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
The 2 Barbershops
There is a small town on the East Coast that has 2 barbershops each with a single barber, and on opposite sides of town. The barbershop in the good part of town is immaculate. The floors and windows are washed and the air is fresh. The barber is very friendly, always smiling, he has shined shoes, a nice head of hair, and a clean dress shirt. The barbershop in the bad part of town is a mess. The entire barbershop is covered with a layer of dirt, and the air smells of trash. The barber always has a frown on his face. His skin is oily, his hair is ragged, and there are always stains visible on his shirt.
A man comes into town and hears of both barbershops and the man decides to go to the dirty barbershop in the bad part of town. Why does he do this?
A man comes into town and hears of both barbershops and the man decides to go to the dirty barbershop in the bad part of town. Why does he do this?
Hint:
The clean-cut barber must have his hair cut by the dirty barber and the dirty barber by the clean-cut barber. So its obvious that the dirty barber gives a better haircut. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Big Metal Box Riddle
In a cave there is a treasure within a big metal box with a lock on it. There is also a monster in the cave that has two keys with him; one gold and the other silver. The monster will give you only one chance to open the lock using one of the keys. If the box doesnt open, the monster will kill you. Since the monster is a bit helpful it would give you a clue in finding out the correct key. Can you choose the correct key by deciphering the below clue?
A GKOY OEPD LYEO DCNO EAAR NNN
A GKOY OEPD LYEO DCNO EAAR NNN
Hint:
The gold key will open the lock.
The clue says A Golden Key Can Open Any Door. Decipher the message by taking the first letter of each word, then the second letter of each word, then the third letter and so on to construct the sentence. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The clue says A Golden Key Can Open Any Door. Decipher the message by taking the first letter of each word, then the second letter of each word, then the third letter and so on to construct the sentence. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The Man At The Door
In a hotel, a man was sleeping when he heard a knock on the door. He shifted the blanket and stepped down from the bed. He waked to the door and opened it to find a stranger standing outside.
Upon opening the gate, that stranger said, "Pardon me, I must have made a mistake. I thought this was my room."
The stranger then walked the corridor and climbed down the stairs. The man closed the door and immediately called the security. He asked them to arrest that stranger immediately.
Why did he asked them to arrest that stranger? What made him suspicious?
Upon opening the gate, that stranger said, "Pardon me, I must have made a mistake. I thought this was my room."
The stranger then walked the corridor and climbed down the stairs. The man closed the door and immediately called the security. He asked them to arrest that stranger immediately.
Why did he asked them to arrest that stranger? What made him suspicious?
Hint:
The stranger said that he thought the room was his. If so, he must have had the keys to the room and thus he must not have knocked. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Robbery On The Third Floor Riddle
My wife and I took a much-needed holiday in England. It's a long flight from New York to London. We checked into a nice hotel. After a long day of sightseeing we just collapsed into bed. Just a few minutes ago, we were woken up by some noises outside. I looked out the window and the police were everywhere. They yelled up to me that there was a robbery and a murderer on the second floor. I'm on the third floor, and I can see and I can see that the cops have the stairs and elevators locked down. The murderer can't get up to our floor, so we're in no danger. My wife and I are tired, so we're going back to bed. I really hope they catch the guy.
Why did the police yell to the guy if he was on the 3rd floor?
Why did the police yell to the guy if he was on the 3rd floor?
Hint:
America and England have different ways of numbering floors. In America, it goes 1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor. In England, it goes ground floor, 1st floor, 2nd floor. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
A Boy At The Carnival
A young boy was at the carnival. He was walking past a kiosk where an old man was sitting.
"Do you want to play a game?" the old man said to him.The young boy was intrigued. "What kind of game?" he asked.
"It's a very simple game." said the old man. "I will tell you the rules. I have ten large metal boxes. Inside one of the boxes is the prize money. One thousand dollars."
"A thousand bucks, huh?" asked the boy. "What's the catch?"
"The boxes are sturdy and strong," said the old man. "Much too strong to be opened with your bare hands. They are also airtight and cannot be damaged by a hammer, an axe or even a chainsaw."
"So they're impossible to open?" said the boy.
"Not impossible." said the man. "I have a blowtorch which can be used to open the boxes."
"Is there a time limit?" asked the boy.
"You can take as much time as you want." said the old man. "When you find the prize money, it's all yours. So, do you want to play the game?"
"Well, I don't how I could possibly lose," said the boy. "OK. I'll play your game."
The old man smiled. "I'll make it very easy for you", he said. "There are ten metal boxes, but if you give me five dollars, I will start you right next to the prize money."
The boy happily took out his wallet and handed a crisp five dollar note to the old man. There was a mischievous grin on the old man's face.The game started.The prize money was right in front of the boy. He could see it. He could touch it.Even though he won the game, the boy was never able to spend the money. He died shortly after he won the game.
How did the boy die?
"Do you want to play a game?" the old man said to him.The young boy was intrigued. "What kind of game?" he asked.
"It's a very simple game." said the old man. "I will tell you the rules. I have ten large metal boxes. Inside one of the boxes is the prize money. One thousand dollars."
"A thousand bucks, huh?" asked the boy. "What's the catch?"
"The boxes are sturdy and strong," said the old man. "Much too strong to be opened with your bare hands. They are also airtight and cannot be damaged by a hammer, an axe or even a chainsaw."
"So they're impossible to open?" said the boy.
"Not impossible." said the man. "I have a blowtorch which can be used to open the boxes."
"Is there a time limit?" asked the boy.
"You can take as much time as you want." said the old man. "When you find the prize money, it's all yours. So, do you want to play the game?"
"Well, I don't how I could possibly lose," said the boy. "OK. I'll play your game."
The old man smiled. "I'll make it very easy for you", he said. "There are ten metal boxes, but if you give me five dollars, I will start you right next to the prize money."
The boy happily took out his wallet and handed a crisp five dollar note to the old man. There was a mischievous grin on the old man's face.The game started.The prize money was right in front of the boy. He could see it. He could touch it.Even though he won the game, the boy was never able to spend the money. He died shortly after he won the game.
How did the boy die?
Hint:
The man put the inside of the box since he said for five dollars, he'd put the boy next to the money. Since the box was airtight, he suffocated Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
A Walk In The Desert Riddle
Four men walk into the desert. Suddenly all four are simultaneously knocked out. They awake buried to their heads in the sand unable to look anywhere but straight ahead. They are positioned so that each man sees another's head before him. However between the first and second man there is a separating wall.
So the first man sees only desert. The second man sees only wall. The third man sees another's head and a wall. The fourth man sees two heads and a wall. On top of each mans head is a hat. The underside of each cap is black, but the outside of each cap is either blue or white. Before any of the men can speak, their captors tell them if they speak, they die. However, if any of them can guess the color of their cap on the first try they go free. The captors tell them that there are two blue caps and two white caps.
Being an omniscient observer of the situation, we know that the order of the caps are: blue, white, blue, white. So knowing the perspective of each man in the sand, and that they can only see the color of caps/wall/desert in front of them, which of the four men knows for certain the color of his own cap. More importantly: why?
So the first man sees only desert. The second man sees only wall. The third man sees another's head and a wall. The fourth man sees two heads and a wall. On top of each mans head is a hat. The underside of each cap is black, but the outside of each cap is either blue or white. Before any of the men can speak, their captors tell them if they speak, they die. However, if any of them can guess the color of their cap on the first try they go free. The captors tell them that there are two blue caps and two white caps.
Being an omniscient observer of the situation, we know that the order of the caps are: blue, white, blue, white. So knowing the perspective of each man in the sand, and that they can only see the color of caps/wall/desert in front of them, which of the four men knows for certain the color of his own cap. More importantly: why?
Hint:
The third man. This is because he knows there are only two of each color cap. If the man behind him (the fourth man) saw two caps that were the same color in front of him, he would know that his own must be the opposite. However, because the caps alternate in color. The fourth man has only a 50% chance of getting his hat color correct, so therefore he stays quiet. The third man realizes that the fourth man is quiet because he must not see two caps of the same color in front of him, otherwise the fourth man would say the opposite of the caps in front of him. Therefore, the third man presumes his own cap must be the opposite of the mans in front of him, and his presumption is correct. Under this same logic, after the third man speaks his color hat, the second man, even though he sees only wall, would be the next to go free, because he knows his cap must be the opposite of whichever color the third mans cap was. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Husband, Wife And Mailman Riddle
A married couple went to the hospital to have their baby delivered. Upon their arrival, the doctor said he had invented a new machine that would transfer a portion of the mother's labor pain to the baby's father. He was asked if they were willing to try it out. They were both very much in favor of it.
The doctor set the pain transfer to 10% for starters, explaining that even 10% was probably more pain than the father had ever experienced before. However, as the labor progressed, the husband felt fine and asked the doctor to go ahead and kick it up a notch. The doctor then adjusted the machine to 20% pain transfer. The husband was still feeling fine. The doctor checked the husband's blood pressure and was amazed at how well he was doing. At this point, they decided to try out for 50%. The husband continued to feel quite well.
Since the pain transfer was obviously helping out the wife considerably, the husband encouraged the doctor to transfer all the pain to him. The wife delivered a healthy baby with virtually no pain. She and her husband were ecstatic. When they got home, the mailman was dead on the porch. What happened?
The doctor set the pain transfer to 10% for starters, explaining that even 10% was probably more pain than the father had ever experienced before. However, as the labor progressed, the husband felt fine and asked the doctor to go ahead and kick it up a notch. The doctor then adjusted the machine to 20% pain transfer. The husband was still feeling fine. The doctor checked the husband's blood pressure and was amazed at how well he was doing. At this point, they decided to try out for 50%. The husband continued to feel quite well.
Since the pain transfer was obviously helping out the wife considerably, the husband encouraged the doctor to transfer all the pain to him. The wife delivered a healthy baby with virtually no pain. She and her husband were ecstatic. When they got home, the mailman was dead on the porch. What happened?
Hint:
The machine transfers the pain to the baby's father. The wife cheated on her husband with the mailman and it was his baby. It never mentions that the husband is the baby's father. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
A Windless Day Riddle
Your friend tells you about a story he once tried to impress a young lady with, but instead got a slap in the face. He wants you to attempt to see the flaw: It was a hot and windless day, in our bunker, when suddenly one of ours yelled: "Enemy!" We opened fire on them, leaving one hundred of them dead before they retreated. I was checking a dead captain's glasses when the shout came that they were incoming again, and the CO ordered us to open up on them with our mortars, when I yelled: "Cease fire! They're Americans!" Later, an American colonel thanked me for my work after I said that I saw their flag, waving back and forth in the wind. What is wrong with this story?
Hint:
At the beginning, it was said that "It was a hot and windless day," yet at the end, it is said that "The flag was waving back and forth". Had it been windless, the flag would have been limp. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Death On Saturday Riddle
A man is found dead one Saturday morning. He was killed while his wife was sleeping. The wife tells the police all that she knows. She tells them that the cook was cooking breakfast, the maid was cleaning and the butler was getting the mail. The police immediately arrest the person who is responsible. Who is responsible and why?
Hint:
The wife is responsible. The reason is simple – she was supposed to be sleeping but she knew all that had happened! Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
A Room Full Of Water
Imagine youre in a room that is filling with water. There are no windows or doors. How do you get out?
Hint:
The Perfect Pill Riddle
The world is facing a serious viral infection. The government of various countries have issued every citizen two bottles. You as well have been given the same. Now one pill from each bottle is to be taken every day for a month to become immune to the virus. The problem is that if you take just one, or if you take two from the same bottle, you will die a painful death.
While using it, you hurriedly open the bottles and pour the tablets in your hand. Three tablets come down in your hand and you realize they look exactly the same and have same characteristics. You cant throw away the pill as they are limited and you cant put them back or you may put it wrong and may die someday.
How will you ensure that you are taking the right pill?
While using it, you hurriedly open the bottles and pour the tablets in your hand. Three tablets come down in your hand and you realize they look exactly the same and have same characteristics. You cant throw away the pill as they are limited and you cant put them back or you may put it wrong and may die someday.
How will you ensure that you are taking the right pill?
Hint:
You must put labels on the tablets as A and B before using. In that case, if you pour tablets together, you will get 3A, 2A 1B, 1A 2B or 3B. If they are from the same bottles you can take one from another bottle and save the remaining two for another day. If you get two from same and one from other, you can draw one from another bottle and you will have two pairs of which you can eat one and save the other. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Falling Jar Riddle
Imagine a table or a windowsill. A jar is standing on it by the specific way. It is standing at the very edge of the windowsill. The one half of the jars bottom is hanging in the air but another half is standing on the surface of the windowsill. Something is in the jar. The jar stands for awhile and then, without any outside help, falls down. What was in the jar? And why did it fall?
Hint:
The ice was in the jar. It melted and balance had changed that was a cause of falling. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Barrel With No Lid
There is a barrel with no lid and some beer in it. "This barrel is more than half full," said Chuck. "No it's not," say Joe. "It's less than half full." Without any measuring implements and without removing any beer from the barrel, how can they easily determine who is correct?
Hint:
They must tilt the barrel until the beer reaches the rim of the barrel. If they can see the bottom of the barrel then it is less than half full. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Pumpkins Across The Street
Hint:
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