The Emperor's Proposition Riddle
You are a prisoner sentenced to death. The Emperor offers you a chance to live by playing a simple game. He gives you 50 black marbles, 50 white marbles and 2 empty bowls. He then says, "Divide these 100 marbles into these 2 bowls. You can divide them any way you like as long as you use all the marbles. Then I will blindfold you and mix the bowls around. You then can choose one bowl and remove ONE marble. If the marble is WHITE you will live, but if the marble is BLACK... you will die."
How do you divide the marbles up so that you have the greatest probability of choosing a WHITE marble?
How do you divide the marbles up so that you have the greatest probability of choosing a WHITE marble?
Hint: The answer does not guarantee 100% you will chose a white marble, but you have a much better chance.
Place 1 white marble in one bowl, and place the rest of the marbles in the other bowl (49 whites, and 50 blacks).
This way you begin with a 50/50 chance of choosing the bowl with just one white marble, therefore life! BUT even if you choose the other bowl, you still have ALMOST a 50/50 chance at picking one of the 49 white marbles. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
This way you begin with a 50/50 chance of choosing the bowl with just one white marble, therefore life! BUT even if you choose the other bowl, you still have ALMOST a 50/50 chance at picking one of the 49 white marbles. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Dropping Coconuts Riddle
You have two coconuts and you want to find out how high they can be dropped from a 100 story building before they break. But you only have $1.40 and the elevator costs a dime each time you ride it up (it's free for rides down).
How can you drop the coconuts to guarantee you will find the lowest floor they will break at, while starting and ending at floor 1?
How can you drop the coconuts to guarantee you will find the lowest floor they will break at, while starting and ending at floor 1?
Hint: They break when dropped from the same height and they don't weaken from getting dropped.
You could drop it at floor 1 first (because you start at floor 1). Then you would go to the floors: 14, 27, 39, 50, 60, 69, 77, 84, 90, 95, 99, and 100. Whatever floor your first coconut breaks at, go to the floor above the last floor the coconut survived and drop the second coconut from this floor. Then go up by one floor until the second coconut breaks and that is the lowest floor it will break at. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Wild Wild West
In the Wild West, you challenge two cowboys - Hunter Jack and Sharp Shooter Leo into a death match. They being better shooter than you readily accept your challenge. But they don't want to waste bullets and thus lay down a certain rules that are accepted by you as well. Here are the rules:
1) Everyone shoot in a given order till only one is left.
2) Everyone shoot only once when his turn arrive.
3) If any one of you is injured, the other two will finish him off together.
4) The worst shooter gets to shoot first (which is you) and the best one shoots at the last.
Now, what tactics will you use if you know that you hit every third shot of yours, Jack hits every second shot and Leo hits every shot?
1) Everyone shoot in a given order till only one is left.
2) Everyone shoot only once when his turn arrive.
3) If any one of you is injured, the other two will finish him off together.
4) The worst shooter gets to shoot first (which is you) and the best one shoots at the last.
Now, what tactics will you use if you know that you hit every third shot of yours, Jack hits every second shot and Leo hits every shot?
Hint:
The best thing for you will be to shoot your first shot in air.
If you try to shoot at Jack and hits him by chance, Leo always hits on the target and you are dead.
If you choose to shoot at Leo and hits him by chance, then there is a fifty percent chance that Jack will hit you.
If you shoot in air, the next turn is of Jack and he knows that Leo is a better shooter which means that he will shoot at him. If he misses, he is definitely dead as Leo will shoot on him coz he shot at him. The next turn will be yours and you stand a 1/3rd chance of hitting him. Also if, he is able to hit Leo. The next chance is yours again and you can try the 1/3rd probability of hitting over Jack.
This is the best situation that you can face. At every other possible way, you will face a worse situation for sure. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
If you try to shoot at Jack and hits him by chance, Leo always hits on the target and you are dead.
If you choose to shoot at Leo and hits him by chance, then there is a fifty percent chance that Jack will hit you.
If you shoot in air, the next turn is of Jack and he knows that Leo is a better shooter which means that he will shoot at him. If he misses, he is definitely dead as Leo will shoot on him coz he shot at him. The next turn will be yours and you stand a 1/3rd chance of hitting him. Also if, he is able to hit Leo. The next chance is yours again and you can try the 1/3rd probability of hitting over Jack.
This is the best situation that you can face. At every other possible way, you will face a worse situation for sure. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The Murder Of Ray Whitcombe
Ray Whitcombe is found dead in his office at his desk. The police have narrowed the suspects down to three people: Mrs. Barbara Whitcombe, Ray's wife; Mr. Jason McCubbins, Ray's business partner; and Mr. Harold Nichols, Ray's best friend. All three visited Mr. Whitcombe the day of his murder, but all three provide the police with stories of explanation as to the reason for their visit. Police found Mr. Whitcombe with his wrist watch still on his right arm, a torn up picture of his wife laying on the floor beside the trash can, and an ink pen in his right hand. On the desk, the police found a name plate, a telephone that was off the hook, and a personal calendar turned to the July 5th page with 7B91011 written on it. After examining this evidence, the police knew their suspect. Who was it?
Hint:
Jason McCubbins, Ray's business partner. The calendar is the clue to solving this murder. The police realized that since Mr. Whitcombe was wearing his watch on his right arm, he must be left handed. But the pen was found in his right hand. Realizing that the number on the calendar was written in a hurry and with his opposite hand, police matched the written number with the months of the year. So the B was an 8, thereby giving us 7-8-9-10-11: July, August, September, October, November. Use the first letter of each month and it spells J-A-S-O-N. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Always On A Roll
If youre needing something adhesive
As attaching stuff is your goal
Then make sure you come looking for me
As I am always on a roll
I am?
As attaching stuff is your goal
Then make sure you come looking for me
As I am always on a roll
I am?
Hint:
A Round Hotel
There is a round hotel. A famous person walks in. The lights go off. When the lights turn back on the famous person is dead. Who did it, the waiter dusting the corner, the chef holding cleavers, or the crazy customer?
Hint:
Ask Me To Prom
Hint:
Throwing A Basketball Riddle
A man takes a basketball and throws it as hard as he can. There is nothing in front, behind, or on either side of him, and yet, the ball comes back and hits him square in the face. How can this be?
Hint:
Protect And Destroy
I am called white. My duty is to protect and destroy. All it takes is a sneeze and I will destroy... at the sign of a cut, I will come to protect. I will fight to my death... no matter how insignificant it may be. I am very helpful yet you can't see me. What am i?
Hint:
The Tenth Floor Elevator Riddle
A man lives on the tenth floor of a building. Every day he takes the elevator to go down to the ground floor to go to work. When he returns he takes the same elevator to the seventh floor and walks up the stairs to reach his apartment on the tenth floor. He hates walking so why does he do it?
Note that there is nothing wrong with the elevator or the design of the building. It's a perfectly normal elevator in a perfectly normal building.
Note that there is nothing wrong with the elevator or the design of the building. It's a perfectly normal elevator in a perfectly normal building.
Hint: The elevator is perfectly normal and the design of the building is perfectly normal, but there is something different about the man.
The man is very short (i.e. a little person).
Because of his short stature, the man is unable to reach any higher than the button for the 7th floor (elevator floor number buttons are laid out in descending floor order from top to bottom). Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Because of his short stature, the man is unable to reach any higher than the button for the 7th floor (elevator floor number buttons are laid out in descending floor order from top to bottom). Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Crossing The Desert Riddle
A camel driver has to cross the desert and get to the Nile River to transport his merchandise. It takes six weeks to cross the desert and get to the Nile River. He can only carry four weeks of food for himself and his camel at any time because the camel also has to carry his merchandise. If he can not get help from anyone else or get anymore camels, and there is an unlimited supply of food where he is at, how can he cross the desert and get to the Nile River?
Hint:
He takes four weeks of food and leaves two weeks of food supplies in the one week mark and goes back with the one week of food supply left. Then he goes back with four weeks of food and picks up one week of food supplies from the one week mark giving him four again in total, then he leaves two weeks of supply in the two week mark and goes back to the one week mark and picks up the one week food supply to go back. Then he leaves with the four weeks of food supply and goes to the two week mark and picks up the two week food supplies that were there giving him four weeks of food again, then he goes to the Nile River with the four weeks supply of food. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Two Camels Riddle
Two camels were facing in opposite directions. One was facing due East and one was facing due West. They were in the desert so there was no reflection. How can they manage to see each other without walking around or turning around or moving their heads?
Hint:
The two camels were facing each other the entire time. Hence facing in opposite directions. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Found In A Graveyard Riddle
I have writing on me but Im not a newspaper
I mark a spot but Im not a treasure map
I have names and dates on me but Im not a birth certificate
Im not needed if youre alive but Im not a coffin
I can be found in a graveyard but Im not a bunch of flowers
I'm a...
I mark a spot but Im not a treasure map
I have names and dates on me but Im not a birth certificate
Im not needed if youre alive but Im not a coffin
I can be found in a graveyard but Im not a bunch of flowers
I'm a...
Hint:
Be Careful At Night
If you see one flying around
Youd better be careful at night
As some turn into vampires
And will give your neck a big bite
What are they?
Youd better be careful at night
As some turn into vampires
And will give your neck a big bite
What are they?
Hint:
Fighting In A Truel
Mr. Black, Mr. Gray, and Mr. White are fighting in a truel. They each get a gun and take turns shooting at each other until only one person is left. Mr. Black, who hits his shot 1/3 of the time, gets to shoot first. Mr. Gray, who hits his shot 2/3 of the time, gets to shoot next, assuming he is still alive. Mr. White, who hits his shot all the time, shoots next, assuming he is also alive. The cycle repeats. All three competitors know one another's shooting odds. If you are Mr. Black, where should you shoot first for the highest chance of survival?
Hint: Think from the points of view of Mr. Gray and Mr. White, not just Mr. Black.
He should shoot at the ground.
If Mr. Black shoots the ground, it is Mr. Gray's turn. Mr. Gray would rather shoot at Mr. White than Mr. Black, because he is better. If Mr. Gray kills Mr. White, it is just Mr. Black and Mr. Gray left, giving Mr. Black a fair chance of winning. If Mr. Gray does not kill Mr. White, it is Mr. White's turn. He would rather shoot at Mr. Gray and will definitely kill him. Even though it is now Mr. Black against Mr. White, Mr. Black has a better chance of winning than before. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
If Mr. Black shoots the ground, it is Mr. Gray's turn. Mr. Gray would rather shoot at Mr. White than Mr. Black, because he is better. If Mr. Gray kills Mr. White, it is just Mr. Black and Mr. Gray left, giving Mr. Black a fair chance of winning. If Mr. Gray does not kill Mr. White, it is Mr. White's turn. He would rather shoot at Mr. Gray and will definitely kill him. Even though it is now Mr. Black against Mr. White, Mr. Black has a better chance of winning than before. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Add Your Riddle Here
Have some tricky riddles of your own? Leave them below for our users to try and solve.