The Gardners Riddle
Gretchen and Henry were discussing their new neighbors, the Gardners. Gretchen mentioned that she met two of the daughters, and they each had blond hair.
"I have met all of the sisters," replied Henry, "and the probability that both of the girls you met would have had blond hair, assuming you were equally likely to meet any of the sisters, is exactly 50%. Do you know how many children there are?"
After thinking for a minute, Gretchen asks if the family is abnormally large. When Henry replies that it is not, Gretchen tells him how many girls are in the family. What number did she say?
"I have met all of the sisters," replied Henry, "and the probability that both of the girls you met would have had blond hair, assuming you were equally likely to meet any of the sisters, is exactly 50%. Do you know how many children there are?"
After thinking for a minute, Gretchen asks if the family is abnormally large. When Henry replies that it is not, Gretchen tells him how many girls are in the family. What number did she say?
Hint:
Gretchen said that there were 4 girls in the family, three of whom were blond.
This would make the probability that she saw two blonds (3/4) * (2/3), which equals 1/2.
Other numbers would work, but the next pair would lead to a rather large family. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
This would make the probability that she saw two blonds (3/4) * (2/3), which equals 1/2.
Other numbers would work, but the next pair would lead to a rather large family. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
A Man Was Outside Taking A Walk When It Began To Rain
A man was outside taking a walk when it began to rain. He did not have an umbrella and he wasn't wearing a hat. His clothes were soaked, yet not a single hair on his head got wet. How could this happen?
Hint:
What Does A Man Do Only Once In His Lifetime Riddle
Hint:
Fox Goose Beans Riddle
Hint:
The first step must be to take the goose across the river, as any other will result in the goose or the beans being eaten. When the farmer returns to the original side, he has the choice of taking either the fox or the beans across next. If he takes the fox across, he would have to return to get the beans, resulting in the fox eating the goose. If he takes the beans across second, he will need to return to get the fox, resulting in the beans being eaten by the goose. The dilemma is solved by taking the fox (or the beans) over and bringing the goose back. Now he can take the beans (or the fox) over, and finally return to fetch the goose. His actions in the solution are summarized in the following steps: Take the Goose over Return Take the beans over Return with the goose Take the fox over Return Take goose over Thus there are seven crossings, four forward and three back. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
A Man Shaves Several Times A Day Riddle
Hint:
I Shave Everyday Riddle
Hint:
I Supply The Facts
I supply the facts, but you supply the thoughts. I am also used to describe realistic droughts. My inhabitants are abstract as their places, And I provide details of their words & faces. I hold details in a very complex form, I may cause your mind to conjure up a storm. I hold many different views from different eyes, My facts can be hard to find; as if in disguise. I may tell of facts, but it may be theories I contain, I can inform, persuade, and can even entertain. I tell of a little girl, and of men chasing a whale, and only through me can you find the answer to this tale. What am I?
Hint: I am educational.
Fighting For Hours
Hint: They live on a board. You are their lord.
I Cover The Planet
I have a floor but I'm not a room
I wave but have no hand
I'm wet but I'm not a towel
I have currents but no electricity
I contain fish but I'm not a tank
I cover a lot of the planet but I'm not land
I wave but have no hand
I'm wet but I'm not a towel
I have currents but no electricity
I contain fish but I'm not a tank
I cover a lot of the planet but I'm not land
Hint:
The Barber Of Seville
The Barber of Seville shaves all men living in Seville.
No man living in Seville is allowed to shave himself.
The Barber of Seville lives in Seville.
Who shaves the Barber of Seville?
No man living in Seville is allowed to shave himself.
The Barber of Seville lives in Seville.
Who shaves the Barber of Seville?
Hint:
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
I Am Two-faced Riddle
Men spill their blood for me.
I have no legs but travel widely.
I make kings immortal.
I am potent when shared,
Yet greed for my power keeps me locked away.
What am I?
Hint:
Under The Umbrella Riddle
Hint:
Twelve Pears Riddle
Twelve pears hanging high, twelve men passing by. Each took a pear and left eleven hanging there. How can this be?
Hint:
Married To 52 Women Riddle
A man in New York married 52 women. None of them died and he was never divorced, yet he was one of the most respected men in New York.
Hint:
Add Your Riddle Here
Have some tricky riddles of your own? Leave them below for our users to try and solve.