The Red Hat
Once upon a time there lived a king who wished to find the wisest man in the realm to be his assistant. He summons the 3 known wisest men to his court and he administers the following test.
He sits them in a circle, facing each other and he says Im going to put either a red hat or a white hat on each of your heads. He proceeds to place a red hat on each of their heads. Obviously they can see each other but there are no mirrors in the room so they cant see whats on their heads. He says If you can see a red hat, raise your hand. They all raise their hands. Then he says If you can tell what color hat you have on, stand up.
Time goes on, one guy looks at another guy, he looks at the other guy. The other guy looks at him. Finally one guy stands up. The question is how did he know he was wearing a red hat?
He sits them in a circle, facing each other and he says Im going to put either a red hat or a white hat on each of your heads. He proceeds to place a red hat on each of their heads. Obviously they can see each other but there are no mirrors in the room so they cant see whats on their heads. He says If you can see a red hat, raise your hand. They all raise their hands. Then he says If you can tell what color hat you have on, stand up.
Time goes on, one guy looks at another guy, he looks at the other guy. The other guy looks at him. Finally one guy stands up. The question is how did he know he was wearing a red hat?
Hint: For a moment or two, nobody moved. Nobody knew for certain what color his hat was, and thats what told the wisest guy that all of the hats were red.
Step 1:
Wiseguy #1 knows he can see two red hats.
Step 2:
Wiseguy #1 thinks, "Hey, if I were wearing a white hat, Wiseguy #2 would see one red hat and one white."
Step 3:
Wiseguy #1 then thinks, "If I were wearing a white hat, and Wiseguy #2 saw one red hat and one white (and if he were wearing a white hat himself), then Wiseguy #3 would have seen two white hats. So, Wiseguy #3 wouldnt have raised his hand to the first question.
Wiseguy #1 thinks, "If that were true, Wiseguy #2 would be sure that he had a red hat. But since Wiseguy #2 was actually unsure about his hat color, it can only mean one thing, my hat is red." Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Wiseguy #1 knows he can see two red hats.
Step 2:
Wiseguy #1 thinks, "Hey, if I were wearing a white hat, Wiseguy #2 would see one red hat and one white."
Step 3:
Wiseguy #1 then thinks, "If I were wearing a white hat, and Wiseguy #2 saw one red hat and one white (and if he were wearing a white hat himself), then Wiseguy #3 would have seen two white hats. So, Wiseguy #3 wouldnt have raised his hand to the first question.
Wiseguy #1 thinks, "If that were true, Wiseguy #2 would be sure that he had a red hat. But since Wiseguy #2 was actually unsure about his hat color, it can only mean one thing, my hat is red." Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Same Mother, Same Father, Same Day
Esther and Lester were born to the same mother and same father on the same day only 5 minutes apart, but they are not twins. How is this possible?
Hint:
Two Trains In A Tunnel
Two trains both enter a one way tunnel at different ends exactly on 9:00, but they both come out the other end unharmed 5 minutes later, how is this possible?
Hint:
One train entered the tunnel at 9:00am and the other at 9:00pm Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Conviction By Jury Riddle
A man is in court for killing his wife. In the closing statements the mans lawyer surprises everyone when he announces His wife was just missing. Everyone look at those doors. His wife is going to walk in those doors in about 30 seconds. The entire court is silent and the jury stares at the door as the lawyer and the defendant stare at them. After a couple of minutes the lawyer says See! If you were so sure he killed his wife, you wouldnt be watching that door!
The jury goes into deliberation and comes back almost immediately with a guilty verdict. Why did the jury convict him?
The jury goes into deliberation and comes back almost immediately with a guilty verdict. Why did the jury convict him?
Hint:
The man was guilty because he was watching the jury and not the door, because he knew she wouldnt be walking in. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
High Tide Boat Riddle
A boat has a ladder that has six rungs. Each rung is one foot apart. The bottom rung is one foot from the water. The tide rises at 12 inches every 15 minutes. High tide peaks in one hour.
When the tide is at its highest, how many rungs are under water?
When the tide is at its highest, how many rungs are under water?
Hint:
None. The boat is floating on the water, so as the tide rises, so does the ladder. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
From Town To Town Riddle
Trains travel from one town to another town all day, always on the same track, always going nonstop and at the same speed. The noon train took 80 minutes to complete the trip, but the 4 PM train took an hour and 20 minutes. Why?
Hint:
Two Girls On A Train
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 passes 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?
"I notice," one of the girls said "that the dacha trains coming in the opposite direction passes 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?
Hint:
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. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Train Of Love
A young man, living in Manhattan, New York, has two girlfriends. One lives to the North, in the Bronx, and the other lives to the South, in Brooklyn.
He likes both girls equally but can only visit one each weekend. He therefore leaves it to chance and takes the first train that arrives when he reaches the train station.
Even though the man arrives at a totally random time every Saturday morning and the Brooklyn and Bronx trains arrive equally often (every ten minutes), he finds himself visiting the girl in Brooklyn on average nine times out of ten. How could the odds so heavily favor taking the Brooklyn train?
He likes both girls equally but can only visit one each weekend. He therefore leaves it to chance and takes the first train that arrives when he reaches the train station.
Even though the man arrives at a totally random time every Saturday morning and the Brooklyn and Bronx trains arrive equally often (every ten minutes), he finds himself visiting the girl in Brooklyn on average nine times out of ten. How could the odds so heavily favor taking the Brooklyn train?
Hint: Think of a way the train schedules might favor one train over the other.
The Brooklyn train leaves exactly 1 minute before the Bronx train.
Let's say the Brooklyn train arrives at 09:00, 09:10, 09:20, etc. and the Bronx train arrives one minute after at 09:01, 09:11, 09:21, etc. Consider the ten minute interval from 09:00 to 09:10. If the man arrives between 09:00 and 09:01, the 09:01 Bronx train will be the first to arrive (assuming that he doesn't arrive at exactly 09:00). If the man arrives between 09:01 and 09:10, the 09:10 Brooklyn train will be the first to arrive. In any ten minute period, the Brooklyn train will be the first to arrive in nine of the ten minutes. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Let's say the Brooklyn train arrives at 09:00, 09:10, 09:20, etc. and the Bronx train arrives one minute after at 09:01, 09:11, 09:21, etc. Consider the ten minute interval from 09:00 to 09:10. If the man arrives between 09:00 and 09:01, the 09:01 Bronx train will be the first to arrive (assuming that he doesn't arrive at exactly 09:00). If the man arrives between 09:01 and 09:10, the 09:10 Brooklyn train will be the first to arrive. In any ten minute period, the Brooklyn train will be the first to arrive in nine of the ten minutes. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
I Cannot Be Seen
I am something which cannot be seen
Im measured on the Beaufort scale
I help to keep a kite in the air
And I am what helps ships to sail
What am I?
Im measured on the Beaufort scale
I help to keep a kite in the air
And I am what helps ships to sail
What am I?
Hint:
Farmer Stones Riddle
A farmer had a stone that he used to measure grain on his scale. One day his neighbor borrowed the stone, and when he returned, it was broken into four pieces. The neighbor was very apologetic, but the farmer thanked the neighbor for doing him a big favor. The farmer said that now he can measure his grain in one pound increments starting at one pound all the way to forty pounds (1, 2, 3, 17, 29, 37, etc.) using these four stones.
How much do the four stones weight?
How much do the four stones weight?
Hint:
The stones weight 1 pound, 3 pounds, 9 pounds and 27 pounds. These can be used in combination with each other on both sides of the scale to come up with any counterweight from 1 to 40 pounds. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Japanese Ship Thief Riddle
A Japanese ship was en route in the open sea. The Japanese captain went for a shower removing his diamond ring and Rolex watch on the table. When he returned, his valuables were missing. The captain immediately called the five suspected crew members and asked each one where and what he was doing for the last 15 minutes.
The Filipino cook in a heavy overcoat said, I was in fridge room getting meat for cooking.
The Indian Engineer with a torch in hand said, I was working on generator engine.
The Sri Lankan seaman said, I was on the mast (top of the ship) correcting the flag which was upside down by mistake.
The British radio officer said, I was messaging to company that we are reaching the next port in 72 hours. From now that is Wednesday morning at 10 AM.
The British navigation officer said, I am on night watch, so sleeping in my cabin.
The captain caught the liar. So who is the thief?
The Filipino cook in a heavy overcoat said, I was in fridge room getting meat for cooking.
The Indian Engineer with a torch in hand said, I was working on generator engine.
The Sri Lankan seaman said, I was on the mast (top of the ship) correcting the flag which was upside down by mistake.
The British radio officer said, I was messaging to company that we are reaching the next port in 72 hours. From now that is Wednesday morning at 10 AM.
The British navigation officer said, I am on night watch, so sleeping in my cabin.
The captain caught the liar. So who is the thief?
Hint:
The thief is the Sri Lankan seaman. They are on a Japanese ship, so it will bear a Japanese flag. The Japanese flag will look the same upside down. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
How Did It Happen Riddle
A man was going to bleach his socks because they had gotten muddy the day before. As he was pouring the bleach into the washing machine, he spilled some on the floor. He got some ammonia cleaning fluid and mopped it up with a rag. Minutes later he was dead. How did he die?
Hint:
When you mix bleach and ammonia, it creates a deadly gas. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
I Can Speak Any Language Riddle
My stem's planted firmly where I am allotted.
My tail is wavy and my face is quite blotted.
I relay much emotion though flatly I'm spotted,
And I grow half my size whenever I'm dotted.
I can speak any language, yet utter no words.
I'm no seed, yet I am well known among birds.
But I do have a speech impediment:
I can say cage but not page, aged but not wage.
I can say deaf but not red, bed but not sled.
I live on a highway that's structurally sound,
Where you might see my friends accidentally bound.
It has many lanes, and also long lines.
There are lots of sharp turns, but plenty of signs.
I am played but not won, made but not spun.
The key is to measure before you've begun.
What am I?
My tail is wavy and my face is quite blotted.
I relay much emotion though flatly I'm spotted,
And I grow half my size whenever I'm dotted.
I can speak any language, yet utter no words.
I'm no seed, yet I am well known among birds.
But I do have a speech impediment:
I can say cage but not page, aged but not wage.
I can say deaf but not red, bed but not sled.
I live on a highway that's structurally sound,
Where you might see my friends accidentally bound.
It has many lanes, and also long lines.
There are lots of sharp turns, but plenty of signs.
I am played but not won, made but not spun.
The key is to measure before you've begun.
What am I?
Hint:
Toucans In A Cage Riddle
The Toucan bird has a 6-inch long bright orange beak. How many toucans can you put in an empty cage that measures 2 yards by 2 yards by 2 yards?
Hint:
Only ONE - after that the cage would not be empty anymore. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Pounds Of Sugar Riddle
The grocer had ten customers, each wanting to buy a 2 pound bag of sugar. A 20 pound bag of sugar had been delivered that morning, but he had not yet divided it because he could only find the 5lb and 9lb weights. One of the customers, getting impatient, showed him the quickest way to measure the sugar with the two weights he already had. How did he do it?
Hint:
Weigh out 4 pounds of sugar with the 5lb and the 9lb weights in different pans of the scales. With the 4lb weight , weigh three more lots of 4 pounds each - the remaining sugar will also weigh 4 pounds. Divide each 4 pound portion equally on the two sides of the scales. 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.