Brain Teasers
Riddle: A small group of people are all standing around a two-foot tall, empty, wooden container. Two women approach the group carrying a silver container, which they place inside the wooden container. No one complains about the quarter-sized hole in the side of the wooden object. A Z-shaped piece of metal is then attached to both the silver and wooden containers, and one-at-a-time, the members of the small group take turns grasping the Z-shaped piece of metal and moving their hands in a circular motion. When one tires of this, another person takes over, and this is repeated numerous times. Finally, a heavy group member places his foot on top of the Z-shaped object, while a final group member performs a few last circular motions. After this, the top of the silver container is removed, and an object made of wood and metal is removed from it. Later, the contents of the silver container are consumed by those present. What has been going on here?
Answer: This group was making home made ice cream using an old fashioned hand-cranked ice cream freezer.
Riddle: A man and a woman enter a crowded room where many people they have seen before are present. The man and the woman enter the room separately, but only one of them enters to a musical serenade. Another man speaks to each of them for a few minutes when the two get together in the room. The crowd has been quiet for the most part, and the familiar people seem to be in a happy mood, but when the man and the woman leave the room, they find the crowd is now outside waiting for them. When the crowd sees the man and the woman, they begin shouting and throwing food at the two as they try to depart the area. What was going on here, and why did the crowd pelt the man and the woman with food?
Answer: The man and the woman were getting married, and the food being thrown at them was rice.
Riddle: In the realm of intellect and wit, where riddles intertwine, a labyrinthine puzzle tests the sharpest mind. Within this riddle's depths, a story of knights and kings and a treasure untold shall unfold. Imagine a mighty chessboard, with sixty-four squares so grand, where black and white alternate, a captivating land. Upon this board, two knights are placed, noble in their might. Their mission: to find the treasure hidden out of sight. But here's the twist, the tricky part, the puzzle's cunning scheme: the knights must journey together, a duo they must seem. One knight moves north, then two steps to the right, while the other takes a diagonal leap, a path both swift and light. They continue their pursuit, weaving through the chessboard's squares, till they've visited each and every one, proving their thorough care. Now comes the question, the riddle's hidden key: how many times did their paths cross, tell me if you see. Remember, their moves are synchronized, each step taken as a pair. Calculate their crossings, and unravel the secret with care.
Answer: To find the number of times the paths of the two knights cross, we need to analyze their movements on the chessboard. Let's assign coordinates to the squares of the chessboard. We can label the columns as A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H (from left to right), and the rows as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (from bottom to top). Now, let's examine the movements of the knights. The first knight moves one square north and two squares to the right, which can be represented as (2, 1) on the coordinate plane. The second knight takes a diagonal leap, moving one square northeast, which can be represented as (1, 1). We'll start by assuming the initial position of both knights is (0, 0). Now, let's track their movements: The first knight moves to (2, 1). The second knight moves to (1, 1). The first knight moves to (3, 2). The second knight moves to (2, 3). The first knight moves to (4, 4). By analyzing their movements, we can see that the knights' paths intersected once at the coordinate (2, 3). Therefore, the answer is that the paths of the knights cross once.
Riddle: In a far-off kingdom, there is a castle with five rooms. Each room has a door with a different color: blue, red, green, yellow, or purple. Inside each room, there is a person with a different nationality: American, British, Canadian, Dutch, and Estonian. Each person has a favorite animal, which is also different for each person: cat, dog, elephant, giraffe, and horse. Additionally, each person has a favorite food, which is different for each person: pizza, sushi, spaghetti, tacos, and waffles. Using the following clues, can you figure out who lives in each room, what their nationality is, what their favorite animal is, and what their favorite food is? The person in the blue room is not Dutch or Estonian. The British person's favorite animal is a horse. The person who likes sushi lives in the red room. The Canadian person likes pizza. The Dutch person lives in the green room. The person who likes tacos lives in the yellow room. The American person's favorite animal is a giraffe. The person who likes waffles lives in the purple room. The person who likes spaghetti is Estonian. The person who likes elephants lives in the room adjacent to the person who likes giraffes.
Answer: The blue room: American, favourite animal is a giraffe, favourite food is sushi. Red room: British, favourite animal is a horse, favourite food is tacos. The green room: Dutch, favourite animal is a cat, favourite food is spaghetti. Yellow room: Canadian, favourite animal is an elephant, favourite food is pizza. Purple room: Estonian, favourite animal is a dog, favourite food is waffles. Explanation: Clue #1 tells us that the person in the blue room cannot be Dutch or Estonian. This leaves us with American, British, Canadian, and Estonian. We can use other clues to narrow it down further. Clue #2 tells us that the British person's favourite animal is a horse, so they cannot be in the blue room. This leaves us with American, Canadian, and Estonian. Clue #3 tells us that the person who likes sushi lives in the red room, so the American person must be in the blue room. Clue #4 tells us that the Canadian person likes pizza, so they must be in the yellow room. Clue #5 tells us that the Dutch person lives in the green room, so they cannot be in the yellow room. This leaves us with British and Estonian. Clue #6 tells us that the person who likes tacos lives in the yellow room, so the British person must be in the red room. Clue #7 tells us that the American person's favourite animal is a giraffe, so they must be in the blue room. Clue #8 tells us that the person who likes waffles lives in the purple room, so the Estonian person must be in the purple room. Clue #9 tells us that the Estonian person likes spaghetti, so the Dutch person must like cats. Clue #10 tells us that the person who likes elephants lives in the room adjacent to the person who likes giraffes, so the Canadian person is just like an elephant. So the final solution is The blue room: American, favourite animal is a giraffe, favourite food is sushi. Red room: British, favourite animal is a horse, favourite food is tacos. The green room: Dutch, favourite animal is a cat, favourite food is spaghetti. Yellow room: Canadian, favourite animal is an elephant, favourite food is pizza. Purple room: Estonian, favourite animal is a dog, favourite food is waffles
Riddle: A certain large animal lives happily and thrives here on Earth. One day, every single one of these critters is wiped out by a mysterious disease that affects only this particular animal. There are none left anywhere on earth -- they are all gone. About a year or so later, they begin to reappear on Earth again. How can this be?
Answer: The animal is the Mule. Since all Mules are born sterile, you can only get a Mule by crossing a donkey with a horse. That is how the species is able to repopulate itself.
Riddle: Hidden in the poem below, a female's name you'll seek; just read and listen to the rhyme, but please, don't take a week! MYSTERY POEM: A pig that is not dirty, I might just one day see; but pigs and soap suds do not mix, in bathtub history! What is the female name you hear?
Answer: DAISY.
Riddle: I believe my brother Sam may secretly be an actual mad scientist! In his home, he keeps several odd animals confined behind heavy, glass walls -- walls designed to never allow these creatures to escape! The most grotesque thing about these beasts is the fact that they have no stomachs -- that's right -- no stomachs!! And yet, he feels compelled to feed them every day-- so they will grow! Sam appears to have no fear of these beasts, but should they ever find a way to gain their freedom from their glass prison, things would get very, very messy! Is Sam in danger from these creatures? Should the authorities be contacted to stop Sam from feeding these stomach-less creatures and helping them to outgrow their restraining enclosure? Just what exactly are these beasts without stomachs, and could they be a danger to society?
Answer: My brother Sam has an aquarium in his home where he keeps several Koi fish. Koi fish have no stomachs, and are known to grow quite large.
Riddle: If someone were to write a biography about us, the following could be reported: #1 - Many famous people have sung about my type of ribbons over the years. #2 - My type of fever often occurs in children, ages 5 to 15. #3 - According to the book of Isaiah in the Bible, "Though your sins be as me, they shall be white as snow...." #4 - Rhett loved me, but did I love Rhett? Unfortunately, the answer was lost, as it went with the breeze. #5 - Author Nate H. wrote a famous book about my type of letter in 1850. Based on the biographical information above --- Who/what are we?
Answer: We are the biography of Scarlet.
Riddle: Thirteen women are kneeling around a circle. A whistle blows, and suddenly all thirteen women began shouting out the names of their sons and daughters, while frantically waving their arms. At last, a whistle blows once again, and one of the women is awarded a trophy. What kind of insanity is happening here?
Answer: The thirteen women, along with their thirteen sons and daughters (all babies of a crawling age), are competing in a "Fastest Crawling Baby Contest." Initially, all of the babies were placed in the center of a circle, with the women kneeling outside of that circle. When the whistle blew, the first baby to crawl to their mother outside of the circle was the winner, and the trophy was subsequently awarded to her.
Riddle: A purveyor of baked goods is approached by a man with a very low I.Q. who wants to buy some of the baker's creations; however, the man with the low I.Q. has no credit or debit cards, no checks, and in fact, doesn't even have one red cent in his pocket to buy anything, so he is flatly denied any of the seller's goods. Who is this dolt who is trying to get something for nothing?
Answer: Simple Simon met a pieman going to the fair. Says Simple Simon to the pieman, "Let me taste your ware." Says the pieman to Simple Simon, "Show me first your penny." Says Simple Simon to the pieman, "Indeed, I have not any."
Riddle: Hidden in the poem below, a female's name you'll seek; just read and listen to the rhyme, but please, don't take a week! MYSTERY POEM: Polar bears live at the North Pole they say, and penguins all live at the South; it's lucky those penguins live so far away, or they'd end up in polar bear's mouth! What is the female's name you hear?
Answer: OLIVE.
Riddle: As you are getting off your plane, you are met by two animal quarantine officials who work for one of the 50 United States. They inform you that your pet squirrel, "Nut Job", is not allowed in their state, as their state is squirrel-free. They further inform you that ferrets, gerbils, hamsters, and snakes also do not exist in their state, and will never be welcome there. What kind of southern hospitality is this, and what is the name of this state?
Answer: The state is Hawaii, and the animals listed in the puzzle above do not exist in the state, because it is illegal to own or bring them onto any of the Hawaiian islands.
Riddle: In shadows it dances, in daylight, it gleams, Found in the echoes of both waking and dreams. It lingers in whispers, a secret untold, In the tapestry of tales, its threads unfold. It weaves through the chapters of joy and despair, A silent companion in the heart’s deep lair. From the mountain’s proud peak to the valley so low, It flows with the rivers that steadily grow. It’s sung in the songs of the ages gone by, A constant companion, though silent, oh my! What am I?
Answer: The letter R.
Riddle: Tristen received a phone call late one evening from his old science teacher, Mr. Riddleopoulous, asking him to come over to his house to see a few things he felt would interest him. Tristen remembered Mr. Riddleopoulous, a man of Greek descent, as being a person who always spoke in riddles, and was always vague when asking questions and giving answers and instructions. Tristen arrived at the Riddleopoulous residence just after 9:30 p.m., and was immediately ushered back to the patio of his teacher’s house. “See if you remember how to use this ‘precision instrument’,”said the teacher to his former student, “and locate the following: a Big kitchen utensil, a Little kitchen utensil, the Roman god of war, the Roman goddess of love, a liquid associated with thermometers, and a Candy Bar.” Remembering how Mr. Riddleopoulous interacted with everyone, Tristen was soon able to find all six of the locations requested ——— Can you? First, to solve this brainteaser, you must identify the “precision instrument” used by Tristen; and Second, you must name at least three of the six locations Mr. Riddleopoulous asked him to find. (Extra credit if you can name all six). Good luck!!!
Answer: Being a science teacher, Mr. Riddleopoulous had a great interest in astronomy. He called Tristen to come to the outside patio of his house after dark so he could challenge his former student to use his powerful telescope(the “precision instrument”) to find the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper(big and little kitchen utensils), the planet Mars(the Roman god of war), the planet Venus(the Roman goddess of love), the planet Mercury(a liquid associated with thermometers), and a Candy Bar(the Milky Way galaxy).
Riddle: Maggie and four of her gang members (A.K.A. the Maulers) cross paths with Big Bertha and four of her minions (A.K.A. The Bombers), and a major conflict ensues. Both gangs find themselves in a real jam, and neither side dare back out and risk losing face at this point. Suddenly, one of Maggie's own gang grabs Maggie by the arm and throws her forward with all of her strength, but Maggie does not feel betrayed, in fact, she is grateful. She does not run but moves ahead with great speed in an effort to sneak up on the opposing gang from behind. Unfortunately, Big Bertha is just behind Maggie, having planned the exact same strategy. Bertha then suddenly bashes Maggie in the thigh with a lowered shoulder, knocking Maggie off her feet, sending her sprawling. Big Bertha and her gang proceed to lay a major beating on Maggie's entire gang. Over 100 people witnessed this confrontation, but not one of them tried to intervene, or at least call the police. How calloused can people be; or is there some less harmful explanation for these events?
Answer: The Maulers and the Bombers are two women’s teams competing against one another in the game of Roller Derby, in front of a bunch of spectators.
Riddle: Jordan is leaving from a small town in Wyoming and hiking through the wilderness to a post where he will spend the summer. The hike will take Jordan six days. One man can only carry enough food and water for four days. Jordan cannot take a mule or any other animal to haul his food and water, because there will be insufficient food and supplies for the animals at his destination. How can Jordan make it to his destination?
Answer: Jordan takes two other hikers with him. Each hiker starts out with a four day supply of food and water. After the first day, the first hiker gives a one day supply to each Jordan and the second hiker. This leaves the first hiker with a one day supply to go home and Jordan and the second hiker now each have a four day supply again. After the second day, the second hiker gives Jordan a one day supply and keep a two day supply for himself so that he can get home. This gives Jordan a four day supply of food and water, and now he has enough to reach his destination.
Riddle: A box without hinges, key or lid, Yet golden treasure inside is hid. What am I?
Answer: An egg.
Riddle: This makes the heart grow "FOUNDER"... Not FONDER. What is it?
Answer: The letter U.
Riddle: F-S-T-F-F-S What's next?
Answer: S First Second third fourth fifth sixth, ____seventh
Riddle: What is special about the number 854,917,632?
Answer: It contains the numbers 1-9 in alphabetical order.