Same Forward, Backward and Upside Down

What word is the same written forward, backward and upside down?

NOON. The word needs to be a palindrome and made up of only these letters that look the same upside down:

H I N O S X Z

For instance, SOON doesn’t work, because even though each letter looks the same upside down, it reads NOOS.

Posted in Riddles

I Live in Water

I live in water
If you cut my head I’m at your door,
If you cut my tail I’m fruit,
If you cut both I’m with you

What am I?

A pearl. They’re found underwater. Removing the head (p) leaves Earl, a guy who could be at your door. Removing the tail (l) leaves pear, a fruit and if you cut both off you’re left with ear, which is with you because it’s attached to your head.

Posted in Riddles

A Problem In Many People’s Lives

I am a problem in many people’s lives. At times (even more than once) I’m useful. The older I grow, the less useful I become. Who am I?

Credit or debt. Debt is a problem in many people’s lives, but in order to go to school or make a large purchase, it can be useful. As your debt grows older, it’s more unpleasant than useful.

Posted in Riddles

Rhonda At the Ballet

Rhonda will go see ballet but not the opera. Her favorite number is eight and she doesn’t like nine. She likes salmon but not trout. She hates Mondays and likes Wednesdays. Does she use a comb or a brush?

A comb. Rhonda likes words with silent letters, like her name.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Bank Wait Times

Suppose a small bank has one teller and customer transactions take 10 minutes on average. With 5.8 customers arriving per hour, what is the expected wait time? What would it be if you added a second teller?

With one teller, customers will wait nearly five hours on average. But adding a second teller makes the wait go down to 3 minutes.

Thanks to John D. Cook for this one.

Posted in Brain Teasers

In the Sky But Also the Ground

I am in the sky but also in the ground. When you study me, no matter how long, I will always end with an f. I may be in your yard but not in your house. What am I?

A leaf.

Posted in Riddles

Not a Bird Though Feathered

It’s not a bird, though feathered, and
it has a mobile nest.
It’s quick in flight and, having flown,
it always stops to rest.

An arrow. It has feathers and its nest (a quiver) is usually carried an archer’s back. The arrow flies when released, but will always land somewhere to rest.

By Sef Daystrom

Posted in Riddles

How to Stay Dry?

A group of ten people are going out for pizza but only two of them have an umbrella to keep them dry. Somehow they are able to walk all the way to the pizza place without getting wet. How?

It’s not raining.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Two Identical Women

Two women apply for a job. They are identical and have the same mother, father and birthday. The interviewer asks, “Are you twins?” to which they honestly reply, “No”.

How is this possible?

They are triplets.

Posted in Brain Teasers

I Run Up The Stairs

I run up and down the stairs without moving. What am I?

A rug.

Posted in Riddles
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