Invisible Walls

What invention lets you look right through a wall?

A window.

Posted in Riddles

Girls Like, Boys Use

What 8-letter word describes something girls like, boys use and parents are afraid of yet remember fondly?

Hint: It has these letters: macroitn

Romantic. Many girls like being romantic, boys become romantic to win the hearts of girls and parents are afraid of too much romantic activity with their kids, but remember their own romantic endeavors fondly.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Paris to Roye

Hans made a meandering journey from Paris to Roye. On the first day, he went half of the distance. On the second day, he went one third of the remaining distance. On the third day he went three quarters of the remaining distance. The next day he traveled half of the remaining distance and was left with 5 kilometers to get to Roye. How far was the entire journey?

120 kilometers.

Hans’ trip went like this:

Day 1 – 60 km (60 km remaining)
Day 2 – 20 km (40 km remaining)
Day 3 – 30 km (10 km remaining)
Day 4 – 5 km (5 km remaining)
Day 5 – 5 km (arrives in Roye)

Posted in Brain Teasers

Abraham Encoding

The name ABRAHAM can be changed into a word for a primitive musical instrument by replacing each letter with a different letter. The repeated letters (A is this case) must be replaced with the same replacement letter in the new word.

What is the musical instrument?

PANPIPE

Posted in Brain Teasers

Fill in the Blank and Discover the Event

Fill in the missing words to make a phrase with both the left and right hand sides. For instance, if you were given GRAPE __________ FLY, the missing word could be FRUIT, making GRAPEFRUIT and FRUIT FLY.

1. TOP __________ AGENT
2. PROXY __________ OF NO CONFIDENCE
3. SECOND-HAND __________ DETECTOR
4. THE SACK OF __________ APPLE
5. ST. LOUIS __________ SIN

Once you have the words, what event does it represent?

1. SECRET
2. VOTE
3. SMOKE
4. ROME
5. CARDINAL

The event is a Papal conclave, when a new Pope is chosen.

Posted in Brain Teasers

Reflecting on Time

When a clock’s reflection is 2:30, what is the correct time?

9:30

Posted in Brain Teasers

A Great Woman

The first two letters of this English word refer to a male, the first three refer to a female, the first four to a great man and the whole word is a great woman.

What is the word?

Heroine (he, her, hero)

Posted in Riddles

How Old Is The Shepherd?

There are 125 sheep and 5 dogs in a flock.

How old is the shepherd?

You can’t determine the answer.

I debated adding this riddle because it is less of a riddle and more of an illustration of how kids are (or are not) being taught to think for themselves. But after reading how kids feel the need to make up an answer without understanding why, I thought this could be a good reminder for all of us to exercise our critical thinking skills.

(via Student Voices)

Posted in Riddles

You Read Me Daily

I am a seven letter word, you read me daily. Letters 567 increase every year. The third and fourth letters are the same and my 325 letters cover about 70% of the world. What am I?

message. Letters 567 are your age, which goes up every year. Letters 3 and 4 (both s) are in fact the same, and letters 325 spell sea, and estimates say that the earth is covered by about 70% water.

Posted in Riddles

Two Common English Words

“H-e” starts and ends two common English words. One painful in love, one painful in everyday matters.

What are the two words?

Heartache and headache.

Posted in Riddles