The Loaded Revolver Riddle
Henry has been caught stealing cattle, and is brought into town for justice. The judge is his ex-wife Gretchen, who wants to show him some sympathy, but the law clearly calls for two shots to be taken at Henry from close range. To make things a little better for Henry, Gretchen tells him she will place two bullets into a six-chambered revolver in successive order. She will spin the chamber, close it, and take one shot. If Henry is still alive, she will then either take another shot, or spin the chamber again before shooting.
Henry is a bit incredulous that his own ex-wife would carry out the punishment, and a bit sad that she was always such a rule follower. He steels himself as Gretchen loads the chambers, spins the revolver, and pulls the trigger. Whew! It was blank. Then Gretchen asks, "Do you want me to pull the trigger again, or should I spin the chamber a second time before pulling the trigger?"
What should Henry choose?
Henry is a bit incredulous that his own ex-wife would carry out the punishment, and a bit sad that she was always such a rule follower. He steels himself as Gretchen loads the chambers, spins the revolver, and pulls the trigger. Whew! It was blank. Then Gretchen asks, "Do you want me to pull the trigger again, or should I spin the chamber a second time before pulling the trigger?"
What should Henry choose?
Hint:
Henry should have Gretchen pull the trigger again without spinning.
We know that the first chamber Gretchen fired was one of the four empty chambers. Since the bullets were placed in consecutive order, one of the empty chambers is followed by a bullet, and the other three empty chambers are followed by another empty chamber. So if Henry has Gretchen pull the trigger again, the probability that a bullet will be fired is 1/4.
If Gretchen spins the chamber again, the probability that she shoots Henry would be 2/6, or 1/3, since there are two possible bullets that would be in firing position out of the six possible chambers that would be in position. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
We know that the first chamber Gretchen fired was one of the four empty chambers. Since the bullets were placed in consecutive order, one of the empty chambers is followed by a bullet, and the other three empty chambers are followed by another empty chamber. So if Henry has Gretchen pull the trigger again, the probability that a bullet will be fired is 1/4.
If Gretchen spins the chamber again, the probability that she shoots Henry would be 2/6, or 1/3, since there are two possible bullets that would be in firing position out of the six possible chambers that would be in position. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The Gardners Riddle
Gretchen and Henry were discussing their new neighbors, the Gardners. Gretchen mentioned that she met two of the daughters, and they each had blond hair.
"I have met all of the sisters," replied Henry, "and the probability that both of the girls you met would have had blond hair, assuming you were equally likely to meet any of the sisters, is exactly 50%. Do you know how many children there are?"
After thinking for a minute, Gretchen asks if the family is abnormally large. When Henry replies that it is not, Gretchen tells him how many girls are in the family. What number did she say?
"I have met all of the sisters," replied Henry, "and the probability that both of the girls you met would have had blond hair, assuming you were equally likely to meet any of the sisters, is exactly 50%. Do you know how many children there are?"
After thinking for a minute, Gretchen asks if the family is abnormally large. When Henry replies that it is not, Gretchen tells him how many girls are in the family. What number did she say?
Hint:
Gretchen said that there were 4 girls in the family, three of whom were blond.
This would make the probability that she saw two blonds (3/4) * (2/3), which equals 1/2.
Other numbers would work, but the next pair would lead to a rather large family. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
This would make the probability that she saw two blonds (3/4) * (2/3), which equals 1/2.
Other numbers would work, but the next pair would lead to a rather large family. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The Blue And Red Dice Riddle
Timothy and Urban play a game with two dice. But they do not use the numbers. Some of the faces are painted red and the others blue. Each player throws the dice in turn. Timothy wins when the two top faces are the same color. Urban wins when the colors are different. Their chances are even.
The first die has 5 red faces and 1 blue face. How many red and how many blue are there on the second die?
The first die has 5 red faces and 1 blue face. How many red and how many blue are there on the second die?
Hint:
Each die has 6 faces. When two dice are thrown, there are 36 equally possible results. For chances to be even, there must be 18 ways of getting the same color on top. Let X be the number of red faces on the second die. We have: 18 = 5X + 1(6 - X)
X = 3
The second die must have 3 red faces and 3 blue faces. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
X = 3
The second die must have 3 red faces and 3 blue faces. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The Secret Santa Exchange
A group of ten friends decide to exchange gifts as secret Santas. Each person writes his or her name on a piece of paper and puts it in a hat. Then each person randomly draws a name from the hat to determine who has him as his or her secret Santa. The secret Santa then makes a gift for the person whose name he drew.
When it's time to exchange presents, each person walks over to the person he made the gift for and holds his or her left hand in his right hand.
What is the probability that the 10 friends holding hands form a single continuous circle?
When it's time to exchange presents, each person walks over to the person he made the gift for and holds his or her left hand in his right hand.
What is the probability that the 10 friends holding hands form a single continuous circle?
Hint: It's not as difficult as it seems.
It's the number of ways the friends can form a circle divided by the number of ways the names can be drawn out of the hat.
1/10
For a group of n friends, there are n! (n factorial) ways to draw the names out of the hat. Since a circle does not have a beginning and end, choose one person as the beginning and end of the circle. There are now (n-1)! ways to distribute the remaining people around the circle. Thus the probability of forming a single circle is
(n-1)! / n!
Since n! = (n-1)! * n (for n > 1), this can be rewritten as
(n-1)! / (n*(n-1)!)
Factoring out the (n-1)! from the numerator and denominator leaves
1/n
as the probability. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
For a group of n friends, there are n! (n factorial) ways to draw the names out of the hat. Since a circle does not have a beginning and end, choose one person as the beginning and end of the circle. There are now (n-1)! ways to distribute the remaining people around the circle. Thus the probability of forming a single circle is
(n-1)! / n!
Since n! = (n-1)! * n (for n > 1), this can be rewritten as
(n-1)! / (n*(n-1)!)
Factoring out the (n-1)! from the numerator and denominator leaves
1/n
as the probability. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The 3 Inch Cube Riddle
A 3 inch cube is painted on all sides with RED. The cube is then cut into small cubes of dimension 1 inch. All the so cut cubes are collected and thrown on a flat surface. What is the probability that all the top facing surfaces have RED paint on them?
Hint: Visualize the core of the cube.
ZERO.
The core of the 3 inch cube when cut, has all faces that are not painted. Hence at least one cube with no painted face always occurs. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The core of the 3 inch cube when cut, has all faces that are not painted. Hence at least one cube with no painted face always occurs. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Die Toss Riddle
If you toss a die and it comes up with the number one 9 times in a row, what is the probability that it will come up with one on the next throw?
Hint:
Standing My Test
I'm seen to fly, described as hard. I can be your currency and heal all wounds, but not many things can stand my test. I am...
Hint:
Something I Seek
There is something I seek.
While it is bound, it chooses kings and peasants.
When it is freed, it foretells war or woe.
While it bound, it propels men's lusts and furies.
When it is freed, it tumbles, falls, and fades.
While it is bound, life will often thrive.
When it is freed, death will often follow.
What do I seek?
While it is bound, it chooses kings and peasants.
When it is freed, it foretells war or woe.
While it bound, it propels men's lusts and furies.
When it is freed, it tumbles, falls, and fades.
While it is bound, life will often thrive.
When it is freed, death will often follow.
What do I seek?
Hint:
A Fathers Murder
A man goes to his mother funeral, there, he meets a woman. They go out and the part there separate ways. The man forgets to get the woman's phone number. Three days later he kills his Father...Why?
Hint:
So the woman would go to his father's funeral and he can get her number this time....98% of people who got this right turned out to be serial killers... Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Two On Your Face
This thing has some lashes
But it is not a whip
Its able to be closed
But it is not a zip
Its part of your body
But it is not a hip
There are two on your face
But it is not a lip
What could it be?
But it is not a whip
Its able to be closed
But it is not a zip
Its part of your body
But it is not a hip
There are two on your face
But it is not a lip
What could it be?
Hint:
Part Of Your Body
I can hold things but Im not a bag
Im used to write things down but Im not a pen
I have digits but Im not a cellphone
I have nails but Im not a hook
Im part of your body but Im not a foot
I am a?
Im used to write things down but Im not a pen
I have digits but Im not a cellphone
I have nails but Im not a hook
Im part of your body but Im not a foot
I am a?
Hint:
Ligaments Connect Riddle
You will find 206
Inside adult human bodies
Together theyre a skeleton
Ligaments connect all of these
They are?
Inside adult human bodies
Together theyre a skeleton
Ligaments connect all of these
They are?
Hint:
White And Brittle
These are a part of your body
Sometimes theyre large, sometimes theyre little
Theyre white and they can be broken
And in some people they are brittle
What could these things be?
Sometimes theyre large, sometimes theyre little
Theyre white and they can be broken
And in some people they are brittle
What could these things be?
Hint:
Red Stone In The Sea
Hint:
An Absentminded Philosopher Riddle
An absentminded philosopher forgot to wind up the only clock in his house. He had no radio, television, telephone, internet, or any other means of ascertaining the time. He therefore decided to travel by foot to his friend's house, a few miles down a straight desert road. He stayed there for the night and when he came back home the following morning, he was able to set his clock to the correct time. Assuming the philosopher always walks at the same speed, how did he know the exact time upon his return? Note: this is not a trick question. The Philosopher did not bring anything to his friend's house, nor did he bring anything back with him on his trip home.
Hint: We can assume that the journey to his friend's and back took exactly the same amount of time.
He Philosopher winds the grandfather clock to a random time right before leaving, 9:00 for example. Although this is not the right time, the clock can now be used to measure elapsed time. As soon as he arrives at his friend's house, the Philosopher looks at the time on his friend's clock. Let's say the time is 7:15. He stays overnight and then, before leaving in the morning, he looks at the clock one more time. Let's say the time is now 10:15 (15 hours later). When the Philosopher arrives home, he looks at his grandfather clock. Let's say his clock reads 12:40. By subtracting the time he set it to when he left (9:00) from the current time (12:40) he knows that he has been gone for 15 hours and 40 minutes. He knows that he spent 15 hours at his friends house, so that means he spent 40 minutes walking. Since he walked at the same speed both ways, it took him 20 minutes to walk from his friend's home back to his place. So the correct time to set the clock to in this example would therefore be 10:15 (the time he left his friend's house) + 20 minutes (the time it took him to walk home) = 10:35. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Add Your Riddle Here
Have some tricky riddles of your own? Leave them below for our users to try and solve.