A Smiling Guard

Two guards were on duty outside a barracks. One faced up the road to watch for anyone approaching from the North. The other looked down the road to see if anyone approached from the South. Suddenly one of them said to the other, “Why are you smiling?”

How did he know his companion was smiling?

They were facing each other. As to why his companion was smiling, the world may never know.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Going Down to the River

A zebra was going to the river. On the way the zebra encountered five giraffes. Each giraffe had five monkeys on their neck. How many animals were going to the river?

Just one – the zebra. The other 30 animals (5 giraffes and 25 monkeys) were going the other way.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Tear One Off And Scratch My Head

Tear one off and scratch my head. What once was red is black instead. What am I?

A match.

This is a duplicate of red black instead, but I’m leaving them both to avoid broken links.

Posted in Riddles

Mountain at Night, Morning a Meadow

In the night a mountain in the morning a meadow. What am I?

A bed.

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Yellow Rock into a Purple Stream

What happens when you throw a yellow rock into a purple stream?

It makes a splash.

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What Holds Two People Together?

What holds two people together but touches only one?

A wedding ring.

Posted in Riddles

Five Three Two

What is the answer to the last equation?

5 3 2 = 151012
9 2 4 = 183662
8 6 3 = 482466
5 4 5 = 202504
7 2 5 = ?

10000 × (x × y) + 100 × (x × z) + transpose_digits(x × y + y × z)

transpose_digits() just swaps the digits

Posted in Brain Teasers

A Big Rig Crossing a Bridge

An 18-wheeler is crossing a 4 kilometer bridge that can only support 10,000 kilograms and that’s exactly how much the rig weighs. Halfway across the bridge a 30 gram sparrow lands on the cab, but the bridge doesn’t collapse. Why not?

Since the bridge is 4 kilometers long, the halfway point would be 2 kilometers. The 18-wheeler would have used much more than 30g of fuel to drive 2 kilometers.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Swallowed the Dead

I’ve swallowed the dead,
Of a torn land’s end.
And I hold the remains,
Of an unknown friend

A mansion once stood,
Where I now lay,
We honor all those
Who gave us today.

What am I?

Arlington National Cemetery, the burial place of soldiers from the United States Civil War. It also houses the tomb of unknown soldiers. General Robert E. Lee’s mansion once stood on the land that is now occupied by the cemetery. And on Memorial Day in the US, we honor all those who died while serving their country’s armed forces.

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How Old Is Amir?

Amir has three children. One is the same age as the first number in his age, another is the same age as the second number in his age, and the third is the same age as the sum of the two numbers in his age. None of the children are the same age and the total of everyone’s ages is 45. How old is Amir?

27. His children are 2, 7, and 9.

Posted in Brain Teasers