Fun Facts (Hints)
Hard riddles are universal, and continue to leave a lasting impression on many different cultures across the globe. Here are some interesting facts:
The mere definition of what a riddle is, is something that has drawn a large amount of debate between scholars for centuries.
Complex riddles have been used since ancient times, and extensively in ancient/medieval literature.
There is only one riddle in the Bible appearing in the book of Judges. It is known as "Samson's riddle."
Charades is a popular contemporary game created with the use of riddle.
In author J. R. R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' Bilbo Baggins is given a challenging riddle by Gollum, and his life was dependent upon getting the correct answer.
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Riddles and Answers © 2023
Shoe Man Whistle
Hint:
The third equation has a term with a pair of whistles. The last line involves a single whistle.
Furthermore, the man in the second and third lines are wearing a whistle, but the man in the last line is not wearing a whistle. Presumably the value of the whistle should be accounted for to get the correct answer.
The pictures can be translated into the following equations:
shoes + shoes + shoes = 30
shoes + (man + whistle) + (man + whistle) = 20
(man + whistle) + 2(whistles) + 2(whistles) = 13
shoes + (man) x (whistle) = ?
From the first equation we can solve for the shoes value:
shoes + shoes + shoes = 30
3(shoes) = 30
shoes = 10
We can then solve the second equation for the (man + whistle) value:
shoes + (man + whistle) + (man + whistle) = 20
10 + 2(man + whistle) = 20
2(man + whistle) = 10
man + whistle = 5
Then we solve the third equation for the whistle:
(man + whistle) + 2(whistles) + 2(whistles) = 13
5 + 4(whistles) = 13
4(whistles) = 8
whistle = 2
We also need to solve for the value of the man:
man + whistle = 5
man + 2 = 5
man = 3
Now we can evaluate the final expression, remembering the order of operations that multiplication should be evaluated before addition:
shoes + (man) x (whistle) = ?
10 + 3 x 2
= 10 + 3 x 2
= 10 + 6
= 16 Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Furthermore, the man in the second and third lines are wearing a whistle, but the man in the last line is not wearing a whistle. Presumably the value of the whistle should be accounted for to get the correct answer.
The pictures can be translated into the following equations:
shoes + shoes + shoes = 30
shoes + (man + whistle) + (man + whistle) = 20
(man + whistle) + 2(whistles) + 2(whistles) = 13
shoes + (man) x (whistle) = ?
From the first equation we can solve for the shoes value:
shoes + shoes + shoes = 30
3(shoes) = 30
shoes = 10
We can then solve the second equation for the (man + whistle) value:
shoes + (man + whistle) + (man + whistle) = 20
10 + 2(man + whistle) = 20
2(man + whistle) = 10
man + whistle = 5
Then we solve the third equation for the whistle:
(man + whistle) + 2(whistles) + 2(whistles) = 13
5 + 4(whistles) = 13
4(whistles) = 8
whistle = 2
We also need to solve for the value of the man:
man + whistle = 5
man + 2 = 5
man = 3
Now we can evaluate the final expression, remembering the order of operations that multiplication should be evaluated before addition:
shoes + (man) x (whistle) = ?
10 + 3 x 2
= 10 + 3 x 2
= 10 + 6
= 16 Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
A Single Candle On A Cake
A solar trip without a break
Cheer me out and hear me ringing
52 days and a new beginning
What am I?
Hint:
1 of your 7 year cycles! You go through 7 cycles every year. The first cycle starts on your birthday, and each of the 7 cycles lasts 52 days. (7x52=364).
You only have to find your personal cycle numbers once, because it's always the same, year after year. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
You only have to find your personal cycle numbers once, because it's always the same, year after year. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
$100 Bill Grocery Store Thief
He then buys $70 worth of goods using the $100 bill and the owner gives $30 in change.
How much money did the owner lose?
$30, $70, $100, $130, $170, or $200?
Hint:
The best answer from the choices is the owner lost $100. The $100 bill that was stolen was then given back to the owner. What the owner loses is the $70 worth of goods and the $30 in change, which makes for a total of $70 + $30 = $100. The owner has lost $100.
Technically, the owner lost $30 plus the value, V, of the $70 of goods. Since stores typically sell goods at a markup, the value may be less than $70. But in the case of a loss leader, the owner may have lost more than $70. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Technically, the owner lost $30 plus the value, V, of the $70 of goods. Since stores typically sell goods at a markup, the value may be less than $70. But in the case of a loss leader, the owner may have lost more than $70. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Five Rows Of Four Christmas Trees Riddle
Hint:
Just imagine a 5 pointed star, and then plant one tree at each point, and one tree where the sides intersect.
There are actually several distinct solutions. All of them can be constructed as follows:
Draw a nice long straight line.
Draw a second straight line that intersects the first.
Draw three more straight lines making sure each line intersects all the lines youve already drawn and avoiding any of the previous points of intersection. That is, no three lines should intersect at the same point.
With the first four lines, theres only one topologically distinct configuration, but by varying the position of the fifth line, several different distinct configurations can be created. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
There are actually several distinct solutions. All of them can be constructed as follows:
Draw a nice long straight line.
Draw a second straight line that intersects the first.
Draw three more straight lines making sure each line intersects all the lines youve already drawn and avoiding any of the previous points of intersection. That is, no three lines should intersect at the same point.
With the first four lines, theres only one topologically distinct configuration, but by varying the position of the fifth line, several different distinct configurations can be created. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
A Train Leaves From Halifax Riddle
Hint:
Both trains would be at the same spot when they meet therefore they are both equally close to Halifax. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
An Island That Has 3 Gods
There is an Island that has 3 gods. One god always tells a lie, and the other always tells the truth. The third god has a random behavior. To top it off, these three gods, being jerks, answer in their own languages such that you are unable to tell which word, between "ja" or "da", means "no" or "yes". You have 3 questions to work out the True god, the false god, and the Random god.
Hint:
Question 1: (To any of the three gods) If I were to ask you "Is that the random god," would your answer be "ja?" (This questions, no matter the answer, will enable you to tell which god is not random i.e. the god who is either False or True)
Question 2: (To either the True or False god) If I asked you "are you false," would your answer be "ja?"
Question 3: (To the same god you asked the second question) If I asked you "whether the first god I spoke to is random," would your answer be "ja?" Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Question 2: (To either the True or False god) If I asked you "are you false," would your answer be "ja?"
Question 3: (To the same god you asked the second question) If I asked you "whether the first god I spoke to is random," would your answer be "ja?" Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Fooled By Thunder
Hint:
Under The Cup Riddle
You decide to play a game with your friend where your friend places a coin under one of three cups. Your friend would then switch the positions of two of the cups several times so that the coin under one of the cups moves with the cup it is under. You would then select the cup that you think the coin is under. If you won, you would receive the coin, but if you lost, you would have to pay.
As the game starts, you realise that you are really tired, and you don't focus very well on the moving of the cups. When your friend stops moving the cups and asks you where the coin is, you only remember a few things:
He put the coin in the rightmost cup at the start.
He switched two of the cups 3 times.
The first time he switched two of the cups, the rightmost one was switched with another.
The second time he switched two of the cups, the rightmost one was not touched.
The third and last time he switched two of the cups, the rightmost one was switched with another.
You don't want to end up paying your friend, so, using your head, you try to work out which cup is most likely to hold the coin, using the information you remember.
Which cup is most likely to hold the coin?
As the game starts, you realise that you are really tired, and you don't focus very well on the moving of the cups. When your friend stops moving the cups and asks you where the coin is, you only remember a few things:
He put the coin in the rightmost cup at the start.
He switched two of the cups 3 times.
The first time he switched two of the cups, the rightmost one was switched with another.
The second time he switched two of the cups, the rightmost one was not touched.
The third and last time he switched two of the cups, the rightmost one was switched with another.
You don't want to end up paying your friend, so, using your head, you try to work out which cup is most likely to hold the coin, using the information you remember.
Which cup is most likely to hold the coin?
Hint: Write down the possibilities. Remember that there are only three cups, so if the rightmost cup wasn't touched...
The rightmost cup.
The rightmost cup has a half chance of holding the coin, and the other cups have a quarter chance.
Pretend that Os represent cups, and Q represents the cup with the coin.
The game starts like this:
OOQ
Then your friend switches the rightmost cup with another, giving two possibilities, with equal chance:
OQO
QOO
Your friend then moves the cups again, but doesn't touch the rightmost cup. The only switch possible is with the leftmost cup and the middle cup. This gives two possibilities with equal chance:
QOO
OQO
Lastly, your friend switches the rightmost cup with another cup. If the first possibility shown above was true, there would be two possibilities, with equal chance:
OOQ
QOO
If the second possibility shown above (In the second switch) was true, there would be two possibilities with equal chance:
OOQ
OQO
This means there are four possibilities altogether, with equal chance:
OOQ
QOO
OOQ
OQO
This means each possibility equals to a quarter chance, and because there are two possibilities with the rightmost cup having the coin, there is a half chance that the coin is there. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The rightmost cup has a half chance of holding the coin, and the other cups have a quarter chance.
Pretend that Os represent cups, and Q represents the cup with the coin.
The game starts like this:
OOQ
Then your friend switches the rightmost cup with another, giving two possibilities, with equal chance:
OQO
QOO
Your friend then moves the cups again, but doesn't touch the rightmost cup. The only switch possible is with the leftmost cup and the middle cup. This gives two possibilities with equal chance:
QOO
OQO
Lastly, your friend switches the rightmost cup with another cup. If the first possibility shown above was true, there would be two possibilities, with equal chance:
OOQ
QOO
If the second possibility shown above (In the second switch) was true, there would be two possibilities with equal chance:
OOQ
OQO
This means there are four possibilities altogether, with equal chance:
OOQ
QOO
OOQ
OQO
This means each possibility equals to a quarter chance, and because there are two possibilities with the rightmost cup having the coin, there is a half chance that the coin is there. 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
Coconut Sentence Riddle
Hint: Listen closely...
This.
If 'this' is a coconut, and 'that' is a coconut, then 'is' 'this' a coconut. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
If 'this' is a coconut, and 'that' is a coconut, then 'is' 'this' a coconut. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The Weight Of A Melon Riddle
Hint: We are to determine X the total mass of melon after the drying.
The Dry weight, DW is 1lb both before and after the drying.
The New Water weight, WNW is clearly X - DW or X - 1
Give Me Food And I Will Live Give Me Water And I Will Die
Hint:
Prince Age Riddle
What are their ages?
Hint:
Current Future Past
Princess x 2z (x+y)/2
Prince y x z
I then created three equations, since the difference in their age will always be the same.
d = the difference in ages
x y = d
2z x = d
x/2 + y/2 z = d
I then created a matrix and solved it using row reduction.
x y z
1 -1 0 d
-1 0 2 d
.5 .5 -1 d
It reduced to:
x y z
1 0 0 4d
0 1 0 3d
0 0 1 5d/2
This means that you can pick any difference you want (an even one presumably because you want integer ages).
Princess age: 4d
Prince age: 3d
Ages that work
Princess:
4
8
16
24
32
40
48
56
64
72
80
Prince:
3
6
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60 Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Princess x 2z (x+y)/2
Prince y x z
I then created three equations, since the difference in their age will always be the same.
d = the difference in ages
x y = d
2z x = d
x/2 + y/2 z = d
I then created a matrix and solved it using row reduction.
x y z
1 -1 0 d
-1 0 2 d
.5 .5 -1 d
It reduced to:
x y z
1 0 0 4d
0 1 0 3d
0 0 1 5d/2
This means that you can pick any difference you want (an even one presumably because you want integer ages).
Princess age: 4d
Prince age: 3d
Ages that work
Princess:
4
8
16
24
32
40
48
56
64
72
80
Prince:
3
6
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60 Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Missing Dollar Riddle
Hint: Make a list of all of the people involved and how much money they ended up with/spent.
The $9 paid by each guest accounts for the $2 that went to the bellhop. So rather than adding $27 to the $2 kept by the bellhop, the $27 accounts for the bellhops money. The $27 plus the $3 kept by the guests does add up to $30. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Rope Burn Riddle
Hint: You can light multiple ends and/or multiple ropes at the exact same time.
Light both ends of one rope, and only one end of the other rope. This will cause the first rope to burn out in 30 minutes. When the first rope burns out, there will be 30 minutes left on the second rope. So then, light the other end of the second rope, and the rest of it will burn out in 15 minutes. 30 + 15 = 45 minutes. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Post Your Hard Riddles Puns Below
Can you come up with a cool, funny or clever Hard Riddles of your own? Post it below (without the answer) to see if you can stump our users.
1. Why did the math book look sad? Because it had too many problems.
2. Why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad dressing.
3. What do you call a group of cows playing instruments? A moo-sical band.
4. Why did the baker go to therapy? Because he kneaded help.
5. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field.
6. What do you call a cheese that isn't yours? Nacho cheese.
7. Why did the man go to the doctor with a clock in his belly? Because he wanted to know what time it was.
8. Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two-tired.
9. What did the grape say when it got stepped on? Nothing, it just let out a little wine.
10. Why did the chicken join a band? Because it had drumsticks.
11. Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything.
12. Why did the cookie go to the doctor? Because it was feeling crummy.
13. What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta.
14. Why did the golfer bring an extra pair of pants? In case he got a hole in one.
15. Why did the tomato turn yellow? Because it was scared of the chef.
16. Why was the computer cold? It left its Windows open.
17. What did one wall say to the other? I'll meet you at the corner.
18. Why don't seagulls fly by the bay? Because then they'd be bagels.
19. Why did the banana go to the doctor? Because it wasn't peeling well.
20. Why was the cat afraid of the tree? Because it was afraid of getting acatia.
21. Why was the broom late? It swept in.
22. Why was the firefighter afraid of the snow? Because it put out his fire.
23. Why did the tomato blush? Because it saw the salad dressing's Caesar.
24. Why did the clock go to the gym? To work on its ticks.
25. Why did the tomato go on a cruise? It wanted to see the world and catch some rays.
26. What do you call a cow that's just given birth? De-calf-inated.
27. What did one hat say to the other? Stay calm, we've got you covered.
28. Why is a dog's nose always wet? Because it's the best way to smell.
29. Why was the math book so sad? It had too many problems.
30. Why did the grape breakdance? Because it heard it through the grapevine.
31. Why was the broom late for the cleaning party? It swept in fashionably late.
32. Why did the bird join the band? It had a high pitch voice.
33. What do you call a man with no body and just a nose? Nobody Nose.
34. Why was the math book so emotional? Because it had too many problems.
35. Why did the baker need to go to therapy? Because he kneaded some help.
36. Why did the potato go to the doctor? It was starting to feel mashed.
37. Why did the tomato go on a boat? To ketchup with its friends.
38. What do you call a man with no arms and no legs in the water? Bob.
39. Why did the computer go to the eye doctor? Because it had a virus in its sight.
40. Why did the tomato blush? Because it saw the salad dressing's Italian.
41. Why did the baker go to the beach? To get a little oven time.
42. Why did the clock lose weight? Because it went back 4 seconds.
43. Why did the tomato feel left out? It wanted to join the ketchup.
44. What did one tractor say to the other? Let's hit the hay!
45. Why did the chicken cross the playground? To get to the other slide.
46. Why did the math book cry itself to sleep? Because it had too many problems to solve.
47. Why did the soda go to the doctor? Because it was feeling a little fizzy.
48. What do you call a cow with a sense of humor? Laughing cow.
49. Why was the shirt sad? Because it was hung out to dry.
50. Why was the racecar so embarrassed? Because it couldn't get a handle on its speeds.
1. Why did the math book look sad? Because it had too many problems.
2. Why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad dressing.
3. What do you call a group of cows playing instruments? A moo-sical band.
4. Why did the baker go to therapy? Because he kneaded help.
5. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field.
6. What do you call a cheese that isn't yours? Nacho cheese.
7. Why did the man go to the doctor with a clock in his belly? Because he wanted to know what time it was.
8. Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two-tired.
9. What did the grape say when it got stepped on? Nothing, it just let out a little wine.
10. Why did the chicken join a band? Because it had drumsticks.
11. Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything.
12. Why did the cookie go to the doctor? Because it was feeling crummy.
13. What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta.
14. Why did the golfer bring an extra pair of pants? In case he got a hole in one.
15. Why did the tomato turn yellow? Because it was scared of the chef.
16. Why was the computer cold? It left its Windows open.
17. What did one wall say to the other? I'll meet you at the corner.
18. Why don't seagulls fly by the bay? Because then they'd be bagels.
19. Why did the banana go to the doctor? Because it wasn't peeling well.
20. Why was the cat afraid of the tree? Because it was afraid of getting acatia.
21. Why was the broom late? It swept in.
22. Why was the firefighter afraid of the snow? Because it put out his fire.
23. Why did the tomato blush? Because it saw the salad dressing's Caesar.
24. Why did the clock go to the gym? To work on its ticks.
25. Why did the tomato go on a cruise? It wanted to see the world and catch some rays.
26. What do you call a cow that's just given birth? De-calf-inated.
27. What did one hat say to the other? Stay calm, we've got you covered.
28. Why is a dog's nose always wet? Because it's the best way to smell.
29. Why was the math book so sad? It had too many problems.
30. Why did the grape breakdance? Because it heard it through the grapevine.
31. Why was the broom late for the cleaning party? It swept in fashionably late.
32. Why did the bird join the band? It had a high pitch voice.
33. What do you call a man with no body and just a nose? Nobody Nose.
34. Why was the math book so emotional? Because it had too many problems.
35. Why did the baker need to go to therapy? Because he kneaded some help.
36. Why did the potato go to the doctor? It was starting to feel mashed.
37. Why did the tomato go on a boat? To ketchup with its friends.
38. What do you call a man with no arms and no legs in the water? Bob.
39. Why did the computer go to the eye doctor? Because it had a virus in its sight.
40. Why did the tomato blush? Because it saw the salad dressing's Italian.
41. Why did the baker go to the beach? To get a little oven time.
42. Why did the clock lose weight? Because it went back 4 seconds.
43. Why did the tomato feel left out? It wanted to join the ketchup.
44. What did one tractor say to the other? Let's hit the hay!
45. Why did the chicken cross the playground? To get to the other slide.
46. Why did the math book cry itself to sleep? Because it had too many problems to solve.
47. Why did the soda go to the doctor? Because it was feeling a little fizzy.
48. What do you call a cow with a sense of humor? Laughing cow.
49. Why was the shirt sad? Because it was hung out to dry.
50. Why was the racecar so embarrassed? Because it couldn't get a handle on its speeds.