A man is trapped in a room. The room has only two possible exits: two doors. Through the first door, there is a room constructed from magnifying glass. The blazing hot sun instantly fries anything or anyone that enters. Through the second door, there is a fire-breathing dragon. How does the man escape?
Think about the time of day...
He waits until night time and then goes through the first door.
In a house, there lives a family of 4. There is a father, a mother, an older sister, and a younger sister. One day, the father catches a disease. A week later, Death comes to take the father's soul. The mother begs for 5 more years with her husband, and Death agrees. 5 years later, Death comes back. The older sister begs for 3 more years with her father, and Death agrees. 3 years later, Death comes back. The father, mother, and older sister turn to the younger sister for help, and she is holding a candle with a flame on the end of the wick. The younger sister says, "I have a deal to make, Death. My father will live until this candle burns out." And Death agrees. However, Death never returns. Why not?
The key to this riddle lies in the object the younger sister is holding...
The younger sister blew out the candle, so it didn't technically burn out. Then she threw away the candle so the family wouldn't mistakenly light it.
Think about a common, everyday situation where a needle is already "floating" in a sense...
Take a thin piece of tissue paper and place the tissue paper under the needle before putting the needle in the water. The tissue paper will eventually sink and the needle will remain floating.
Your spaceship lands on a foreign planet. A stranger in his workout clothes greets you to the entrance of the base. You go inside the base and wait for it to depressurize before removing your space suit. But before you get a chance to remove it, you get a message that someone at the base is an impostor. Who could it be–a man who covers his face because he has a sunburn, a woman with flaky patches all over her skin, or the stranger you saw earlier?
Hint: Think about the environment you're in and how it might affect the people you're considering...
The stranger you saw earlier is an impostor because a human who is not wearing a spacesuit cannot survive outside of the base in the foreign planet's atmosphere, but this stranger somehow survived without his spacesuit.
A butterfly flies to a rock in the middle of a huge lake and stops to rest. If it swims North, it's five minutes to the mainland. If it swims East, it's four minutes to the mainland. If it swims South, it's three minutes to the mainland. And if it swims West, it's two minutes to the mainland. In which direction should the butterfly swim?
Think about the shape of the lake and the rock's location...
The butterfly shouldn't swim in any direction because butterflies don't swim; they fly!
Ella and Mason went camping one day, but both of them got themselves in danger. Ella was bitten by a rattlesnake, and she tried to suck out the venom. Mason came face to face with a black widow spider, and he tried to attack it. Who was in more danger?
Think about the actions they took to respond to the threats...
Black widow spiders rarely bite, and their bites are rarely fatal, but it's never a good idea to suck out snake venom. Therefore, Ella was in more danger.
On a bright and sunny day, a powerful and evil wizard locked Karen on the top floor of his tower. Then, the wizard set a huge magic fire around the base of the castle, so Karen would not be able to get out. The room had a small window. Karen looked around and saw three potions on the table. The first potion would give Karen incredible human strength. The second potion would turn Karen into a vampire. The third potion would let Karen summon any animal she'd like. Which potion should Karen choose to escape?
Think about what would allow Karen to escape the tower without having to physically break through the flames or walls...
Karen should choose the potion that allows her to turn into a vampire (the second potion). Even if she has all of the strength in the world, she wouldn't be able to do anything to the magic fire. And no animal can help Karen escape. If Karen turns into a vampire, though, she can transform into a bat and fly away through the window. And I know what you're thinking, but no–even though it's a sunny day, bats cannot die in the sun.
1. Trigonometry, Geometry, Cirrus, Calculus
2. Comic book, Atlas, Novel, Brain teasers book
3. Otter, Shark, Dolphin, Sea Lion
4. Pen, Pencil, Eraser, Chalk
5. Golden Delicious, Bartlett, Granny Smith, Jonathon
Which one does not belong to each line?
Here are the hints for each line:
1. Think about the words that are not mathematical concepts.
2. Consider the types of books that are not typically found in a school.
3. Look for the one that is not a mammal.
4. Identify the writing tool that is not typically used for everyday writing.
5. Think about the fruit that is not a type of pear.
1. Cirrus because the others are all mathematics
2. Atlas because the others are all for leisure/pleasure reading
3. Shark because the others are all marine mammals
4. Chalk because the others are all desk tools
5. Bartlett because the others are types of apples
If there is a Yellow house on Bluebird Lane, a Green house on Orange Street, a Pink house on Kitten Road, a Black house on Whitehorse Pike and a Purple house on Firebird hill, where is the White house?
Look for a pattern in the names of the streets and the colors of the houses...
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...
I have ten or more daughters. I have less than ten daughters. I have at least one daughter. If only one of these statements is true, how many daughters do I have?
Think about the contradictions and what would make only one of the statements true...
If I have any daughters, there will always be two statements which are true. Therefore, I have no daughters.
Four friends-Chloe, Evelyn, Francesca, and Grace-went out for lunch. Someone asked them about their ages, and this is what they said: "Evelyn is three times older than Francesca. But three years ago, Francesca was a year younger than Chloe is now. And Grace is two times older than Francesca,". Can you rank the girls in order of their ages?
Think about the relationships between the girls' ages in terms of simple equations, and try to find a common link between them. Focus on Francesca's age, as it seems to be the central piece of the puzzle.
From oldest to youngest, the order is as follows: Evelyn, Grace, Francesca, and Chloe. Evelyn is three times older than Francesca, and Grace is two times older than Francesca. Evelyn is older than Grace because multiplying a number by three will result in a greater number than multiplying the number by two. Both of them are older than Francesca, but if it was three years ago that Francesca was a year younger than Chloe is now, then Francesca is two years older than Chloe. Therefore, Evelyn is the oldest, followed by Grace, then Francesca, and then Chloe.
You and your friend are trapped in a space prison on an alien planet. The alien warden decides to give you and your friend a chance at freedom. He states that your friend shall be allowed to temporarily leave your cell and try to escape through an electric gate guarded by a 3-number passcode. If your friend answers incorrectly or says anything but the final answer, your friend will be thrown back in the prison. A computer will then tell your friend 4 clues if requested. If this passcode is properly answered, you and your friend shall be freed. You are then blindfolded and your friend leaves. You hear your friend walk down one of the numbered hallways to the gate. Your friend asks for the first clue. A voice answers, "The numbers are in ascending order so that the number is greater than or equal to the number before it." Your friend asks for the second clue. The voice says, "The product of the 3 numbers is 36." Your friend asks for the third clue. The voice says, "The sum of the numbers is the number of the hallway you entered." Your friend pauses for a moment and thinks. Your friend then asks for the fourth and final clue. The voice says, "The largest number only appears once in the code." You hear a beep. You hear your cell door swing open. You are free! What was the code?
Here's a hint:
Think about the hallway your friend walked down... what could the sum of the numbers possibly be?
You have accidently left out the plug and are attempting to fill the bath with both taps full on. The hot tap takes 6 minutes to fill the bath. The cold tap takes 2 minutes and the water empties through the plug hole in 4 minutes.
In how many minutes will the bath be filled?
Think about the net effect of the hot and cold taps combined, and how that compares to the rate at which the water is draining out...
Inspector Bradstreet, a highly respected police detective with 25 years of investigative experience on the force, was in a room with four homicide suspects: Joan, Shirley, Dorothy, and Irene. He was in the room with the four of them for at least 15 minutes, but for some reason, he had not started interrogating the suspects, despite the fact that a dead body, which had a knife sticking out of its back, lay on the floor in the room with them. One of the four suspects had called 911 to summon the police at some point. Why hadn't this highly decorated and respected detective started his investigation into the obvious murder by questioning the four suspects? For what reason was he waiting?
Think about the situation from the detective's perspective... what would make him hesitate to start questioning the suspects, despite the urgency of the situation? Consider the phrase "he was in the room with the four of them" very carefully.
Inspector Bradstreet was dead. It was his body that had the knife stuck in it.
Sometimes I am born in silence, Other times, no. I am unseen, But I make my presence known. In time, I fade without a trace. I harm no one, but I am unpopular with all. What am I?
Think about something that can appear suddenly, without warning, and can be very unwelcome, yet it doesn't cause any physical harm...
Chicago. The first three words out of seven of chicken are CHI, the first two words out of 3 of cat are CA, and the first two words out of goat are GO. Therefore making, (CHI)(CA)(GO).
I am free yet priceless, you can't own me but you can use me, you can't keep me but you can spend me. Once you lost me you can never have me back. What am I?
Think about something that is intangible, yet extremely valuable, and is often associated with time...
I am two-faced but bare only one, I have no legs but travel widely. Men spill much blood over me, kings leave there imprint on me. I have greatest power when given away, yet lust for me keeps me locked away.
What am I?
"Think about something that has a dual nature, is often associated with conflict and power, and is paradoxically more powerful when surrendered..."
When you stop and look, you can always see me. If you try to touch you cannot feel me. I cannot move, but as you near me, I will move away from you. What am I?
Think about something that is always visible when you stop and look, but has no physical presence, and seems to shift or change when you approach it...
I leave you with a thought that fades out of sight. Product of the mind, undone by first light. Creator of hope, hell and heaven above. Made by wonder, fear, and perhaps true love. What am I?
Think about something that is often imagined or dreamed about, but can disappear or lose importance when faced with reality or the harsh light of day...
I wear a huge dark cloak, not unlike the one of a wizard, I am the opposite of warm, I don't walk-I float, I prefer to be sad, not happy. I appear in clouds, not in the sky, I can only be extinguished by a happy spell, I will take your soul, if you cross my path. I am a foul creature, amongst the foulest, you might call me a light extinguisher. What am I?
"Think of a phenomenon that's often associated with gloomy weather, and has a reputation for being ominous and even frightening. It's not a living thing, but it can still have a profound impact on those who encounter it."
I'm sometimes white, and always wrong. I can break a heart and hurt the strong. I can build love and tear it down. I can make a smile, but more often bring a frown.
What am I?
Think about something that can be written or spoken, and can have a profound impact on people's emotions...
I am an object. I move from left to right. Anytime I move, I bleed on what is below me. I can't move without you. I move only when you uses me. What am I?
Think about something you use to write or draw, and the "bleeding" might make more sense...
Untainted, Eternal, Marooned A place where the living will move. A shrine beneath the sun. Greeted by the morning's crest. Our sanctity, Our rest. For when our day is done. What am I?
Think about a location that is often considered sacred and peaceful, where people go to pay their respects, and is often associated with the rising sun...
Mountains will crumble and temples will fall, and no man can survive its endless call. What is it?
Think about something that has been known to bring down even the strongest structures, and has been feared and respected by humans throughout history...
What's more precious than rubies, more lasting than gold, what can never be traded stolen, or sold, what comes with great effort, takes time but then once yours will serve you again and again?
Think about something that is often earned, rather than bought, and is unique to each individual...
Be you ever so quick, with vision keen, by your eyes, we are never seen. Unless perchance it should come to pass, you see our reflection in a looking glass. What are we?
My first four letters describe all living things. My last five letters are another word for a knight. My job is to save you, and I'm a fan of water. Who am I?
Think about a word that's related to biology and has a noble connection...
A masked man is being hunted by the authorities for his vigilante activities, in which he helps and protects innocent people. His modus operandi is to seek out injustices caused by corrupt and evil people, stop these people from completing their wicked plans, and to deliver his own personal letter to these villains --- something to remind them of his visit. Who is this masked man, and what is the personal letter he delivers?
Think of a classic literary character who is known for seeking justice and leaving a calling card at the scene of their interventions...
The masked man is Zorro, and the personal letter he delivers to the villains he thwarts ----- is the letter "Z".