Problem of the Week

A riddle problem is a question or statement intentionally phrased so as to require ingenuity in ascertaining its answer or meaning, typically presented as a game. Below is a list of the past problem of the week riddles in descending chronological order.

You Want To Boil A Two-minute Egg. If You Only Have A Three-minute Timer

POW: 04-22-2024

You want to boil a two-minute egg. If you only have a three-minute timer (hourglass), a four-minute timer, and a five-minute timer, how can you boil the egg for only two minutes?

Answer: Once the water is boiling, turn the three-minute timer and five-minute timer over. When the three-minute timer runs out, put the egg in the boiling water. When the five-minute timer runs out, two minutes have elapsed and it is time to take the egg out of the water. You don't need the four-minute timer for this riddle.

How Old Am I?

POW: 04-15-2024

When my father was 31 I was 8. Now he is twice as old as me. How old am I?

Answer: The difference in age is 23 years, so I must be 23 if my father is twice as old as me.

Eleven Plus Two Equals One

POW: 04-08-2024

If eleven plus two equals one, what does nine plus five equal?

Answer: 11 o'clock plus 2 hours = 1 o'clock 9 o'clock plus 5 hours = 2 o'clock

How Many Times Can You Subtract The Number 5 From 25

POW: 04-01-2024

How many times can you subtract the number 5 from 25?

Answer: Once, because after you subtract 5 from 25 it becomes 20.

How Many Sides Does A Circle Have

POW: 03-25-2024

How many sides does a circle have?

Answer: Two. The inside and the outside.

The Frog And The Well

POW: 03-18-2024

A frog fell into a 12-foot-deep well. He could jump 3 feet, but every time he jumped 3 feet, he fell back 2 feet. How many times did he have to jump to get out of the well?

Answer: 10. On the tenth jump he cleared the edge of the well and thus did not fall back two feet.

A Sphere Has Three A Circle Has Two And A Point Has Zero

POW: 03-11-2024

A sphere has three, a circle has two, and a point has zero. What is it?

Answer: Dimensions.

Rungs Of A Ladder

POW: 03-04-2024

The rungs of a 10-foot ladder attached to a ship are 1 foot apart. If the water is rising at the rate of one foot an hour, how long will it take until the water covers the ladder?

Answer: It will never cover the ladder because as the water rises, so will the floating ship.

One Is To Three As Three Is To Five Riddle

POW: 02-26-2024

One is to three as three is to five and five is to four and four is the magic number. What is the pattern?

Answer: One has three letters in the word three has five letters in it five has four letters and four has four letters in it (if you try more numbers they will always come back to the number four: so four is the magic number)