Riddles 28
Egg Spinning Contest
You and a friend decide to have an egg spinning contest. What can
be done to make sure that your egg spins the longest?
Answer
Boil your egg first. Unless your friend does the same, you are
sure to win.
Two Many Canaries?
I am the owner of a pet store. If I put in one canary per cage, I have one
bird too many. If I put in two canaries per cage, I have one cage too
many.How many cages and canaries do I have?
Answer
I have 3 cages and 4 canaries.
Full Bus
There is a bus full of people travelling over San Francisco and no one gets off the bus throughout
the journey. But when it gets to the other side there is not a single person left. How is this
possible?
Answer
They are all married.
Head or Heel
My head and tail both equal are,
My middle slender as a bee.
Whether I stand on head or heel
Is quite the same to you or me.
But if my head should be cut off,
The matter’s true, though passing strange
Directly I to nothing change.
What Am I?
Answer
The figure eight.
Hear My Roar!
I’m fatherless and motherless,
And born without sin.
Roaring when entering the world,
I never speak again.
What am I?
Answer
Thunder.
Roads Without Cars
You can find roads without cars,
And roam through forests without trees,
Cities exist without houses?
Whatever can I be?
Answer
A map.
How Many Bricks?
How many bricks does it take to complete a building made of brick?
Answer
Only one – regardless of the size of the building, “to complete” a building it takes only one last brick.
Stone Heart
Squeeze it and it cries tears as red as its flesh, but its heart is made of stone.
What is it?
Answer
A cherry.
Incapable
I have legs but walk not
A strong back but work not
Two good arms but reach not
A seat but sit and tarry not
What am I?
Answer
I am a chair.
Up and Down Stairs
I go up and down the stairs without moving.
What am I?
Answer
I am a carpet
Thirty Fish
A professional fisherman caught 30 fish during a 5-day tournament.
Each day, he caught three more fish than the day before. How many fish did
the fisherman catch on the first day?
Answer
He didn’t catch any fish the first day, but he caught 3 on the second day, 6 on the third day, 9 on the fourth day and 12 on the fifth day.
Two Hours Ago
Two hours ago it was as long after one o’clock in the afternoon as
it was before one o’clock in the morning. What time is it now?
Answer
It would be 9:00 pm. There are 12 hours between 1:00 pm and 1:00
am and half of that is six hours. Half-way between would be 7
o’clock. Two hours later it would be 9:00 o’clock.
What Is..
What is 1/2 of 1/4 of 2/9 of 3/7 of 84?
Answer
The answer is 1.3/7 of 84 = 36
2/9 of 36 = 8
1/4 of 8 = 2
1/2 of 2 = 1
Share Me!
If you have me you want to share me. If you share me you won’t have me. What am I?
Answer
I am a secret.
Crossing the Equator
Sally is traveling by ship from south of the equator to the north.
She has a nice little cabin with a bathroom, but no window.
Sally has no compass nor other instruments. Just the
general luggage one brings on board a long cruise. Yet, without
leaving her room or talking with anyone, Sally will be able to
tell when the ship has crossed the equator. How?
Answer
Sally can fill the sink and watch it drain. When the water reverses direction when going down the drain, she will know they have crossed the equator.
Two Hourglasses
If you have two hourglasses — one four-minute timer and one seven-
minute timer, how can you measure nine minutes?
Answer
Turn over both hourglasses at once.
When the four-minute hourglass runs out, turn it over.
When the seven-minute hourglass runs out, turn it over.
When the four-minute timer runs out this time (eight minutes have
elapsed), the seven-minute hourglass has been running for one
minute. Now turn over the seven minute timer back over. When the
timer runs out, nine minutes have elapsed.
Hanging Only
I bought it and it is costly,
But I use it for hanging only.
Answer
Earrings.
No More Draper
When a virgin gives birth,
She throws away the draper.
Answer
Banana blossoms.
Raining Below
What house has post on top,
A roof at the bottom,
While the rain comes from below?
Answer
A boat.
Fishing
Hold the tail,
While I fish for you.
Answer
A net.