Harvest Though No Grain

I harvest you, though you’ve no grain,
I reap you in the wind and rain,
You bleed not but your soft meat
And nectar makes a sweetest treat.
What am I?

A clam or oyster. You harvest clams or oysters on the beach or go diving, and the beach is often windy and rainy. Neither bleeds but are known for having, soft, slimy meat, and people often drink the “clam nectar” or “oyster juice”.

Thanks to Helena for this submission

Posted in Riddles
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A Silent Z

What word in the English dictionary has a silent z?

The word rendezvous. Even though it’s a French word, it’s in the English dictionary and is pronounced [rahn-duh-voo].

Turns out rendezvous isn’t the only one. Another word is oyez.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Consecutive Christmas Caroling

My family sings Christmas carols at the hospital where my wife works.
We do this every year and since we started, have not missed a single year.
The next time we do this will be the 18th consecutive Christmas.
My 15 year old daughter has been every time.

How is this possible?

She was born in March 1999 so the first year she came was December 1999 (before her 1st birthday).
Her first time was when she was 0, second time when she was 1, third time when she was 2, etc…

Now that she is 15, she has been 16 times. Oh and of course she was also present in December 1998 in her mum’s belly, due to be born the next March.

So, a total of 17 times and next time will be the 18th.

Thanks to Michael for submitting this real-life brain teaser about his family.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Dark Halloween Night

On a dark, stormy Halloween night, four kids named Luke, John, Sarah and Bob walk into a haunted house during a blackout. Only one can escape. They take a staircase to the second floor, a trapdoor on the left, then go up the ladder to the right, followed by a 28-foot slide to the basement through the mouth of a Giant Panda. In one corner of the murky cellar is a chainsaw, a dagger, a rope with a noose and an electric chair. Written on the wall in blood are the words, “Only one will survive – choose your death!” Bob takes the rope, Sarah picks up the dagger, John chooses the chainsaw and Luke uses the chair.

Who survives?

Luke, because there’s no power (it’s during a blackout).

Posted in Brain Teasers

An Iron Horse With A Flaxen Tail

An iron horse with a flaxen tail.
The faster the horse runs,
The shorter his tail becomes.

What is it?

A needle and thread.

Posted in Riddles

When Set Loose I Fly Away

When set loose
I fly away,
Never so cursed
As when I go astray.

A fart.

Posted in Riddles

The Bikes and The Bee

Two bikes are traveling toward each other at a constant speed of 10 mph. When the bikes are 20 miles apart, a bee flies from the front wheel of one of the bikes toward the other bike at a constant speed of 25 mph. As soon as it reaches the front wheel of the other bike, it immediately turns around and flies at 25 mph toward the first bike. It continues this pattern until the two bikes smush the bee between the two front tires.

How far did the bee travel?

25 miles.

The easiest way to think about this is to consider the time. The bikes will take 1 hour to touch, given that they start 20 miles apart and are each traveling toward each other at 10 mph.

Therefore the bee is buzzing back and forth at 25 mph for 1 hour.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Five Letters Sound Like Six When Pronounced

What five-letter word sounds like six letters when pronounced?

Cello. The pronunciation of c is ‘ch’, making it sound like the word has 6 letters.

Posted in Riddles

Lending Money to Darlene

Franklin lent Darlene as much money as she already had, then she spent $10. The next day, Franklin lent her as much money as she now had and again, she spent $10. On the third day Franklin once again lent her as much money as she now had and she spent $10, leaving her broke. How much money did Darlene start with?

$8.75
You may have been tempted to guess $30 because $10 is spent three times, but that would mean she would have had $60 ($30 lent plus the $30 she already had), and $50 after spending $10. The rest of the numbers end up at higher than zero, so we know it has to be less than $30. Even starting at $10 leaves Darlene with $10 on the third day. Starting with $8.75 works out as follows.

Day 1: $8.75 (lent) + $8.75 (already had) – $10 (spent) = $7.50 (remaining)
Day 2: $7.50 + $7.50 – $10 = $5
Day 3: $5 + $5 – $10 = $0

Posted in Brain Teasers

Hardware Store Costs

Ralph goes to the hardware store to buy something for his house. He asks the clerk how much one will cost and the clerk looks it up and tells him it will be $3. He asks about buying twelve and is told it will be $6. Two hundred will cost $9.

What is Ralph buying?

Door numbers at $3 each.

Posted in Brain Teasers