Josephine is a young, single woman who is gainfully employed. When working at her job, she dresses informally and wears comfortable shoes, including loafers and flats, but she hates clogs. Being single, she wears no wedding ring, but on the job, she carries many rings of various sizes with her. Josephine enjoys music, and to her job, she always brings several tapes with her, but she never listens to any of them. This woman possesses several tools, one of which bears the name of a tree-dwelling animal, and she uses this tool frequently. Finally, as part of her job, Josephine is a snake-handler, and she can proudly say she has never been bitten by one. What exactly is this young woman's occupation?
Think about a profession where rings, tapes, and tools are essential, and snakes are commonly found...
Josephine is a Plumber. She hates Clogs. She carries rubber O-rings to fix faucets. She uses plumbers Tape and a Tape measure. She uses a Monkey wrench. She also uses a Drain Snake to clear clogged pipes.
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 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.
A mother has 6 daughters. The 1st one was watching television, The 2nd was sleeping, The 3rd was at school, The 4th was playing chess, and The 5th was playing with her phone, what was the 6th daughter doing?
Mrs. Tatum assigned a massive summer assignment to her students–they each had to learn a new language. It could be any language they wanted to learn, though. After the summer break, Mrs. Tatum asked her students what languages they had been learning, and how it had been going. Christopher said, "I enjoy learning Mandarin!". Anthony said, "I've been learning Brazilian; it was really difficult but interesting!". Gianna said, "I chose to learn German because my ancestors are from Germany!". Mrs. Tatum did not believe one of her students. Who is lying?
Hint: Pay attention to the language names and their corresponding countries.
Anthony is lying. He couldn't be learning Brazilian because this "language" doesn't exist; people speak Portuguese in Brazil.
Teresa found her friend Andy unconscious on the floor of his studio in the attic. The girl called the police; when the officer arrived, she told him her story. Teresa said, "I was walking past Andy's house when I saw, through the window, that the light was on. I also found that Andy was lying in his room; he didn't look too good, so I rushed inside and immediately called the police,". The officer didn't believe Teresa. Do you?
Think about the physical location of the studio and how Teresa claimed to have seen Andy...
No; Teresa's story doesn't sound quite right. Andy was found in the attic; it's on the TOP floor of a house. Teresa couldn't possibly see the guy through the window.
Charlotte is a runaway criminal. She needs to get a haircut so that the police officers do not recognize her right away. There are only two hairdressers in her town, however; the first salon is run by Thomas–he has a super messy haircut and his shop is super dirty. And the second salon is run by Debbie–she has a super neat haircut and her shop is super clean. Which hairdresser should Charlotte choose for a nice haircut?
Think about what would make Charlotte's new haircut more suspicious to the police...
Charlotte should choose Thomas. Since there are only two hairdressers in her town, they can't cut their own hair; they gave haircuts to each other (Thomas cuts Debbie's hair, and Debbie cuts Thomas' hair). Since Thomas must have been the one to give Debbie a neat haircut, and Debbie must have been the one to give Thomas a messy haircut, Thomas is much more professional, and Charlotte should get her hair done by him.
I'm afraid my grandmother may be getting a bit senile. The other day she told me she was planning a special Easter party for about 25 of her friends, and she asked me to go to the store for her, to pick up the following items on this list she gave me: 25 green apples, 25 peaches, 25 mangos, 25 juicy pears, 25 plums, 25 lemons, 25 coconuts, 25 cantaloupes, 25 watermelons, 25 A&W cream sodas, 25 strawberry cheesecakes, 25 pieces of bubblegum, 1 bag of crushed pineapple, 1 bag of blueberries, 1 bag of cotton candy, 1 bag of wild blackberries, 1 bag of buttered popcorn, and 1 bag of sour cherries. Well, what do you think? Is my grandmother’s trolly car starting to leave its track, or are her mental faculties still in good working order? Just what is her plan for this party?
Pay attention to the types of items on the list and think about what they have in common...
Grandma is planning an Easter jelly-bean-eating party for her 25 friends. She plans to give one of each of the gourmet jelly beans listed to each of her friends to see which flavors her friends like the best.
In fair Verona, love's tale is told, A pair of star-crossed souls, brave and bold. Their families' feud, a bitter strife, Yet love blooms amidst the deadly strife. This tragic hero, youthful and true, His heart ablaze, his love so new. He serenades his Juliet fair, Their passion burns, a love so rare. Though fate conspires against their bliss, In death, their love will forever persist. Which Shakespearean character doth this describe, Whose name lives on, as love's eternal bribe?
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 famous magician and his assistant are standing in the middle of a large, empty field. There are no trees or buildings to be seen, and there are no ropes or hidden wires attached to the two performer's bodies. A large group of curious onlookers and their families are present to see the magician's farewell performance, as advertised in the local newspapers. The magician suddenly raises both hands and dramatically shouts to the audience, "My assistant and I will now rise from this very ground and disappear from your sight, but in three hours we will reappear in a town ten miles from here!" And with those final words, the magician and his assistant slowly lifted from the ground, continuing to rise majestically, until they were out of sight! True to his word, he and his assistant did reappear in another town ten miles from the place where they had first disappeared --- in the predicted three hours' time! What a fantastic trick!! How do you think they accomplished such an amazing feat?
Think about the mode of transportation that can take you 10 miles in 3 hours, and is not a hidden wire or rope...
The magician and his assistant used a hot-air balloon to rise up and disappear from the field. They were able to navigate and land it in a similar field in a town ten miles away.
I have three feet but can't walk;
I tell you things but can't talk;
Sometimes I bend but I'm mostly straight.
I'm like a scale but can't tell your weight.
What am I?
Think about something you might find in a school or office, used for a specific purpose, and has a peculiar shape...
Three men sitting in a small motorboat one mile from the shoreline. The first is afraid of water, the second is afraid of drowning, and the third is afraid of sharks. The boat's motor is not operational and there is nothing to row with. How do they get to the shoreline?
Think about the fears of each man... are they really relevant to the solution?
In Jamaica, if you drop a steel ball weighing five pounds from a height of 45 inches, will it fall more rapidly through the water at 20 degrees Fahrenheit or water at 40 degrees Fahrenheit? Or will it make no difference?
Think about the properties of water at different temperatures...
40 degrees Fahrenheit. At 20 degrees Fahrenheit the water would be ice.
There is a lamp inside a photography darkroom. When the darkroom door is closed, it is impossible to tell from outside the room whether or not the lamp is on. There are two switches outside the door of the darkroom. One or both of the switches may control the lamp. It also could be that neither of the switches controls the lamp. All you know is that the light bulb is currently off and that the lamp and bulb are in working condition. The darkroom door is closed and once you open the door you cannot touch either of the switches. If you can only open the dark room door one time, how can you tell which switches, if any, control the lamp?
Here's a hint: Think about how you can use the switches to create a sequence of events that will give you the most information about the lamp's state when you open the door. Consider flipping one or both switches before opening the door, and think about what you can infer from the lamp's state when you finally see it.
Turn the first switch on and leave it on for ten minutes. After ten minutes, turn that switch off and turn the second switch on. Open the darkroom door, and lightly (in case it is hot) touch the bulb. If the lamp is on, and the bulb is quite hot, both switches work the lamp. If the lamp is on, and the bulb is cool, the second switch controls the lamp. If the lamp is off, and the bulb is hot, switch one controls the lamp. If the lamp is off, and the bulb is cool, neither switch controls the lamp.
Janie's friends were chipping in to buy her a wedding shower present. At first, 10 friends chipped in, but 2 of them dropped out. Each of the 8 had to chip in another dollar to bring the amount back up. How much money did they plan to collect?
Think about it this way: If 8 people had to chip in an extra dollar each to reach the original amount, how much would 10 people have had to chip in if they hadn't dropped out?
You are a bus driver. Two kids get on and one kid gets off. Five kids get on and four get off. Nine kids get on another one gets off.
What color are the bus driver's eyes?
Think about what information you're given, and what information you're NOT given...
If your eyes are green, the answer is green. If your eyes are brown, the answer is brown, etc.
You are in a room that is completely bricked in on all four sides, including the ceiling and floor. You have nothing but a mirror and a wooden table in the room with you. How do you get out?
You look in the mirror you see what you saw, you take the saw and you cut the table in half, two halves make a whole, and you climb out the hole.
I love to dance and twist and prance, I shake my tail, and as away I sail, wingless I fly into the sky.
What am I?
Think about something that moves with a flowing motion, often in a whimsical or carefree way, and is commonly associated with celebrations or joyful events...
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 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...
I can be anything I want to be, yet known to many as just one, but if things don't work out, I will be known by hardly anyone. What am I?
Think about something that can take on many roles or identities, but is often associated with a single, well-known persona... and consider how its reputation might change depending on its success or failure.
I surround you but I'm not clothes. I am everywhere but I don't take up space. I'm not always here, yet you can use a man-made form of me. I can go through glass but the glass will look just the same. What am I?
Think about something that is intangible, yet omnipresent, and can be harnessed or utilized in a manufactured way...
I have seven letters and am something you eat. My only anagram can help your pain. If you remove my first 2 letters I wear things down. Removing my first 3 letters is an adjective and removing my first 4 letters leaves a measure of time. What am I?
Think about a common food item that's often associated with relief or comfort, and its anagram is a word that's synonymous with "remedy" or "cure".
I am Sausage. Anagram: assuage. An example of something that a nurse might assuage is someone's pain with the distribution of medicine
I have four characteristics, durability, divisibility, transportability, and non-counterfeitability. What am I?
Think about something you might find in your wallet or purse, something that's used every day, and has these four important qualities that make it trustworthy and useful...
I cut through evil like a double-edged sword, And chaos flees at my approach. Balance I single-handedly upraise, Through battles fought with heart and mind, Instead of with my gaze.
What am I?
Think about a concept that brings order and stability, rather than a physical entity.
I can bring power, money, connections, repute, and admiration, but I'm useless in the face of love and friendship. Treat others with me, and you'll avoid heartbreak, but you'll also gain endless loneliness. What am I?
"Think about something that can bring you prestige and advantages in life, but can also serve as a barrier to genuine relationships."
My family is known to be crazy;
I'm good when I'm alone and when spread I am amazing;
It's a matter of taste;
I'm good for your health, bad for your waist.
What am I?
Think about a type of food that's often associated with family gatherings and celebrations, but can also be enjoyed on its own...
Riddle me this. I am humble in my greetings, but forget my whole and you are sure to find hell. What am I?
Think about a common phrase people use when greeting each other, and how removing a single word from that phrase can lead to a very different and ominous outcome...
Name the only sport in which the ball is always in possession of the team on defense, and the offensive team can score without touching the ball?
Think about a sport where the defensive team is responsible for protecting a specific area, and the offensive team can score by getting something past them, without necessarily physically touching the ball...
What is the most complex thing man has yet we use it every day?
Think about something that is intricate, made up of many parts, and is essential to your daily life... It's not a device or a machine, but rather something that is uniquely human.
As an April Fool's joke, a prankster, who works in an assisted living facility, created a flyer and distributed one to each room of the facility. Here is what the flyer announced: Attention!!! All residents!!! Several creatures have recently been spotted in hallways and day areas of this facility. The primary creature seen is reported to be warm-blooded, is between 60 and 72 inches in length, and has three legs and three feet. There have even been rarer sightings of several of these life forms having six legs and six feet. Anyone sighting either of these two creatures should immediately notify the receptionist for instructions. What do you suppose the living organisms were to which the prankster was referring in his April Fool's flyers?
Think about the typical residents of an assisted living facility and what they might use to get around...
The "creatures" to which the prankster was referring, were the residents who used canes and walkers. Each cane acted as a resident's third leg, with a foot at the base of each cane. The rarer "creatures" were the residents using four-legged walkers with a foot at the bottom of each leg. These sums were added to each resident's physical two legs and two feet which accounted for the description of the "life forms" in the flyers.
My first is a very uncomfortable state,
In cold weather it mostly abounds.
My second's an instrument formed of hard steel,
That will cause the stout foe to stagger and reel,
And when used, is a symptom of hate.
My whole is an author of greatest renown,
Whose fame to the last day of time will go down.
Who am I?
Think about a famous author who wrote about war and conflict...