A Perfect Gentleman

He was the perfect gentleman even though his nephew couldn’t see it. Who was he?

A fine chap with a blind nephew (or an exemplary uncle who died before his nephew was born).

Posted in Brain Teasers

White, Round Not Always Around

I’m white, I’m round, but not always around. Sometimes you see me, sometimes you don’t. What am I?

The moon.

Posted in Riddles

I Can Be Broken Yet I Hold On

I am a word with two meanings. With one I can be broken, with the second I hold on. What am I?

Tie. A tie score can be broken, but when you tie a knot (as in a necktie) it holds together.

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An Answer With No Questions

You answer me, although I never ask you questions. What am I?

A phone.

Posted in Riddles

What’s The Captain’s Name?

I was standing by a railing,
watching a ship a sailing.
What is the Captain’s name.
If you don’t know his name,
It’s you to blame.
What is the Captain’s name.

“What” is the name of the Captain.

Thanks to Sherry for submitting this one. Here’s the backstory of the riddle.

“One of my favorites I remember as a child from my father, he always said it was a Newfoundland riddle. I don’t know where it may have originated. This is usually spoken. Ensure you say it as a statement and not a question.”

Posted in Riddles

Five Letters But One Left When Two Removed

What word of five letters has only one left when two letters are removed?

Any 5-letter word with the word ‘one’ somewhere in it. Examples include shone, stone, alone, money, loner, phone or ornery. Note it doesn’t say there is only one letter left, but only ‘one’ left. Tricky tricky.

Posted in Riddles

Touch Me and I’m Gone

Touch me and I’m gone,
But to you I belong.
I stay with you for life,
But I am not seen by your wife.

What am I?

Your reflection in the water.

Posted in Riddles

My Thunder, Lightning and Rain

My thunder comes before the lightning.
My lightning comes before the clouds.
My rain dries all the land it touches.

What am I?

A volcano.

(via Reddit)

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Have No Face

I turn my head and you may go where you want.
I turn it again, you will stay till you rot.
I have no face, but I live or die,
By my crooked teeth.

What am I?

A key

Posted in Riddles

At Least One is a Boy

A couple has two children. At least one of them is a boy. Assuming the probability of having a boy or girl is 50%, what is the probability that both children are boys?

If you answered 1/2, you’re not without comrades, but the generally accepted answer by statisticians (though not without debate) is 1/3. This is because there are four possible combinations: boy-boy, boy-girl, girl-boy and girl-girl. Since we are told one of the children is a boy (but we don’t know if it’s the first or second child), we can rule out the girl-girl combination, leaving three remaining options. Only one out of 3 is boy-boy, so we get a 1/3 chance.

This is a well-known problem known as the Boy or Girl paradox. The other variation is this brain teaser.

Posted in Brain Teasers