Riddle:
Two schoolgirls were traveling from the city to a dacha (summer cottage) on an electric train.
"I notice," one of the girls said "that the dacha trains coming in the opposite direction pass us every 5 minutes. What do you think-how many dacha trains arrive in the city in an hour, given equal speeds in both directions?"
"Twelve, of course," the other girl answered, "because 60 divided by 5 equals 12."
The first girl did not agree. What do you think?
Answer: If the girls had been on a standing train, the first girl's calculations would have been correct, but their train was moving. It took 5 minutes to meet a second train, but then it took the second train 5 more minutes to reach where the girls met the first train. So the time between trains is 10 minutes, not 5, and only 6 trains per hour arrive in the city.
Riddle:
3 men go into a motel. The man behind the desk said the room is $30, so each man paid $10 and went to the room. A while later the man behind the desk realized the room was only $25, so he sent the bellboy to the 3 guys' room with $5. On the way the bellboy couldn't figure out how to split $5 evenly between 3 men, so he gave each man $1 and kept the other $2 for himself. This meant that the 3 men each paid $9 for the room, which is a total of $27, add the $2 that the bellboy kept = $29. Where is the other dollar?
Answer: The three men HAVE paid $27. But the bellboy's $2 are part of it. The hotel has $25 of the men's dollars. The bellboy has the other two. That's $27, and the three the men have make $30. The riddle is confusing because it would add the bellboy's $2 to the men's $27. But the men don't HAVE $27, nine each. They each PAID $9 for a total of $27, of which the hotel has $25 and the bellboy has $2. They HAVE $1 each. Add that to the two the bellboy has, and the $25 in the cash drawer (together the men's $27), and you have accounted for all thirty. I came across this riddle elsewhere on riddles.com, but the answer given was "I don't know"! So I figured it out and posted it.
Riddle:
Can you combine plus signs and five 2's to get 28? Can you combine plus signs and eight 8's to get 1,000?
Answer: 22+2+2+2=28; 888+88+8+8+8=1,000
Riddle:
I come in a cone but I am not food;
I will be skewed if you screw with my hue;
I come by the millions but you can probably only name a few.
What am I?
Answer: Colors.
Riddle:
My first is a negative greatly in use, By which people begin when they mean to refuse; My second is Fashion, or so called in France, But, like other whims, is the servant of chance. An article always in use is my whole, With texture and form under fashion's control; But, alas! not a thing can it see which goes by, Although many have four sights, and all have one eye.
What am I?
Answer: But-ton.
Riddle:
A nonstop train leaves Moscow for Leningrad at 60 mph. Another nonstop train leaves Leningrad for Moscow at 40 mph. How far apart are the trains 1 hour before they pass each other?
Answer: 100 miles (60+40)
Riddle:
One-fourth of the population of a newly discovered planet has 4 legs while the rest have two legs. There are 60 legs in total. What is the population of the newly discovered planet?
Answer: 4 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 10 legs and 4 inhabitants. Repeat this six times to use up all 60 legs and you end up with 24 total inhabitants.
Riddle:
Four jolly men sat down to play, And played all night till break of day. They played for cash and not for fun, With a separate score for every one. When it came time to square accounts, they all had made quite fair amounts. Now, not one has lost and all have gained - Tell me now, this can you explain?
Answer: The four jolly men are members of an orchestra hired to play at a dance.
Riddle:
What is significant about 3661 seconds past midnight on 1st January 2001?
Answer: The time and date will be 01:01:01 on 01/01/01.
Riddle:
A man ordered a length of rope by telephone from his nearest hardware shop. But when he went to collect the rope, he found that the assistant had miswritten the order by interchanging feet and inches. As a result of this, the rope was only 30 percent of the length that the man wanted. What length did he want and what length did he get?
Answer: The man ordered 9 feet 2 inches of rope, and got 2 feet 9 inches.
Riddle:
My first is found on the ocean wave, In the spring, the pit, and the mine; My second below earth's surface you have, Where seldom the sun can shine. My whole your dinner-table must grace, And seldom fails to obtain a place.
What am I?
Answer: Salt-cellar.
Riddle:
A boy has as many sisters as brothers, but each sister has only half as many sisters as brothers.
How many brothers and sisters are there in the family?
Answer: Four brothers and three sisters.
Riddle:
There is one word in the English language which is universally considered a preventive of harm; change a certain letter in it, and you make it an act of cruelty. What are the words?
Answer: Prescription—proscription.
Riddle:
Three-fourths of a cross, and a circle complete, An upright where two semicircles meet, A rectangle triangle standing on feet, Two semicircles, and a circle complete. What is it?
Answer: The word Tobacco.
Riddle:
Tom volunteered to be the chief organizer for the world's tether ball championships. There were 657 contestants from around the world. The tournament was set up whereby the winner would advance and the loser would be eliminated. Since there was an odd number of participants, the initial pairing leaves one player out. That player gets a bye and automatically advances to the next round. How many matches will Tom have to schedule to determine the tether ball champion?
Answer: 656 matches will be needed.
Riddle:
Why is an orange not like a church bell?
Answer: Because it is never peeled (pealed) but once.
Riddle:
A 300 ft. train is traveling 300 ft. per minute must travel through a 300 ft. long tunnel. How long will it take the train to travel through the tunnel?
Answer: Two minutes. It takes the front of the train one minute and the rest of the train will take two minutes to clear the tunnel.
Riddle:
'Tis found in our troubles, 'tis mixed with our pleasures, 'Tis laid up above with our heavenly treasures; 'Tis whispered in heaven, and 'tis muttered in hell, And it findeth a place in each sybilline spell; In Paradise nestled, 'mid Eden's fair flowers, It has sported with Eve in rose-perfumed bowers; 'Tis muttered in curses, yet breathed in our prayers; From the path of our duty it tempts us in snares. Deep, deep in our hearts you will find it engraved; Though in misery sunk, yet from sin it is saved. 'Tis found in the stream that flows on to the ocean; Though in bustle forever, 'tis ne'er in commotion. 'Tis wafted afar o'er the land in each breath; In the grave 'tis decaying-you'll find it in death. It is floating away on the broad stream of time, Yet it findeth a place in eternity's clime. In the legends of nations it holdeth a place; There's no charm without it to the beautiful face. In thunder you'll hear it, if closely you listen; In moonbeam and sunbeam forever 'twill glisten. In the dew-drop it sparkles; 'tis found in the forest; It whispers in peace when our need is the sorest. What am I?
Answer: The letter E.
Riddle:
My first may be fashioned of iron or wood, And at window or door for safety is placed; In village or town, it does more harm than good, Leading people their health, time, and money to waste. My second's a lady, bewitching and fair, And for love of her people will labor and strive; Will rise before dawn, and be wearied with care, And pursue her with ardor as long as they live. My whole is what ladies admire and approve, The shopkeeper's boast-the purchaser's prize; 'Tis a ninepenny chintz-'tis a one-shilling glove- It is something which makes people open their eyes.
What am I?
Answer: Bar-gain.
Riddle:
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?
Answer: The letter I.
