A Rickety Bridge Riddle
Four people need to cross a rickety bridge at night. Unfortunately, they have only one torch and the bridge is too dangerous to cross without one. The bridge is only strong enough to support two people at a time. Not all people take the same time to cross the bridge. Times for each person: 1 min, 2 mins, 7 mins and 10 mins. What is the shortest time needed for all four of them to cross the bridge?
Hint:
17 mins.
The initial solution most people will think of is to use the fastest person as an usher to guide everyone across. How long would that take? 10 + 1 + 7 + 1 + 2 = 21 mins. Is that it? No. That would make this question too simple even as a warm up question.
Let's brainstorm a little further. To reduce the amount of time, we should find a way for 10 and 7 to go together. If they cross together, then we need one of them to come back to get the others. That would not be ideal. How do we get around that? Maybe we can have 1 waiting on the other side to bring the torch back. Ahaa, we are getting closer. The fastest way to get 1 across and be back is to use 2 to usher 1 across. So let's put all this together.
1 and 2 go cross
2 comes back
7 and 10 go across
1 comes back
1 and 2 go across (done)
Total time = 2 + 2 + 10 + 1 + 2 = 17 mins Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The initial solution most people will think of is to use the fastest person as an usher to guide everyone across. How long would that take? 10 + 1 + 7 + 1 + 2 = 21 mins. Is that it? No. That would make this question too simple even as a warm up question.
Let's brainstorm a little further. To reduce the amount of time, we should find a way for 10 and 7 to go together. If they cross together, then we need one of them to come back to get the others. That would not be ideal. How do we get around that? Maybe we can have 1 waiting on the other side to bring the torch back. Ahaa, we are getting closer. The fastest way to get 1 across and be back is to use 2 to usher 1 across. So let's put all this together.
1 and 2 go cross
2 comes back
7 and 10 go across
1 comes back
1 and 2 go across (done)
Total time = 2 + 2 + 10 + 1 + 2 = 17 mins Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Standstill Santa Riddle
Hint:
Prohibited Chess Riddle
Hint:
Wrong Way Riddle
A truck driver is going opposite traffic on a one-way street. A police officer sees him but doesn't stop him. Why didn't the police officer stop him?
Hint:
Little Johnny's Bet Riddle
Little Johnny is walking home. He has $300 he has to bring home to his mom. While he is walking a man stops him and gives him a chance to double his money. The man says "I'll give you $600 if you can roll 1 die and get a 4 or above, you can roll 2 dice and get a 5 or 6 on at least one of them, or you can roll 3 dice and get a 6 on at least on die. If you don't I get your $300."
What does Johnny do to have the best chance of getting home with the money?
What does Johnny do to have the best chance of getting home with the money?
Hint:
He just doesn't take the bet. This gives him a 100 percent chance of getting the money home. If he takes the bet with 1 die he has a 50 percent chance of winning. If he takes the bet with 2 dice he has about a 56 percent chance of winning. If he takes the bet with 3 dice he has about a 42 percent chance of winning. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Zebra Down The River
A zebra was going to the river. On the way the zebra encountered five giraffes. Each giraffe had five monkeys on their neck. How many animals were going to the river?
Hint:
Just one the zebra. The other 30 animals (5 giraffes and 25 monkeys) were going the other way. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Cakes For Grandma Riddle
You are on your way to visit your Grandma, who lives at the end of the valley. It's her birthday, and you want to give her the cakes you've made.
Between your house and her house, you have to cross 7 bridges, and as it goes in the land of make believe, there is a troll under every bridge! Each troll, quite rightly, insists that you pay a troll toll. Before you can cross their bridge, you have to give them half of the cakes you are carrying, but as they are kind trolls, they each give you back a single cake.
How many cakes do you have to leave home with to make sure that you arrive at Grandma's with exactly 2 cakes?
Between your house and her house, you have to cross 7 bridges, and as it goes in the land of make believe, there is a troll under every bridge! Each troll, quite rightly, insists that you pay a troll toll. Before you can cross their bridge, you have to give them half of the cakes you are carrying, but as they are kind trolls, they each give you back a single cake.
How many cakes do you have to leave home with to make sure that you arrive at Grandma's with exactly 2 cakes?
Hint:
2: At each bridge you are required to give half of your cakes, and you receive one back. Which leaves you with 2 cakes after every bridge. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Little Johnny's Cats Riddle
Little Johnny's teacher asks him, "If I gave you two cats, then two more, and two more cats; how many would you have?"
Little Johnny replies, "Seven!"
His teacher asks him again more slowly, "If I gave you two cats, then two more, and two more cats; how many would you have?"
But again Little Johnny replies, "Seven!"
Next she asks, "If I get two cats, then two more, and two more cats; how many would I have?"
Little Johnny replies, "Six!"
"Good Job Johnny! Now if I gave you two cats, then two more, and two more cats; how many would you have?"
Johnny thinks for a second, "Seven."
But Johnny is not wrong. Why?
Little Johnny replies, "Seven!"
His teacher asks him again more slowly, "If I gave you two cats, then two more, and two more cats; how many would you have?"
But again Little Johnny replies, "Seven!"
Next she asks, "If I get two cats, then two more, and two more cats; how many would I have?"
Little Johnny replies, "Six!"
"Good Job Johnny! Now if I gave you two cats, then two more, and two more cats; how many would you have?"
Johnny thinks for a second, "Seven."
But Johnny is not wrong. Why?
Hint:
This House Holds Rooms Riddle
This house holds rooms, one score and six, that shelter a vast mob.
It lets lions lie down with the lambs, Yet makes both shun the slob.
None now will nestle with nicks and nates, While reams room near the rear.
Though you and I have separate rooms. Both our bottles brim with beer. The king and queen can never mate (Though hands and hearts hobnob). Because their rooms are separate. If this jail does its job. What house is this that rules thus
Forcing faith to fend with fear? The answer to this riddle lies, with dead and dying here.
It lets lions lie down with the lambs, Yet makes both shun the slob.
None now will nestle with nicks and nates, While reams room near the rear.
Though you and I have separate rooms. Both our bottles brim with beer. The king and queen can never mate (Though hands and hearts hobnob). Because their rooms are separate. If this jail does its job. What house is this that rules thus
Forcing faith to fend with fear? The answer to this riddle lies, with dead and dying here.
Hint:
Over The Head Riddle
Hint:
The Fishing Trawler Riddle
There is a fishing trawler, with a ladder in it, leaning against a wall at the harbor. There are 5 oars and 2 fishing nets in the trawler. The distance between two consecutive steps on the ladder is 1 meter. If waves lashing against the wall rise half meter in every half hour, in how much time will 6 steps of the ladder get under the waves?
Hint:
The trawler rises with the waves so no step will go under water. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Down The Well Riddle
One day, when I was six years old, my little sister would not stop crying. It annoyed me so much that I killed her and threw her body down the well. The next day, when I peered down into the well, her body had disappeared. When I was twelve, I got into an argument with my best friend over something stupid. He made me so angry that I killed him and threw his body down the well. The next day, when I checked the well, his body had disappeared.When I was 18 years old, my girlfriend got pregnant. I didn't want to be a father, so I killed her and threw her body down the well.The next day when I looked in the well, her body had disappeared. When I was 24, I worked in an office and my boss was very mean to me. I couldn't take it any more so I killed him and threw his body down the well. The next day when I checked the well, his body had disappeared. When I was 30, my mother got sick and was bedridden. I didn't want to take care of her, so I killed her threw her body down the well. The next day when I looked into the well, her body was still there. I checked the well every day after that, but her body never disappeared. Why didn't my mother's body disappear?
Hint:
The mother would remove the bodies from the well and hide them. When she was killed and thrown down the well, nobody removed and hid her. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Comes To Bedsides Riddle
He comes to bedsides, icy bridges,
battlefronts, and crumbling ridges.
When he comes, he comes alone,
taps a shoulder, then is gone.
battlefronts, and crumbling ridges.
When he comes, he comes alone,
taps a shoulder, then is gone.
Hint:
John's Three Daughters Riddle
John has three daughters who are all unmarried. The youngest always lies, the oldest always tells the truth, and the one in the middle either tells the truth or lies. A very rich young man comes to John's house and says he wishes to marry one of his daughters. Naturally he wants to marry the oldest or the youngest so he will always know if she is lying or telling the truth. John agrees but says he can only ask one of the girls a yes or no question to decide which one he marries. They all look the same age.
What one question does he ask one of the daughters at random to figure out which daughter is the youngest or oldest?
What one question does he ask one of the daughters at random to figure out which daughter is the youngest or oldest?
Hint:
"Is she older than her?"
Explanation: (He would ask one of the daughters if one of the other daughters is older than the last daughter). He always should pick the younger daughter based on what he knows. If he asks the older daughter and she says yes, then the youngest daughter will be known. If he asks the older daughter and she says no, then the youngest daughter is the other one. If he asks the youngest daughter and she says yes, she is lying and he will still pick the oldest. If he asks the youngest and she says no, he will just pick the other like in the first case. If he asks the middle daughter it doesn't matter because both will be acceptable choices. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Explanation: (He would ask one of the daughters if one of the other daughters is older than the last daughter). He always should pick the younger daughter based on what he knows. If he asks the older daughter and she says yes, then the youngest daughter will be known. If he asks the older daughter and she says no, then the youngest daughter is the other one. If he asks the youngest daughter and she says yes, she is lying and he will still pick the oldest. If he asks the youngest and she says no, he will just pick the other like in the first case. If he asks the middle daughter it doesn't matter because both will be acceptable choices. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Hierarchy Is No More Riddle
A king of riches. A pawn of poor. After the game the same box they board. It takes them where hierarchy is no more. What is it?
Hint:
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