Captain Mark

Captain Mark is the captain of the ship. The captain of the ship is Captain Mark. The ship has plenty of space.

What is the name of the ship?

The Space Shuttle Endeavour, captained by Mark Kelly.

I received this by email from someone who didn’t know the answer. Thanks to Devon for helping with this answer.

Posted in Riddles

Train From Chicago to LA

An electric train is traveling on a 2000-mile journey from Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA. It has 16 cars with a total of 320 passengers. The weather is cloudy and cool, with a warm front approaching from the south. Which direction will the steam blow?

There is no steam. It’s an electric train.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Imprisoned In Wood and Never Released

I am taken from a mine and shut up in a wooden case from which I am never released. Yet I am used by almost everybody. What am I?

Pencil lead. While modern pencils don’t contain lead, that’s still what we call the graphite compound. When real lead was used in pencils it was mined and nearly everyone has used a pencil at some point in their life.

Posted in Riddles

Gain and Lose the Most

Some are quick to take it.
Others must be coaxed.
Those who choose to take it
gain and lose the most.

Risk.

By Sef Daystrom

Posted in Riddles

Highest Number Without the Letter N?

What is the highest regular counting number that is spelled without the use of the letter “N”? (No numbers like Googolplex or Graham’s number)

Eighty-eight. From then on, they all have the letter “N”.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Lies Behind Stars

It cannot be seen, it cannot be felt,
Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt,
Lies behind stars and under hills,
And empty holes it fills.
Comes first follows after,
Ends life kills laughter.

Darkness.

Posted in Riddles

Apples, Ice and Flowers

Apples, ice, and flowers can do it.
Pears, stones, and coins can’t.

Float.

By Sef Daystrom

Posted in Riddles

A Word of Weather

Find this eight-letter word.

The first four letters are a variation of the weather.
The third through seventh letters give support but also could used when someone is executed.
And the last three letters forms the name of a person.

What’s the word?

Mistaken.

Mist = Variation of weather.
Stake = a tent stake or when someone is burned at the stake.
Ken = a person’s name.

Posted in Riddles

Flora Not Fauna

I am flora, not fauna,
I am foliage, not trees,
I am shrubbery, not grass,

What am I?

A bush.

Posted in Riddles

The Japanese IQ Test

Supposedly this is given as a test in Japan. I have no idea if that’s accurate.

There are 8 people who have to cross the river on a raft.

1. Policeman
2. Thief
3. Father
4. Boy 1
5. Boy 2
6. Mother
7. Girl 1
8. Girl 2

The rules are:

Only two people can cross at a time.
Only the adults can operate the raft.
The father can’t be with the girls unless the mother is there.
The mother can’t be with the boys unless the father is there.
The thief can’t remain with anyone unless the policeman is present.

How do you get them all across?

Instead of working it out by hand, here’s a flash version.

Click on the circle to start. Click on a person to put them on the raft and click on the lever to make the raft cross.

Here’s how I did it in 17 steps. Can you do it faster? Let me know in the comments.

1. Policeman (P)
2. Thief (T)
3. Father (F)
4. Boy 1 (B1)
5. Boy 2 (B2)
6. Mother (M)
7. Girl 1 (G1)
8. Girl 2 (G2)

1. P, T →
2. ← P

3. P, B1 →
4. ← P T

5. F, B2 →
6. ← F

7. F, M →
8. ← M

9. P, T →
10. ← F

11. M, F →
12. ← M

13. M, G1 →
14. ← P T

15. P, G2 →
16. ← P

17. P, T →

Posted in Brain Teasers