The Countersign Riddle
Two spies want to get in an enemy's military base. In order to get in they have to give the correct countersign to the guard at the gate after he gives them the sign. So, they wait hidden nearby the gate so that they will overhear the countersign from another soldier.
One soldier comes and the guard gives the sign: "6". The soldier answers "3". The guard lets him pass. Another soldier comes. The guard says "12" and the soldier gives the answer "6". The guard lets him pass. So, the first spy goes at the gate and the guard says "10".The spy, sure that he knew the answer as he was, says "5". Immediately, the guard shoots him dead. Then the other spy, who saw that the other spy was killed when he gave the countersign, had now understood what the right answer would be, whatever the guard's sign was. So, he walks to the gate and the guard says "8".The spy gives the correct answer and the guard lets him in. What was the answer that the spy gave?
One soldier comes and the guard gives the sign: "6". The soldier answers "3". The guard lets him pass. Another soldier comes. The guard says "12" and the soldier gives the answer "6". The guard lets him pass. So, the first spy goes at the gate and the guard says "10".The spy, sure that he knew the answer as he was, says "5". Immediately, the guard shoots him dead. Then the other spy, who saw that the other spy was killed when he gave the countersign, had now understood what the right answer would be, whatever the guard's sign was. So, he walks to the gate and the guard says "8".The spy gives the correct answer and the guard lets him in. What was the answer that the spy gave?
Hint:
5. It's the number of letters it takes to spell the word the guard says. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
How Do You Survive Riddle
Your father is a scientist who has invented a red pill which, if eaten with 1 blue pill which he has invented, will grant immortality. The night he invents it, he gives you 2 red and 2 blue pills just in case one of them is lost or substandard. He also warns you that an overdose will cause the opposite effect and kill you instead.
You put the pills in your pocket and leave his lab for home. On the way home, you are abducted by aliens who blindfold you and throw you into a singularity. At this point, you remember the pills your father gave you. You take them out (you can move and have enough oxygen in space for a short time), but realize that you can't tell the red pill from the blue pill. Even if you take off your blindfold, you can't see anything due to your proximity to the black hole. Given the circumstances, how do you successfully eat 1 red and 1 blue pill and survive?
You put the pills in your pocket and leave his lab for home. On the way home, you are abducted by aliens who blindfold you and throw you into a singularity. At this point, you remember the pills your father gave you. You take them out (you can move and have enough oxygen in space for a short time), but realize that you can't tell the red pill from the blue pill. Even if you take off your blindfold, you can't see anything due to your proximity to the black hole. Given the circumstances, how do you successfully eat 1 red and 1 blue pill and survive?
Hint:
Coffee Diner Riddle
A man walks into a diner and sits down. There's a new waitress working that he's never seen before. When she comes to his table to take his order, he says "Just a cup of coffee please." A few minutes later the waitress brings the man his coffee and heads back to the kitchen. A short while later, the man notices that there is a fly in his coffee and calls the waitress back. He asks her nicely to bring him another cup. The waitress brings the man's cup of coffee back to the kitchen and returns a few moments later. "Here you are, I poured you a new cup of coffee, no fly this time" she says and hands him the cup. The waitress turns around and starts to head back to the kitchen. She only takes a few steps before she hears the man shout out "Hey, this is the same cup of coffee, all you did was remove the fly!"
Assuming the coffee was still hot, how did the man know it was the same cup of coffee?
Assuming the coffee was still hot, how did the man know it was the same cup of coffee?
Hint: A man walks into a diner and sits down. There's a new waitress working that he's never seen before. When she comes to his table to take his order, he says "Just a cup of coffee please." A few minutes later the waitress brings the man his coffee and heads
Because the coffee was sweet. The man had added sugar to his coffee before noticing the fly. When the waitress brought him the "new" cup of coffee, he took a sip (to check whether it was in fact a newly poured cup of coffee) and noticed that the coffee was "already" sweet. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Most Precious Commodity Riddle
What is the most precious commodity?
That which when needed seemingly is never enough,
Yet otherwise can be boringly plentiful.
While waking is oft dreamt of,
Whilst pining can scarcely be thought of.
For beings, is allotted in finite but indefinite quantity.
The more thats given, the more is wasted.
Freedom is akin though this is something more simple,
Not related to virtue or sin.
Unless perhaps, without freedom, or its limit.
What is it?
That which when needed seemingly is never enough,
Yet otherwise can be boringly plentiful.
While waking is oft dreamt of,
Whilst pining can scarcely be thought of.
For beings, is allotted in finite but indefinite quantity.
The more thats given, the more is wasted.
Freedom is akin though this is something more simple,
Not related to virtue or sin.
Unless perhaps, without freedom, or its limit.
What is it?
Hint:
One Big Family Riddle
Four people are sitting around a campfire after a long day of recreation, when one man comments: "Do you realize that around this campfire, the four of us include a mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle and a couple cousins"?. If everyone is related by blood (with no unusual marriages) how is this possible?
Hint:
The campfire circle includes a woman and her brother. The woman's daughter and the man's son are also present. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Marrying The Princess Riddle
A king wants his daughter to marry the smartest of 3 extremely intelligent young princes, and so the king's wise men devised an intelligence test.
The princes are gathered into a room and seated, facing one another, and are shown 2 black hats and 3 white hats. They are blindfolded, and 1 hat is placed on each of their heads, with the remaining hats hidden in a different room.
The king tells them that the first prince to deduce the color of his hat without removing it or looking at it will marry his daughter. A wrong guess will mean death. The blindfolds are then removed.
You are one of the princes. You see 2 white hats on the other prince's heads. After some time you realize that the other prince's are unable to deduce the color of their hat, or are unwilling to guess. What color is your hat?
The princes are gathered into a room and seated, facing one another, and are shown 2 black hats and 3 white hats. They are blindfolded, and 1 hat is placed on each of their heads, with the remaining hats hidden in a different room.
The king tells them that the first prince to deduce the color of his hat without removing it or looking at it will marry his daughter. A wrong guess will mean death. The blindfolds are then removed.
You are one of the princes. You see 2 white hats on the other prince's heads. After some time you realize that the other prince's are unable to deduce the color of their hat, or are unwilling to guess. What color is your hat?
Hint: You know that your competitors are very intelligent and want nothing more than to marry the princess. You also know that the king is a man of his word, and he has said that the test is a fair test of intelligence and bravery.
Answer: White.
The king would not select two white hats and one black hat. This would mean two princes would see one black hat and one white hat. You would be at a disadvantage if you were the only prince wearing a black hat.
If you were wearing the black hat, it would not take long for one of the other princes to deduce he was wearing a white hat.
If an intelligent prince saw a white hat and a black hat, he would eventually realize that the king would never select two black hats and one white hat. Any prince seeing two black hats would instantly know he was wearing a white hat. Therefore if a prince can see one black hat, he can work out he is wearing white.
Therefore the only fair test is for all three princes to be wearing white hats. After waiting some time just to be sure, you can safely assert you are wearing a white hat. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The king would not select two white hats and one black hat. This would mean two princes would see one black hat and one white hat. You would be at a disadvantage if you were the only prince wearing a black hat.
If you were wearing the black hat, it would not take long for one of the other princes to deduce he was wearing a white hat.
If an intelligent prince saw a white hat and a black hat, he would eventually realize that the king would never select two black hats and one white hat. Any prince seeing two black hats would instantly know he was wearing a white hat. Therefore if a prince can see one black hat, he can work out he is wearing white.
Therefore the only fair test is for all three princes to be wearing white hats. After waiting some time just to be sure, you can safely assert you are wearing a white hat. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
100 Widgets Riddle
Hint:
It would take 5 minutes. Each machine takes 5 minutes to make its widget. Therefore, each of the 100 machines would have finished making its widget in 5 minutes. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Light As A Feather Riddle
Hint:
Two Hour Glasses Riddle
Hint:
Let the hourglass with 7 minutes timeframe be x and the hourglass with 11 minutes timeframe be y.
Turn x and y together.
After seven minutes, turn x.
After 11 minutes, turn x again.
Now it will take 4 minutes for x to stop.
At that moment, you would have calculated 15 minutes. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Turn x and y together.
After seven minutes, turn x.
After 11 minutes, turn x again.
Now it will take 4 minutes for x to stop.
At that moment, you would have calculated 15 minutes. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
10 Boxes Riddle
There are ten boxes containing some balls. Each of the ball weighs exactly 10 grams. One of those boxes have defective balls (all the defective balls weigh 9 grams each).
An electronic weighing machine is provided to you and you are allowed only one chance of weighing on it.
How will you find out which box has defective balls ?
An electronic weighing machine is provided to you and you are allowed only one chance of weighing on it.
How will you find out which box has defective balls ?
Hint:
Let us simplify boxes by naming them from 1 to 10.
Now the trick here is to pick different number of balls from different boxes. So to simplify things, we will pick balls corresponding to box number.
Thus, pick 1 ball from Box 1, 2 balls from box 2, 3 balls from box 3 and so on. You will have 55 balls altogether. Now, put them all in the balance.
If all balls were weighing accurate 10 grams, the total weight of the 55 balls would have been 550 grams. But one of the box must have had the defective balls.
Suppose if the defective balls were in box number 2, then the total weight will be 2 grams less than 550. If the defective balls were in box 8, the total weight will be less than 8 grams from 550. In this way, you will be able to identify which box has the defective balls. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Now the trick here is to pick different number of balls from different boxes. So to simplify things, we will pick balls corresponding to box number.
Thus, pick 1 ball from Box 1, 2 balls from box 2, 3 balls from box 3 and so on. You will have 55 balls altogether. Now, put them all in the balance.
If all balls were weighing accurate 10 grams, the total weight of the 55 balls would have been 550 grams. But one of the box must have had the defective balls.
Suppose if the defective balls were in box number 2, then the total weight will be 2 grams less than 550. If the defective balls were in box 8, the total weight will be less than 8 grams from 550. In this way, you will be able to identify which box has the defective balls. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
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
Deep Fried Santa Riddle
Hint:
Something You Might Eat Riddle
Im something you might eat, but I also kill.
I can cause blindness and burns.
Because of me, people lose limbs.
Ive even been known to crash cars.
And yet Im considered beautiful
Small children play with me and parents dont mind.
Some people even live inside of me.
What am I?
I can cause blindness and burns.
Because of me, people lose limbs.
Ive even been known to crash cars.
And yet Im considered beautiful
Small children play with me and parents dont mind.
Some people even live inside of me.
What am I?
Hint:
Center Of Everything Riddle
There is one word that stands the test of time and holds fast to the center of everything. Though everyone will try at least once in their life to move around this word, but in fact, they use it every moment of the day. Young or old, awake or in sleep, human or animal, this word stands fast. It belongs to everyone, to all living things, but no one can master it. The word is?
Hint:
You'll See Me Riddle
Youll see me when the sun is high and also late at night,
Im in the songs of holidays, when the snow is white,
Kings and Queens and royalty, are all found in me,
Im the largest of them all, with just one you see,
Step by step with pounding feet, Im tribes of angry men,
Im above your hands right now, for help or to go again,
Youll use me in the kitchen, or add a little more,
Ill be in the years to come, and the days of yore.
What am I?
Im in the songs of holidays, when the snow is white,
Kings and Queens and royalty, are all found in me,
Im the largest of them all, with just one you see,
Step by step with pounding feet, Im tribes of angry men,
Im above your hands right now, for help or to go again,
Youll use me in the kitchen, or add a little more,
Ill be in the years to come, and the days of yore.
What am I?
Hint:
The Number Twelve (12).
Noon and midnight are both 12 oclock and the Twelve Days of Christmas is a popular Christmas carol.
There are twelve face cards in a standard 52-card deck and twelve is the largest number with one syllable.
There are twelve steps in Alcoholics Anonymous, a troy pound is 12 ounces, there were 12 tribes of Israel and a popular movie was called, Twelve Angry Men (12 members of the jury). There are twelve function keys on your keyboard. F1 often shows a help screen and F5 reloads pages in your browser.
Many recipes measure items by the dozen, adding one more for a bakers dozen. There are twelve months in a year.
Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Noon and midnight are both 12 oclock and the Twelve Days of Christmas is a popular Christmas carol.
There are twelve face cards in a standard 52-card deck and twelve is the largest number with one syllable.
There are twelve steps in Alcoholics Anonymous, a troy pound is 12 ounces, there were 12 tribes of Israel and a popular movie was called, Twelve Angry Men (12 members of the jury). There are twelve function keys on your keyboard. F1 often shows a help screen and F5 reloads pages in your browser.
Many recipes measure items by the dozen, adding one more for a bakers dozen. There are twelve months in a year.
Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
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