A wealthy man lives alone in a small cottage. Being partially handicapped, he had everything delivered to his cottage. The mailman was delivering a letter one Thursday when he noticed that the front door was ajar. Through the opening, he could see the man's body lying in a pool of dried blood. When a police officer arrived he surveyed the scene. On the porch were two bottles of warm milk, Monday's newspaper, a catalog, flyers, and unopened mail. The police officer suspects it was foul play. Who does he suspect and why?
Hint: Pay close attention to the deliveries and the day of the week...
The police officer suspects the newspaper delivery person. The absence of Tuesday's and Wednesday's newspapers indicates that the delivery person knew there was no one there to read it.
Mrs. Beverly has three daughters–Sally, Gianna, and Emma. She is about to have another daughter. What will she name her–Victoria, Alyssa, or Amanda?
Think about the names of Mrs. Beverly's existing daughters... do you notice a pattern or connection between them?
Mrs. Beverly will name her next daughter Alyssa; the names of her other three daughters each contain a double letter. Alyssa's name has a double letter ("s"), unlike the other two.
Terry had just returned to Chicago via. American Airlines at 12 midnight. He was extremely tired after having just completed a seven-day bridge tournament in California. After retrieving his single piece of luggage, he immediately hailed a taxi to take him to the nearest Red Roof Inn ------ Terry's favorite hotel. As he instructed the cabbie concerning his desired destination, he could plainly see the Spanish-speaking driver had no idea what was being said to him. Luckily, Terry remembered some of his high school Spanish, so he simply told the driver, "Tejado Rojo," which means "Red Roof" in Spanish. The cabbie immediately nodded to show his understanding, and he began driving to the requested destination. Upon arrival, Terry, who was barely awake by this time, paid the driver and entered the front door of the establishment. When he asked the receptionist for a room, the response he received was, "Are you on drugs? There is no place to sleep here!" Where do you suppose the cab driver had taken Terry?
Think about the literal translation of "Tejado Rojo" and what it could refer to besides a hotel...
The closest Pizza Hut. Almost, if not all of them have red roofs.
Dominick is the manager of a massively successful hotel. One day, his richest guest, Kim, calls him. She says that someone stole all of her money from the vault in her room. Dominick decides to question three other hotel guests–Sally, Lawrence, and Deborah. Dominick asks each of them just one question: "What were you doing within the last hour?" Sally says, "I was chilling in a hotel room with my boyfriend, and had nothing to do with the robbery." Lawrence says, "I was having lunch in the local sushi restaurant on the top floor. " Deborah says," I was swimming in the hotel swimming pool." Who is the robber?
Think about the logistics of the hotel's amenities and how they relate to each guest's alibi...
Sally is the robber. Dominick never mentioned the robbery, but Sally started making excuses straight away.
A young man became famous one day when he gathered a quarter of a bushel (8 dry quarts) of a certain type of fruit, which many people call a vegetable. Evidently, this youth, whose first and last name both start with the same letter, was able to harvest these fruits (vegetables) after they had been placed into a solution of vinegar or brine while still on the vine. So, the questions which have never been answered concerning this story are #1: How many of these fruits/vegetables did he actually harvest, and #2: Where is the work of his labor now? Can you name this famous person who has the same first and last initials?
Here's a hint:
Think about a famous American figure from the 19th century, and consider a type of fruit/vegetable that's often pickled. The answer might be more "historical" than you expect!
Beckett called the police and said that his little brother, Cody, had been kidnapped. The man told the officers, "I was walking in the park with Cody. Suddenly, a stranger ran up to us and snatched my brother! I told the man to put him down or else I'd call the police, but then he ran away!". The officers asked Beckett to give a description of the kidnapper. Beckett said, "The stranger was tall and thin, he had dark hair, and he was wearing a blue v-neck T-shirt,". After these words, Beckett was arrested for fraud. Why?
Think about what Beckett said about the kidnapper's clothing...
If the supposed stranger was running away from Beckett, the guy couldn't have seen that he was wearing a v-neck T-shirt because the v-neck is normally seen in the front, but Beckett could only see the guy's back.
Taylor was walking home from the gym when someone ran up in front of the woman and hit her on the right side of her face. The woman went right to the police station to report the attack. The detectives had found three people-Mike, Jerry, and Jack-and arrested them. How can the detectives figure out who really attacked Taylor?
Pay attention to the pronouns used in the story, particularly when referring to the victim and the attackers.
The detectives should give each suspect a marker and ask them to write their names on a whiteboard. Taylor was hit on the right side of her face, which means that the person who attacked her is left-handed. The detectives just need to observe which of the three suspects writes with his left hand, and that person should be arrested.
A man is sitting in a room along with a group of mostly women. The man suddenly begins shouting out a list of letters and numbers, alternating between the two, (e.g., letter - number - letter - number - letter - number, etc.). This goes on for some time, with the man shouting, and those in attendance remaining silent. Eventually however, one of the women in the room shouts a one word response to the man, which causes some in the room to feel disappointment, while the woman who shouts out, feels happiness. What is happening here?
Think about a common social event where a group of people, mostly women, gather and a man plays a key role in it...
The man is calling a Bingo Game for a group of mostly women. The woman who shouts out says, "Bingo!", and feels happy, while the rest of the people feel disappointment.
Two teenagers, covered in tattoos and dressed in black leather jackets with chains around their necks, strutted into a local business. Each of the teens was carrying a long, tapered, hardwood stick. When they entered the room, they arrogantly announced in a loud voice, "We are here to beat everyone in this room, and no one can stop us!" Several of the patrons started to leave out the back door, fearing a confrontation was unavoidable. The two, true to their words, proceeded to beat everyone in the room with their sticks, despite being heavily outnumbered. Everyone who dared to stand up to them was beaten in turn, but no one called the police to stop the beatings, and the owner of the establishment thanked them for coming --- and even welcomed them back! Has society completely fallen to pieces, or is there some rational explanation for these events?
Think "profession" rather than "punk rock" when considering the teenagers' attire and behavior.
The two talented teens had gone to either a local youth center, or to a local pool hall, where they successfully challenged and defeated each of the willing patrons there in the game of pool.
There were five men going to church and it started to rain. The four that ran got wet and the one that stood still stayed dry. How did the one stay dry?
Think about the situation where someone is more likely to be already "prepared" for the rain...
Two dogs are sitting on a porch - a fat dog and a thin dog. The little dog is the son of the fat dog, but the fat dog is not the father of the thin dog. Can you explain?
Think about the possibilities of canine family relationships beyond just "father"!
A man has to take a dog, a cat, and a mouse across a river. He can only take one of the animals across at a time. If he takes the mouse, the dog will eat the cat. If he takes the dog, the cat will eat the mouse. How does he get the three animals across the river?
Think about the order in which the man takes the animals across the river, and how he can ensure that the dog and cat are never left together, and the cat and mouse are never left together.
1. The man takes the cat across and goes back to get the mouse. 2. The man then takes the mouse across and returns with the cat. 3. The man leaves the cat on the shore and takes the dog across. He leaves the dog with the mouse. 4. The man goes back to get the cat and all of the animals have made it across the river!
Within, I clean all that is bad and old. I make juice that's the color of gold. Should I die, a filter machine would you need to assemble to replace me, and a bean I resemble... What am I?
Think about a common household item that's used for a specific task, and its shape and function might remind you of a type of bean...
It's raining, and you pass a bus stop. There are three people there; your trustworthy friend, the love of your life, and a woman about to go into labor. Your smart car only has two seats. What do you do?
You first give your keys to your friend and let them take the woman to a hospital, then you wait for the bus with your love.
When John was six years old he hammered a nail into his favorite tree to mark his height. Ten years later at age sixteen, John returned to see how much higher the nail was. If the tree grew by five centimeters each year, how much higher would the nail be?
Think about what's really changing (or not changing) over time...
The nail would be at the same height since trees grow at their tops.
If 10 bags of jelly beans and 6 licorice sticks cost $1, and 10 licorice sticks and 6 jelly bean bags cost 92 cents.
How much does one licorice stick cost?
Think about the ratio of jelly beans to licorice sticks in each scenario, and how that ratio relates to the cost.
How many times does the long hand of the clock pass the short hand between midnight one day and midnight the following day? As both hands are together at the starting time of midnight this does not count as a pass.
Think about the short hand's movement and how often it "gets caught" by the long hand...
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.
The police are called to a roundhouse where a man is found dead with a knife wound to the chest. The police investigate and narrow down the suspects to three people: The maid, the wife, and the butcher. When questioned for alibis, the wife said, "I was out buying a dress with my friends, and I found my husband dead upon my return." The butcher said, "I was searching the cupboards for some vegetables to serve for lunch." The maid said, "I was in the other room, dusting the corners." The maid was then arrested. How did the police know it was her?
It was a round house, so there were no corners to dust.
Fred is listening to the raido when it suddenly stops playing. Nobody is with Fred and nobody touches the radio. A few seconds later, the radio resumes playing.
How can this be?
Think about a common phenomenon that can temporarily interrupt a radio signal...
The fuel for life, Important parts of the day, Even if it is a long time away. Long lasting use, Long lasting fuse, Until my explosive death day. What am I?
Think about something that provides energy, is often associated with daily routines, and has a "shelf life" before it eventually "burns out" in a dramatic way...
You can have me almost every night, sometimes I could be bad sometimes I can be nice or good, whether you were a child or an adult I'll be there. What am I?
White we are, strong we are; but can be easily shaken and weakened, easily stained and dirtied; None was found at first, then one appeared; afterward, more are seen and thirty-two appear at last, we all stand waiting for our prey. The food you eat is our prey and we all are in you. What are we?
Think about something that starts out pure and strong, but can be affected by external factors. It's related to the human body, and there's a specific number of them that you might find in a healthy adult...
I can fill a room with out being seen, for your eyes I do not need. I can be felt, but can never feel; can be heard, but can never hear. I have many thoughts, but never think. I say many things, but never speak. I can tell a story with no words. Through my waves I am heard. I am your life, your love and sad goodbye. I resound in your every laugh and cry. I mark time, and time marks me. The past, present and future, through me you'll see. What am I?
"Listen carefully, for the answer is all around you..."
I come to you shattered and broken; And though not a word will be spoken; I will reveal to you, a world all anew; If you've the patience to make me unbroken. What am I?
"Think about something that's often fragmented, but when put together, reveals a new perspective or picture..."
I am not found on any ground, But always in the air; Though charged each cloud with thunder loud, You can not find me there. Now, if from France you choose to dance Your way just into Spain, I there am seen, and near the queen, In hail, in mist, and rain.
What am I?
Look for something that is often associated with weather, but isn't a physical entity that can be found on the ground or in a specific location...
One day, the police found a man dead inside a hut. In his left hand, he's holding a gun. In his right hand, he has a recording. When the recording is played, the police hear the man talking about how horrible life is and how he wants it to end. The recording ends with a gunshot. The police are about to call it a suicide until you point out a very important clue. What is it?
Pay close attention to the physical position of the man's hands...
The recording played a gunshot inside it. If the man committed suicide, he wouldn't have been able to stop the recording after he pulled the trigger.
Something that requires our mental skill to decode it, our imagination to understand it, and our knowledge to be tested to its max, it confuses us at every stage, it seems easy yet difficult, and only those who are used to, will get through. What is it?
Think about something that you might find in a book, on a website, or in a conversation with a friend...
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...
The king of the jungle, rare as gold, black as night, in light not there and night not seen. Goes in water, goes on trees, goes in caves, goes on the ground. Claws of knives, teeth of swords, roar of death but silent as a mouse. What is it?
Think about something that has a "golden" value, but appears black in certain conditions, and is not visible in both light and darkness. Its ability to adapt to different environments is key to its identity...
I walked down the street day and I found something that had worth. You make sure you don't lose it. It has a color, size, and shape but everyone is different. You touch it, enjoy it, like it, and always count it over. What is it?
The songs she sings beneath bright moons Disturb my night's repose, But, oh, those whispery, rumbly tunes! She charms us all with those. You must come near and listen well To hear her rumble song. I've told enough so you should tell To whom these songs belong.What is it?
"Think about a natural phenomenon that occurs at night, often accompanied by a soothing sound, and is closely related to the moon..."
Their trunks are all packed and they wave their salutes. Will they hurry away on the wing? Don’t worry, my dear; you’ll not lose them. Don't fear! They never do leave till the spring. What are they?
Think about something you might find in a garden or a park, and how they change with the seasons...
I'm alive, but without breath; I'm as cold in life as in death; I'm never thirsty, though I always drink. What am I?
Think about something that exists in nature, is inanimate, and is often associated with water...
The riddle "I’m alive but without breath riddle" is unanswered. Do you know the answer? If so, click ANSWER and add your answer in the comments section.