The Shortest Sentence In the World

What is the shortest sentence in the English language?

Jelly donuts (ice cream is better)

The typical answer to this is “I am,” but some argue that it’s not a complete sentence. However, if someone asked a man named Rupert if he was Rupert, he could reply, “I am” and it would make a complete sentence in my book.

But that’s not the whole answer. There is an even shorter sentence using an imperative with an implied subject (how’s that for an English terminology-filled sentence?) With “Go,” the “you” is implied. For example, if your wife wanted you to go with her to pick up some donuts and you were busy, she might say, “I really want to get some donuts, I’m starving!” and you might reply, “Go!” The implication being you never wanted to get donuts in the first place because you like ice cream more anyway and if you’re busy you’re probably doing something worthwhile and important and can’t be disturbed for such trivial matters as acquiring sweet pastries with holes in them, no matter how much of a waste of time your wife says your pursuits are. In short, “Go” is the shortest sentence in the English language that also has the longest implied meaning. Do you want to get get some ice cream? Go!

Ava pointed out in the comments that No is another viable alternative.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Two Days After

What is two days after the day after the day before yesterday?

Tomorrow.

The day before yesterday is two days ago.

The day after the day before yesterday (2 days ago) is yesterday.

And two days after yesterday is tomorrow.

Posted in Brain Teasers

What’s Nowhere But Everywhere

What’s nowhere but everywhere except where something is?

Nothing. (From Gotham)

Posted in Riddles

More You Take Away, The Bigger I Get

The more you take from me, the bigger I get. What am I?

A hole.

This is quite similar to It Cannot Be Seen and Weighs Nothing.

Posted in Riddles

Travel Far Before You Turn It Over

You have to travel far before you turn it over. What is it?

An odometer.

Posted in Riddles

Aunts and Large Families

Dina comes from a large family and has over 20 cousins. How is it possible that all of her cousins have an aunt who is not her aunt?

The aunt of all of her cousins is Dina’s own mother.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Four Nines To Make a Hundred

How can you make four 9’s equal 100?

99 9/9 = 100

Posted in Brain Teasers

I Am Like A Witch’s Brew

I am like a witch’s brew,
I make people do what they don’t want to,
At the sound of my voice,
You have no choice,
But to do what’s requested of you.

What am I?

The magic word – please. It makes people do things they otherwise wouldn’t be inclined to do. When parents are teaching children about manners, they call it the magic word and wait to fulfill a request until the child says please. Once the child says it, the parent feels bound to do it to show the child that it works.

Posted in Riddles

Mother From a Family of Eight

This mother comes from a family of eight,
Supports her children in spite of their weight,
Turns around without being called,
Has held you since the time you crawled.

Who is she?

“Mother” Earth. The family of eight are the eight planets, all of the world’s population is quite a load, the earth is always spinning (or turning around) and unless you’re an alien, you’ve been on earth your whole life.

Posted in Riddles

A Group of Three

I give you a group of three. One is sitting down, and will never get up. The second eats as much as is given to him, yet is always hungry. The third goes away and never returns.

Stove, fire, smoke.

Posted in Riddles