 1,5 and 6 against 2,7 and 8. If they balance, then the different marble is either 3 or 4. Weigh 4 against 9, a known good marble. If they balance then the different marble is 3 or 4. Then, if 1,5 and 6 vs 2,7 and 8 do not balance, and 2,7,8 is the heavy side, then either 7 or 8 is a different, heavy marble, or 1 is a different, light marble. For the third weighing, weigh 7 against 8. Whichever side is heavy is the different marble. If they balance, then 1 is the different marble. Should the weighing of 1,5 and 6 vs 2,7 and 8 show 1,5,6 to be the heavy side, then either 5 or 6 is a different heavy marble or 2 is a light different marble. Weigh 5 against 6. The heavier one is the different marble. If they balance, then 2 is a different light marble.
Three lives have I. Gentle enough to soothe the skin, Light enough to caress the sky, Hard enough to crack rocks. What am I?
Think about something that can exist in different forms or states, and how its properties change depending on those states...
Water. Explanation: Water can be in the form of a liquid, solid (ice), and/or a gas (water vapor) which is represented by "three lives". As a liquid, it is used to bathe, as a gas it creates clouds that float in the sky, and as a solid (ice), it can split rocks or create glaciers that scour the earth as they move downhill.
I'm found in the sea and on land but I can't walk or swim. I travel by foot but I'm 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, but doesn't have the ability to move on its own. It's often associated with human activity, and its "foot" is not a living part.
I can hold you prisoner Or set you free I can swing with ease (Though not from a tree) I have many shapes I have many sizes Yet, 'til we shake hands I'll hide my surprises. What am I?
Think about something you might find in your pocket or purse, and how it can be used to both restrict and liberate...
My life is often a volume of grief, your help is needed to turn a new leaf. Stiff is my spine and my body is pale, but I'm always ready to tell a tale.
What am I?
Think about an object that's often associated with stories and information, but can also be a symbol of sadness or mourning...
I move without wings, between silken strings, I leave as you find, my substance behind.
What am I?
Think about something that moves or is transported along a path, leaving a trail or residue behind, and is often associated with fabrics or textiles...
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 am the shell of something interesting. My front is very eye catching but my inside tells all. What am I ?
"Think about something you might find in a museum or a collector's shelf, and consider the difference between its attractive exterior and the valuable information it holds within..."
I am dead but alive, I eat but am never satisfied, I consume knowledge but gain none. What am I?
Think about something that is often associated with death, but still has a sense of existence or presence. It's something that "eats" or consumes things, but never feels full or content. And although it takes in knowledge, it doesn't truly understand or learn from it...
My three brothers, my cousin, and I are stood in a line. I am the shortest of all my brothers and I am at one end of the line. At the other end of the line is my cousin, who is the fattest out of all of us. My tallest brother is in the middle of the line. We cannot move away from where we stand and yet we are very flexible. We are very useful; people would struggle without us. What are we?
Think about the objects you use every day, and how they come in different sizes and are often arranged in a specific order...
I am not you, but I am equal to you. I smile when happy and cry when sad. I can be living or dead. I will leave prints that share no clones. I am stronger when I am afraid and smarter when I am curious. What am I?
Think about something that has a "face" and can express emotions, but isn't a living being...
I can come alone or in a chain. Both are special in their own way. My appearance can be unexpected or expected. What am I?
Think about something that can be a singular, unique event, but also a series of connected events, and how its occurrence can be either surprising or anticipated...
My head and tail both equal are, My middle slender as a bee. Whether I stand on head or heel Is quite the same to you or me. But if my head should be cut off, The matter's true, though passing strange Directly I to nothing change.
What Am I?
Think about something you use every day, something that has a head, a tail, and a middle, and its functionality doesn't change even if its "head" is removed...
Take two numbers, such that the square of the first, plus the square of the second, shall equal 8; while the first, plus the product of the first and second, shall equal 6. What are the two numbers?
Think algebraically, and consider a system of equations involving x and y, where x and y are the two numbers. Pay close attention to the relationships between x, y, x^2, and y^2.
When you buy me I am costly, but the only use I have is just hanging.
What am I?
Think about something that is expensive to purchase, but its primary function is simply to be suspended or displayed, often adding aesthetic value rather than serving a practical purpose...
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
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.