21 Birthdays Riddle
Frederick died after a long and productive life of 87 years, but this epitaph was written on his headstone:
Frederick lived a good long life,
He loved his children and his wife,
He was honest, kind and deserved nothing but praise,
Even if he only had twenty-one birthdays.
How is this possible?
Frederick lived a good long life,
He loved his children and his wife,
He was honest, kind and deserved nothing but praise,
Even if he only had twenty-one birthdays.
How is this possible?
Hint:
He was born on February 29th in a leap year. Consequently, in his 87 years, he only witnessed twenty-one of his actual birthdays. The other years there was no February 29th. 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
The Homicide Team Riddle
A homicide team enters a crime scene where a dead body of a fat old man lies there on the floor with blood oozing out of his head. The victim is holding a gun and a tape recorder lies there by his side. One of the detective picks up the recorder and plays it "I am tired of this life and hence I have decided to relieve myself from the worldly pains". A gunshot follows the message.
The teams starts investigating a murder investigation.
Why?
The teams starts investigating a murder investigation.
Why?
Hint:
If the man killed himself, he would not have been able to rewind the cassette. Thus it is clear someone else killed him. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Lost Head Riddle
Hint:
The Farmer In Australia
A farmer in Australia grows a beautiful pear tree, which he harvests to supply fruit to all the nearby grocery stores.
One of the store owners has called the farmer to see how much fruit is available that he can buy. Unfortunately the farmer isn't currently near the tree, so he has to work it out in his head.
He knows that the main trunk of the tree has 24 branches. That each branch has 12 boughs and that each bough has only got 6 twigs. Each one of these twigs bears one piece of fruit, so how many plums will he be able to sell to the store owner?
One of the store owners has called the farmer to see how much fruit is available that he can buy. Unfortunately the farmer isn't currently near the tree, so he has to work it out in his head.
He knows that the main trunk of the tree has 24 branches. That each branch has 12 boughs and that each bough has only got 6 twigs. Each one of these twigs bears one piece of fruit, so how many plums will he be able to sell to the store owner?
Hint:
None! He doesn't own a PLUM tree... he owns a PEAR trear! 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
The Double Decker Bus Riddle
Hint:
The Reckless Bus Driver Riddle
A bus driver was heading down a street in Colorado. He went right past a stop sign without stopping, he turned left where there was a "no left turn" sign, and he went the wrong way on a one-way street. Then he went on the left side of the road past a cop car. Still - he didn't break any traffic laws. Why not?
Hint:
Susan's Headstand Riddle
Hint:
20 Apples Riddle
There are 20 people in an empty, square room. Each person has full sight of the entire room and everyone in it without turning his head or body, or moving in any way (other than the eyes). Where can you place an apple so that all but one person can see it?
Hint:
Almost Hit By A Car Riddle
A man walked home after having been out drinking. He walked down the middle of a deserted country road. There were no streetlights to illuminate the road and there was no moonlight. He was dressed all in black. Suddenly a car that did not have its headlights on came racing down the road. At the last moment, the driver of the car saw the man and swerved to avoid him.
How did he manage to see him?
How did he manage to see him?
Hint:
He was returning home in the middle of the day, so anyone could have seen him. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
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