A Problem In Many People’s Lives

I am a problem in many people’s lives. At times (even more than once) I’m useful. The older I grow, the less useful I become. Who am I?

Credit or debt. Debt is a problem in many people’s lives, but in order to go to school or make a large purchase, it can be useful. As your debt grows older, it’s more unpleasant than useful.

Posted in Riddles

Ties One Another

What ties one to another and is closest to the heart?

A wedding ring.

I know, this is nearly a duplicate with What Holds Two People Together.

Posted in Riddles

I Go In Hard

I go in hard.
I come out soft.
You blow me hard.
What am I?

Note: This may not be appropriate for younger ages.

Gum. What? You had another guess?

Posted in Riddles
Tagged with

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

Buying Chickens

You must buy 100 chickens for exactly $100, and purchase at least one chicken from each store. The first store charges 5 cents/chicken, the second charges $1/chicken and the third charges $5/chicken. How many chickens should you buy from each store?

80 from store 1 = $4
1 from store 2 = $1
19 from store 3 = $95

Posted in Brain Teasers

Willow’s Broken Keyboard

Willow’s keyboard is acting up. The a, e, i, o and u keys don’t work and the space key is misbehaving as well. Can you decipher these common sayings they typed?

tfsghttfmnd
ctnsspkldrthnwrds
hnstysthbstplcy
sycmsyg

Out of sight, out of mind
Actions speak louder than words
Honesty is the best policy
Easy come, easy go

Posted in Brain Teasers

All In White, A Fossil

All in white, a fossil,
fresh snow, a loan, the sky,
But just what am I?

A bride (something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue).

Posted in Riddles
Tagged with

Julian and Penelope’s Marriage Ages

When Julian and Penelope met, one was half the others age plus seven years. Ten years later when they married, Penelope was thirty, but this time one was nine tenths the age of the other. How old was Julian? (No fractions or partial years, whole numbers only).

Julian was 27 when Penelope was 30.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Turn Nine Into Six

Here is the Roman numeral for nine: IX

By adding only one line or symbol, how can you turn it into six?

SIX.

Posted in Brain Teasers

A Wonderful Help To Women

I am a wonderful help to women,
The hope of something to come.
I harm no citizen except my slayer.
Rooted I stand on a high bed. I am shaggy below.
Sometimes the beautiful peasant’s daughter, an eager-armed,
Proud woman grabs my body,
Rushes my red skin, holds me hard,
Claims my head. The curly-haired
Woman who catches me fast will feel
Our meeting. Her eye will be wet.

What am I?

An onion. Onions help add flavor to meals, they make the person who cuts them cry and they grow hair downtown.

Posted in Riddles