A woman went to Virginia to get a job. She promised her mother she would come back and visit sometime. Then, in the middle of winter, her mother shouted, "April is here!". How is this possible?
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.
Bouncing Bob was riding a particularly frisky horse when suddenly its bridle came off. As they raced down the road, a screaming Bob clung to the horse's ears for dear life. Out of the corner of his eye, Bob saw a car coming, and realizing the horse was completely out of control, he panicked. Flailing his arms about, he accidentally caused the horse to come to an abrupt halt. What could Bouncing Bob have done to make the horse stop?
Think about what Bob did with his arms that might have affected the horse's ears...
Bob accidentally put his hands over the horse's eyes. If a horse can't see he will automatically stop.
A group of about 50 people are anxiously watching a very animated gentleman who stands before them. The man speaks loudly and very rapidly to the group. He is standing behind an elevated table, and waves a wooden object while frequently repeating himself. The man continues to spew forth his manic repetitions while frequently pointing at individual members of the audience, until finally, he shouts out one word, while pointing directly at a specific member of the group --- sometimes even describing their appearance or the clothes they are wearing. After shouting the word, the man instantly becomes less agitated --- but soon, his manic mood returns to sweep over him. Is this man presently experiencing symptoms of manic-depressive illness with symptoms of rapid, pressured speech, or is there some less extreme reason for his behavior? If so, what exactly is going on here, and what is the one word he shouts which calms him?
Think back to a familiar scene, often found in a specific setting, where someone is enthusiastically addressing a crowd, using a particular object to emphasize their points...
The man is an auctioneer trying to get the highest bid for the objects he is selling. The wooden object he waves about is his auctioneer’s hammer. The one word he shouts which calms him for a short time is, “Sold!”
Clayton grew up in a very large, very poor family. With a dozen children(six boys and six girls) to care for, his parents had a hard time providing food and clothing for everyone. Also, as hot water had to first be boiled on the stove to mix with cold water for baths, Clayton and his siblings were lucky to be able to take a bath even one time a month. As he grew older, Clayton was able to obtain a good-paying job, and could afford to move into better housing where he had enough food and clean clothing for himself; but his habit of rarely taking a bath stuck with him. In fact, Clayton now only takes a bath once every two years or so, but no one at his office job(where he has to wear a suit and tie) has ever complained of his having any body odor, or made any negative references concerning his personal hygiene. They say old habits die hard, but this one grew by leaps and bounds!! Refusing to take even a sponge bath, how does Clayton manage to keep his job without offending any of his co-workers?
Here's a hint: Think about Clayton's job and the specific requirements of his profession. It's not about his personal habits, but about the nature of his work.
Betty and Becky are twins, who love to lie on certain days. Betty lies on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, while Becky lies on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. One day, you come up to the twins and ask them what day it is. They say, "Yesterday was one of my lying days," in unison. What day is it?
Think about the days when both twins cannot be lying...
It can't be Sunday because both girls would be telling the truth…and someone is obviously lying now. It can either be Monday or Thursday because on those days, either Betty or Becky lies. But if it's Monday, both girls would lie saying yesterday was a lying day. Therefore, it's Thursday; Betty is telling the truth, and Becky is lying.
Janet is a janitor of a large museum. One day, while cleaning the ladies' room, she spots a precious ring with red gems. When Janet leaves the ladies' room, three people–Sarah, Catherine, and Harold–show up to claim it. Sarah said that the ring belonged to her grandmother; emeralds fit her green eyes perfectly anyway. Catherine asked if the ring had an engraving etched inside, and if it was damaged in any way. Harold said that he lost the ring while washing his hands; he was going to propose to his girlfriend in a few days. Janet decided that the ring belonged to Catherine. Why?
The hint is: Pay attention to the questions each person asks, rather than their stories.
If the ring belonged to Sarah, then she wouldn't have mentioned emeralds, because the stones on the ring are red, not green. And Harold wouldn't have been allowed in the ladies' room. Catherine was the only one who knew about the engraving on the ring, as well as how precious it is, so the ring must be hers.
Two friends, from a very cold town in Minnesota, each had unusual life skills which helped them in their adventures together. The first of the friends was a tall, lanky individual who, at times, possessed almost super-human strength, had the ability to remember everything he ever ate, and could accurately forecast the weather by reading a bunion on his foot --- but he wasn't known for being very intelligent. The second of the friends, known for his higher intellect, made a lot of short, solo flights, but he never obtained his pilot's license. He usually wore a pair of aviation goggles on top of his head. Their arch enemies were two Russian-like spies who doggedly pursued them, and these spies were led by a man without fear. Can you name the two friends from this very cold Minnesota town?
Think "cartoon" and consider the clues about their abilities and characteristics, especially the weather forecasting method!
Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose, otherwise known as Rocky and Bullwinkle. The two Russian-like spies (Boris and Natasha) were lead by the infamous Fearless Leader.
In the home where Mabel resides, she has a reputation for walking very slowly, even though she is only 40 years old. Her slowness doesn't appear to be related to arthritis or to other medical ailments, but is more likely due to heredity, as her parents both had the same condition. Mabel does not use a walker or a cane to move about, and a wheelchair would be out of the question. Mabel is an extreme introvert who basically stays in her home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Although it sounds a bit strange, you could say, even when Mabel leaves her home --- she stays at home. Although she frequently leaves the front door to her home open, she is easily frightened, causing her to immediately shut that front door when she feels threatened in any way. Mabel's caretakers frequently laugh at her and sometimes point their fingers at her as she struggles to move along. The caretakers allow Mabel only small rations of food and water each day, and they never give her a shower. Where are the abuse investigators? Where is the justice? Or are things not as bad as they appear to be for Mabel?
Think about a "home" that's not a traditional house or building, and consider what kind of "caretakers" might be responsible for Mabel's well-being.
Mabel is a Box Turtle who is the house pet of a family with several children. She is well cared for, but instinctively closes the front door of her shell and pulls her legs in if she senses danger, which includes inquisitive children.
A son went to his father's house and knocked on the door. When his father answered the door, the son said, "O.K., today is the day I promised to burn your house to the ground." "But I built the house in 1941 with my own two hands. It has a lot of sentimental value, and is still very useful to me," replied the father. "Too bad," said the son, "but I have always loathed it, especially in the wintertime, and I grew to especially hate it since you added that second hole to it when you built the addition to the house when I was a teenager." "But if you burn the house down, where will I go?" asked the father. "You will just have to go where most people go in these modern times," answered the son. "Well, I guess you're right," said his father. The son then promptly escorted his father outside, where the son proceeded to burn the house down to the ground in front of his father's tear-filled eyes. Had this father raised a deranged, sociopathic pyromaniac for a son, or is there another explanation for these bizarre events?
Think about the son's words, especially "especially in the wintertime" and "since you added that second hole to it"... What kind of "house" might have holes and be particularly bothersome in the winter?
The father, although he owned a fully functioning home, had never been able to break himself from the habit of going to the bathroom in the Outhouse he had built for his family back in 1941. The son, along with the neighbors, considered the Outhouse to be a public eyesore, and the son had been trying for some time to get his father to agree to let him burn it down.
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.
I wear striped sweaters and have a real green thumb. My favorite things are flowers and the taste of ripe plums. My home is shared with family and we all work together. We live beneath our queens decree, always striving to be better . When I kill myself it hurts you too, and leaves a stinging pain. Everything I say is true: now tell me, what's my name?
You have two coins, and their total value is 11¢. One of the coins is not a penny. What are the two coins?
Think about the possibilities for the non-penny coin...
The two coins are a dime and a penny. I said "ONE of the coins is not a penny"; if one of the coins is not a penny, then the other coin IS a penny. The coin that is not a penny has to be a dime because the total value should be 11¢.
Tom walks into a room and see three monkeys. One monkey holds a banana, another monkey holds a stick, and the last monkey holds nothing. Who is the smartest primate in the room?
Think about who is observing the scene...
Assuming that Tom is a human, then he is the smartest primate in the room because humans are also primates.
A girl is twice as old as her brother and half as old as her father. In 50 years, her brother will be half as old as his father. How old is the daughter now?
Think about the relationships between their ages now and in 50 years, and how the brother's age will catch up to the father's age...
Find four numbers, the sum of which is 45, so that if 2 is added to the first number, 2 is subtracted from the second number, the third number is multiplied by 2 and the fourth number is divided by 2, then the four numbers so produced are all the same. What are the four numbers?
Think about how the operations (add 2, subtract 2, multiply by 2, divide by 2) affect the numbers, and how you can "balance" these effects to get the same result. Consider the relationships between the numbers, rather than their individual values.
A man was shot to death while in his car. There were no powder marks on his clothing, which indicated that the gunman was outside the car. However, all the windows were up and the doors locked. After a close inspection was made, the only bullet holes discovered were on the man's body. How was he murdered?
Think about a specific situation where a man might be in his car, but not necessarily driving or parked on the road...
The victim was in a convertible. He was shot when the top was down.
Endlessly, I hunger, Lazily, I sleep. Murderous, I thunder, Desires, I do seek. Hoarding countless treasures, so my stature I retain, Envious of others whose feet on Earth remain. What am I?
Think about a natural phenomenon that is often associated with power, wealth, and a strong desire for more...
"The Seven Deadly Sins" - Reasoning: Each sentence structure portrays one of the seven deadly sins from Christian theology, with the exception of the final 5 words. In order according to the riddle, these are; gluttony, sloth, wrath, lust, greed, pride and envy. The final 5 words, "whose feet on Earth remain", act in conjunction with the section on envy, demonstrating the perspective of a sinner in hell, who is envious of those still alive, and thus can still repent for their sins in order to enter Heaven.
A magician was boasting one day about how long he could hold his breath underwater. His record was 6 minutes. A kid that was listening said, "That's nothing, I can stay underwater for 10 minutes using no type of equipment or air pockets!" The magician told the kid if he could do that, he'd give him $10,000. The kid did it and won the money. Can you figure out how?
Think about the words "underwater" and "no type of equipment or air pockets"... are they being used in the most obvious way?
The kid filled a glass of water and held it over his head for 10 minutes.
What take longer run through. 1st and 2nd or 2nd and 3rd?
Think about a common sequence of events where the "running through" makes sense, and consider how the length of time changes as you move from one step to the next...
2nd and 3rd because you have to go through a shortstop.
With pointed fangs, I sit in wait, With piercing force, I dole out fate, Over bloodless victims proclaiming its might, Eternally joining in a single bite. What am I?
"Think about a common object that is often used to 'join' things together, and has a 'bite' that can be quite strong..."
I can bring you joy or sorrow, or everything in between. None have seen, smelt or felt me, yet many still know what I am. I have many types, but I am really just one thing. What am I?
Think about something that can evoke different emotions in people, and is often described or referred to, but can't be perceived through our five traditional senses...
I am invisible, yet everywhere. Yet I am everywhere, I am not active in some places. Sometimes, you can feel me. I can be so strong, I can push you, and even destroy villages and towns. Yet I come unnoticed, you can make me. What am I?
"Think about something that is present all around us, but its effects can vary greatly depending on the location and circumstances. It's something that can be both gentle and powerful, and it's closely related to the natural world."
I can be new or old. I am of different types. I am of so many different types that every child can find one of me that they like. I contain links to countless worlds. All people like me, young or old. I can be used in someone's spare time. Although most parents ban me, I am usually the center of attention of any child. What am I?
Think about something that sparks imagination and adventure, often found in many varieties, and is a beloved companion for kids (and kids at heart!)
I am as light as a feather, yet the strongest of men cannot hold me for more than a minute. I am with you from the day you are born to the day you die. I can be as putrid as onions and garlic, yet as pleasant as freshly picked roses. What am I?
Think about something that is always present in your life, yet its presence can be both pleasant and unpleasant...
I bring death with a mighty blow. I can ruin nations with a mighty hole. Many people may die. Many people will cry. A battle is won at least. In the end I can bring peace. What am I?
Think about something that can cause massive destruction, but is also a crucial element in resolving conflicts...
I can carry you around; you can carry me as well; not a living thing, yet, I run faster than as you do but not without your help. I have as many legs and hands as every man has; round are my legs: one before and the other behind. The cycle is never out of my name. What am I?
Think about an object that you often use for transportation, has a circular shape, and needs your help to move quickly.
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.
Made of ten but two are we. Five apart and we are weak. Five together havoc wreak. What am I
"Think about something that has ten parts, but is often referred to in terms of two. The key to this riddle lies in the way these parts are arranged..."
The more of me you put on, the more you can remove. I come in many forms, but I'm generally liquid up high and solid down below. If you avoid me, I won't care, but others will. What am I?
Think about something you might wear or apply to your body, and how it can be affected by temperature changes...
If the day before yesterday is the 23rd, then what is the day after tomorrow?
Think about the relationship between "yesterday", "today", and "tomorrow"...
The 27th. The day before yesterday is the 23rd. Therefore, yesterday was the 24, today is the 25th, tomorrow would be the 26th and the day after tomorrow would be 27th.
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.
There once was a book that was only owned by the wealthy, but now everyone can have it. You can't buy it in a bookstore or take it from a library. What book is it?
Think about something that was once a luxury item, but with the advent of technology, has become accessible to everyone...
A robber comes in a house that a rich person owns and hears a voice Jesus is watching you. He goes in the kitchen and hears it even louder. Jeaus is watching you and keeps going room through room it getting even louder till he comes to the bedroom and sees a parrrot that is saying, "Jesus is watching you" The robber is freaked out when he hears something moving behind him. What is it?
Here's a hint: Think about what might be a natural companion to a parrot in a bedroom...
As a whole, I am both safe and secure. Behead me, and I become a place of meeting. Behead me again, and I am the partner of ready. Restore me, and I become the domain of beasts.
What am I?
Think about a word that can be modified by removing its first letter, and the resulting words have different meanings related to the descriptions in the riddle.
Think about a girl's title or label, and how it changes when she becomes an adult...
Replace the letters G, I, and R with the three letters A, D, and Y. The word "lady" is another word for woman. Other possible answers: AGE, MRS, MOM...