A Trail of Silver

If you carried my burden, you would be crushed.
Though not rich, I leave a trail of silver.

What am I?

A snail. They carry their homes on their back, and a house would crush a person (even the tiny houses). And the trail of silver is a bit of a stretch, but it’s the slimy, gooey substance snails leave behind them.

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Full of Holes Yet Full of Water

I’m full of holes, yet I’m full of water. What am I?

A sponge.

Posted in Riddles

The Potato Paradox

Fred brings home 100 pounds of potatoes, which (being purely mathematical potatoes) consist of 99 percent water. He then leaves them outside overnight so that they consist of 98 percent water. What is their new weight?

50 pounds.

100 lb of potatoes with 99% water weight means there’s 99 lb of water and 1 lb of solids, a 1:99 ratio.

If the water decreases to 98%, then the solids account for 2% of the weight. The 2:98 ratio reduces to 1:49. Since the solids still weigh 1 lb, the water must weigh 49 lb for a total of 50 lbs for the answer.

Read more at the Potato Paradox wikipedia page.

Posted in Brain Teasers

What Can Fill a Bedroom But Fits in Your Pocket

A father gathered his three sons and told them he would die soon and needed to decide which son would inherit his land. He gave them the following test.

“Go to the market and purchase something that is large enough to fill my bedroom, but small enough to fit in your pocket. Based on what you bring I will decide which of you is wisest.”

All three sons went to the market in search of something to satisfy their father’s demands. When they returned the father gathered them in his bedroom.

The first son put down pieces of cloth that he had bought and laid them end to end across the room, but it barely covered any of the floor.

The second son laid down hay but there was only enough to cover part of the floor.

The third son showed his father what he had purchased and the father announced, “You are truly the wisest and will inherit my land.”

What did the third son bring?

A match.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Fourth of July in England

Is there a 4th of July in England?

Yes, there’s a 4th of July in every country. Of course they don’t treat it as a holiday as citizens of the United States do, but that’s not what was asked.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Where None Should Be

One where none should be,
Or maybe where two should be,
Seeking out purity,
In the kings trees.

What am I?

A unicorn

Posted in Riddles

Special Strengths

What’s special about the word “strengths”?

It has a record nine letters but only one vowel, and it’s one of the longest one-syllable words in English.

Posted in Brain Teasers

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

An Extraordinary Event

On the sixth of May in the year 1978 at exactly thirty-four minutes past noon, a most extraordinary event occurred. This singular occasion will probably never be witnessed by anyone who was alive at that time. What happened?

The time and date was 12:34 5/6/78, counting from one to eight. The next time this event will occur is 12:34 6 May 2078. Unless someone alive in 1978 lives to be over a hundred, they won’t be alive when it happens again.

Posted in Brain Teasers

I’m On A Horse

You’re riding a horse. To the right of you is a cliff and in front of you is an elephant moving at the same pace and you can’t overtake it. To the left of you is a hippo running at the same speed and a lion is chasing you. How do you get to safety?

Get off the merry-go-round.

Posted in Brain Teasers