problem solving riddles for adults

70+ Challenging Riddles for Adults (With Answers)

Test your logical thinking and problem-solving skills with these fun brain teasers and puzzles. These riddles for adults start on a light note with a dirty joke or fun riddle, and then gradually dives into the trickier puzzles. Towards the end, you’ll find the harder riddles, the ones that are more complicated and more difficult to solve… 

Funny Riddles 

Here are some easy riddles , ones that are funny and that you most likely have heard before. Keep in mind that there will be some dirty riddles in here that might not be appropriate for a kid. But if you’re an adult–enjoy! 

I am a rock group with four members. All dead, one was assassinated. What am I?

Mt. Rushmore.

What time is it when an elephant sits on a fence?

It’s time to fix the fence.

What’s messy and can be really annoying and/or tricky to clean up after sex?

I saw a boat full of people, yet there wasn’t a single person on the boat. How is that possible?

They were all married.

Why is Europe like a frying pan?

Because it has Greece at the bottom. 

I go in hard, come out soft, and you love to blow me. What am I?

Chewing gum.

What has ten letters and starts with gas?

Automobile. 

I start with a “p” and ends with “o-r-n,” and I’m a major player in the film industry. What am I?

What goes up but never comes down?

A king, a queen, and two twins all lay in a large room. How are there no adults in the room?

They’re all beds!

Some people prefer being on top, others prefer being on the bottom, and it always involves a bed. What am I? 

A bunk bed.

Why can’t we take a picture of a man with a wooden leg ?

The wooden leg is not a camera.

I assist with erections. Sometimes, giant balls hang from me. I’m known as a big swinger. What am I?

Samuel was out for a walk when it started to rain. He did not have an umbrella and he wasn’t wearing a hat. His clothes were soaked, yet not a single hair on his head got wet. How could this happen?

Because Samuel is bald! 

All-day long it’s in and out. I discharge loads from my shaft. Both men and women go down on me. What am I?

An elevator.

What has four legs like a dog, two eyes like a dog, looks just like a dog but is not a dog?

A picture of a dog! 

What tastes better than it smells?

Your tongue! 

What is as light as a feather, but even the strongest man in the world can’t hold it in for long?

His breath. 

What does a teddy bear do when it rains? 

It gets wet! 

What’s long and hard and has cum in it?

A cucumber.

Challenging Riddles 

Here are some brain teasers that might require some problem-solving skills and logical thinking . They’re tricky, but not impossible to answer . It’s just some good riddles that will get you to really use your brain .  

You walk into a room that contains a match, a kerosene lamp, a candle, and a fireplace. What would you light first?

The match. 

How many letters are in the alphabet?

There are 11 letters in “the alphabet”.

A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms: the first is full of raging fires; the second, assassins with loaded guns, and the third, with lions who haven’t eaten in years. Which room is the safest?

The room with the lions because the lions are already dead. 

What five- letter word stays the same when you take away the first, third, and last letter ?

All 5 sisters are busy. Ann is reading a book, Rose is cooking, Katy is playing chess, and Mary is doing the laundry. What is the 5th sister doing?

She’s playing chess, of course! 

A man is asked what his daughters look like. He answers, “they are all blondes, but two, all brunettes, but two, and all redheads, but two.” How many daughters does he have?

Three. One is blonde, one is brunette, and one is a redhead.

David’s father has three sons: Snap, Crackle and…? 

You always find me in the past, I can be created in the present, but the future can never taint me. What am I?

A man is found hanging dead from the ceiling of a room. The room’s dimensions are 15 x 15 x 15. The man is only 6ft tall and the rope was only 2ft long. There are no windows and only one door into the room. The door is bolted shut from the inside and there is a puddle of water under the man . How did he kill himself?

The man stood on a block of ice.

How can you drop a raw egg on the concrete floor without cracking it?

The egg won’t crack the concrete floor! 

What has thirteen hearts but no other organs?

A deck of cards.

In a bus, there is a 26-year-old pregnant lady, a 30-year-old policeman, a 52-year-old random woman, and the driver who is 65 years old. Who is the youngest?

The baby of the pregnant lady.

Two in a corner, 1 in a room, 0 in a house, but 1 in a shelter. What am I?

The letter “R”

What English word does the following: the first two letters signify a male, the first three letters signify a female, the first four letters signify a great person , while the entire word signifies a great woman. What is the word ?

A boy and an engineer were fishing. The boy is the son of the engineer but the engineer is the father of the boy. Then who is the engineer?

The engineer is the boy’s mother. 

In a one-story pink house, there was a pink person , a pink cat, a pink fish, a pink computer, a pink chair, a pink table, a pink telephone, a pink shower– everything was pink! What color were the stairs?

There weren’t any stairs, it was a one-story house!

A plane crashed between the border of Canada and America. Where do you bury the survivors?

They are survivors, you don’t bury them.

A woman is sitting in her hotel room when there is a knock at the door. She opened the door to see a man whom she had never seen before. He said, “Oh I’m sorry. I have made a mistake. I thought this was my room.” He then went down the corridor and in the elevator. The woman went back into her room and phoned security. What made the woman so suspicious of this man?

You don’t knock on your own hotel room door! 

What is special about the number 854,917,632?

It’s the numbers from 1-9 in alphabetical order.

What word in the English language has three consecutive double letters ?

Bookkeeper.

My first is in chocolate but not in ham, my second’s in cake and also in jam, my third at tea-time is easily found, my whole is a friend who’s often around. What am I?

Two fathers and two sons are in a car, yet there are only three people in the car. How?

They are a grandfather, father, and son.

A woman shoots her husband, then holds him underwater for five minutes. Next, she hangs him. Right after, they enjoy a lovely dinner. Explain.

She took a picture of him and developed it in her darkroom.

A man is trapped in a room. The room has only two possible exits: two doors. Through the first door, there is a room constructed from magnifying glasses. The blazing hot sun instantly fries anything or anyone that enters. Through the second door, there is a fire-breathing dragon. How does the man escape?

He waits until night time and then goes through the first door.

Poor people have it. Rich people need it. If you eat it you die. What is it?

A is the brother of B. B is the brother of C. C is the father of D. So how is D related to A?

A is D’s aunt.

A man was found murdered on Sunday morning. His wife immediately called the police. The police went to the crime scene and question the wife and staff and got these alibis: The wife said she was sleeping, the cook was eating breakfast, the gardener was picking vegetables, the maid was getting the mail, the butler was cleaning the closet. The police instantly arrested the murderer. Who did it and how did they know?

It was the Maid. She said she was getting the mail but there’s no mail on Sundays.

Difficult Riddles

All of the puzzles below are considered to be logic riddles , ones that you’ll really need to think about to get the answer . 

Tim and Mel are long-distance lovers. Tim has just purchased an engagement ring for Mel and wants to mail it to her. Unfortunately, the only way to ensure the ring will be received is to place a lock on the package. Tim has locks and Mel has locks but neither have keys for each others’ locks. How can they ensure the ring isn’t stolen?

Tim places a lock on the package and sends it to Mel. Mel places one of her locks on the package and sends it back to Tim. Tim removes his lock and sends the package back to Mel.

I am a word of 5 letters and people eat me. If you remove the first letter, I become a form of energy. Remove the first two and I’m needed to live. Scramble the last 3 and you can drink me. What am I?

Wheat, heat, eat, tea

Which English word is the odd one out – Stun, Ton, Evil, Letter , Mood, Bad, Snap, Straw?

The person who makes it has no need of it; the person who buys it has no use for it. The person who uses it can neither see nor feel it. What is it?

The answer I give is yes, but what I mean is no. What was the question?

“Do you mind ?”

My buddies and I were inseparable mates Til one by one were we split My teacher, she gave me a smack on the pate And off in the corner I sit. Admittedly still I’m not hitting the books Though now I’m hugging a tree I guess in the end it’s not bad as it looks I went from a C to a B…

(Clue: it’s an object)

What can go up a chimney down, but can’t go down a chimney up?

An umbrella.

What can you hold in your right hand, but never in your left hand?

Your left hand.

A man is found murdered in his office. The suspects are Peter, Julie, Jason, Molly, and Brian. In the office is a calendar with the numbers 6,4,9,10,11 written in blood. Who is the killer?

Jason is the killer. The numbers indicate months and the first letter of each month spells the name of the murderer, e.g. the 6th month is June and the first letter of June is J, the 4th month is April and the first letter of April is a, and so on.

There are 3 switches outside of a room, all in the ‘off’ setting. One of them controls a lightbulb inside the room, the other two do nothing. You cannot see into the room, and once you open the door to the room, you cannot flip any of the switches anymore. Before going into the room, how would you flip the switches in order to be able to tell which switch controls the light bulb?

Flip the first switch and keep it flipped for five minutes. Then unflip it, and flip the second switch. Go into the room. If the lightbulb is off but warm, the first switch controls it. If the light is on, the second switch controls it. If the light is off and cool, the third switch controls it.

You walk into a creepy house by yourself. There is no electricity, plumbing or ventilation. Inside you notice 3 doors with numbers on them. Once you open the doors you will die a particular way. Door #1 You’ll be eaten by a lion who is hungry. Door #2 You’ll be stabbed to death. Door #3 There is an electric chair waiting for you. Which door do you pick?

Door #3, Since There Is No Electricity To Harm You.

With pointed fangs I sit and wait, with piercing force I serve out fate. Grabbing bloodless victims, proclaiming my might; physically joining with a single bite. What am I?

Short Riddles: Math Edition 

Everyone loves a good ol math riddle!   Math riddles are a great way to test your smarts and make sure that you actually did learn something in school: 

I have two coins equaling fifteen cents. One of them is not a nickel. What are the two coins?

A dime and a nickel. One of the coins is not a nickel, but the other one is. 

Mom and dad have four daughters, and each daughter has one brother . How many people are in the family?

If 9999=4, 8888=8, 1816=6, 1212=0, then 1919=? (Clue: Closed areas.)

2. 9999 has 4 closed areas (the top of the ‘9’).8888 has 8 closed areas (the top and bottom parts of 8 and there are no other digits). 1816 has 3 closed areas (top and bottom of 8 and bottom of 6, and it has 2 other digits (3 * 2 = 6)). 1212 has 0 closed areas, (0 * 4 = 0).

If you multiply me by any other number, the answer will always remain the same. What number am I?

Which is correct: 18 plus 19 is 36. Or 18 plus 19 are 36?

Actually, both are incorrect – 18 plus 19 is 37!

When does 11+3=2?

On a clock.

There was a large truck that needed to cross a 20-mile long bridge. Unfortunately, the bridge could only hold the weight of 12000 lbs. Even a single pound extra, the bridge would collapse. However, the weight of the truck is exactly 12000 lbs. The driver carefully drove and crossed almost 85% distance of the bridge. He stopped to get a small break. Suddenly, a bird landed on the truck. Did the bridge collapse? 

No, the bridge doesn’t collapse. The truck almost crossed 85% of total distance. Equivalent diesel would have been lost. So the extra weight of the bridge doesn’t add any extra load to the bridge.

3 hens lay 3 eggs in 3 days. How many eggs do 12 hens give in 12 days?

48 eggs. One hen lays 1 egg in 3 days or 4 eggs in 12 days. 12 hens give 48 eggs in 12 days.

Challenging Adult Riddles 

Here are some fun yet complicated riddles for adults wanting to challenge themselves and really use the depths of their brains to figure out the answer (s).

Hard Mythology Riddle  

There is a mythological story of a Sphinx, a monster with the body of a lion and the head of a woman. Apparently, the Sphinx sat on top of a rock along the road to the city of Thebes, stopping travelers and proposing to them a riddle . The Sphinx claimed that whoever failed the riddle would be killed, and evidently, not pass through to the city. This is the riddle : 

What animal walks on four legs in the morning, two legs during the day, and three legs in the evening?

Oedipus, the king of Thebes, figured out the answer to this logic puzzle :

Man, who in childhood creeps on hands and knees, in manhood walks erect, and in old age with the aid of a staff. (Morning, day, and night are representative of the stages of life.)

Buried Treasure Riddle

The best way to find the right answer to this brainteaser is through logic and deductive reasoning. 

After a storm tears through the Hex Archipelago, you find five grizzled survivors in the water. Shivering their timbers, they explain that they’re the former crew of the great pirate Greenbeard, who marooned them after they tried to mutiny. Each was bound up in a different spot on a small island, until the storm washed them out to sea. In gratitude for saving them, they reveal a secret: the island they were on is also where Greenbeard has buried his treasure hoard. But when the sailors try to describe the island, something seems off. All agree it was flat and barren with no prominent features except for some trees. Yet each pirate claims they saw a different number of trees, ranging from two to six. The pirate who saw two trees says the treasure was buried right at his feet. When you fly your hot air balloon over the area to investigate, you see hundreds of small islands, each with exactly six trees. The next storm will be here soon, so you’ll have to hurry and narrow your search. What does the island with Greenbeard’s treasure look like from the sky? And where will the treasure be on that island? 

• All islands have exactly 6 trees of equal height. 
• The islands are all flat, have no obstructions other than trees and their precise shapes aren’t important.
• Each pirate was confined in a specific spot and saw a different number of trees, ranging from 2 to 6. They could look all around but not move. 
• The treasure was buried at the feet of the pirate who saw 2 trees.

No, the pirates aren’t delirious from dehydration. Remember, each was confined to a separate point on the island, and no two of them could see the same number of trees. That means that for all but one pirate, something was blocking their view. And since there are no other features on the island, that something could only have been other trees.

A pirate would see fewer trees when two or more fell along a straight line from their vantage point. So we need to find the island where five different pirates standing in different spots would each see a different number of trees. Virtually every island has a position from which you can see six trees. And on most islands there’s a position where 5 trees can be seen by standing in line with two of them. It turns out that the hardest locations to find are those with fewer visible trees precisely because they require more trees to line up with the viewer’s position. So how can we see just two trees. One way would be if all the trees were lined up in single file, such as on this island. Then, you could stand at the end of the line and see one, stand in the middle and see two, or stand anywhere else and see all six. But there’s no place from which you can see only three, four, or five, so one straight line of trees is out. So what about two lines of trees? So long as the lines aren’t parallel and they intersect over land, there’ll always be a position where the two lines converge from which you could see exactly two trees. And if they’re grouped two and four, or three and three, there are many arrangements in which you could also see three, four, five, and six trees. 

Fortunately for us, there’s only one island in the archipelago with two non-parallel lines of trees, and it’ll be buried at the intersection of the two lines. (X marks the spot!) You land on this island and dig up a chest containing a massive pile of tree seeds. 

Prisoner Hat Riddle

Here’s a great mind -boggling riddle :

100 prisoners are lined up single file. A blue or red hat is placed on each of their heads randomly. The prisoners cannot see the color of the hat on their own head, but they can see the colors of all the hats in front of them. The prisoner in the back can clearly see all 99 hats in front of him. The 50th prisoner in line can see the 49 hats in front of him, and the prisoner in the front of the line cannot see anything but the forest before him. Also, the prisoners don’t know the proportion of red hats to blue hats in advance—it could be 50/50, but it could also be any combination that adds to 100.

A guard is going to walk down the line, starting in the back, and ask each prisoner what color hat they have on. They can only answer “blue” or “red.” If they answer incorrectly or say anything else, they will be shot dead on the spot. If they answer correctly, they will be set free. Each prisoner can hear all of the other prisoners’ responses, as well as any gunshots that indicate an incorrect response. They can remember all of this information.

Before the executions begin, the prisoners get to huddle up and make a plan. How can the prisoners ensure that most people possible survive?

The prisoners come up with the following plan: 

If the first prisoner to speak—the one in the back of the line—sees an even number of blue hats, he will yell out “blue.” If he sees an odd number of blue hats, he will yell out “red.”

Let’s assume the first prisoner to speak yells out “blue,” indicating that he sees an even number of blue hats. Then the next prisoner to speak can look at the line in front of him, and if he sees an odd number of blue hats, he knows his hat must be blue to make the number even. Similarly, if he sees an even number of blue hats, he knows his hat must be red to keep it that way. The same logic works if the first prisoner yells out “red,” indicating that there are an odd number of blue hats.

The next prisoner in line listens to the prisoner behind him and takes that information into consideration. If he sees an even number of blue hats and the prisoner behind him yells “blue,” making the total number of blue hats odd, then he knows his hat must be blue to make the total number even again (of the 99 seen by the first prisoner). In the same situation, if his hat were red, the total number of blue hats would be odd (of the 99 seen by the first prisoner).

As you go down the line, each prisoner must count how many blue hats are behind them. Then he must consider the blue hats in front of him. If the number of blue hats behind a prisoner plus the blue hats he can see in front of him equals an odd number, then he knows his hat must be blue to make the total number even, or red to make the total number odd (not counting the very first prisoner).

The very first prisoner is the maybe-martyr of the group. He is imparting information to the rest of the group that has nothing to do with the hat on his own head, which he cannot know, and so his chances of living are only 50%.

More Riddles

• Riddles with Answers
• Short Riddles
• Riddles for Adults
• Riddles for Teens
• Riddles for Kids
• Funny Riddles
• Tricky Riddles
• Hard Riddles
• Easy Riddles
• Math Riddles

January Nelson

January Nelson is a writer, editor, and dreamer. She writes about astrology, games, love, relationships, and entertainment. January graduated with an English and Literature degree from Columbia University.

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85 Tricky Riddles for Adults That Will Really Test Your Knowledge

These brain-teasers range from super easy to downright mind-boggling.

We've got plenty of clever, hard and downright mind-boggling brain-teasers for you to solve. But if you're looking for something a little easier, we also got a ton of kid-friendly riddles you can figure with your children. There are also plenty of math riddles , too, which will come in handy as icebreakers during work meetings, in the classroom or at a party.

And don't think we just left you hanging with these questions. All of the answers to the mysteries are included.

Be sure to let us know which was your favorite in the comments below!

Easy Riddles

Q: What 5-letter word typed in all capital letters can be read the same upside down?

Q: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?

A: Footsteps.

Q:David's father has three sons: Snap, Crackle, and _____?

Q: What is more useful when it is broken?

Q: I am easy to lift, but hard to throw. What am I?

A: A feather.

Q: Where do you take a sick boat?

A: To the dock-tor.

Q: Which fish costs the most?

A: A goldfish.

Q: What goes up, but never comes down?

Q: A cowboy rode into town on Friday. He stayed for three nights and rode out on Friday. How is this possible?

A: His horse's name is Friday.

Q: What has a neck but no head?

A: A bottle

Q: What is full of holes but still holds water?

A: A sponge

Q: How do you spell COW in thirteen letters?

A: SEE O DOUBLE YOU.

Q: Why is Europe like a frying pan?

A: Because it has Greece at the bottom.

Math Riddles

Q: If 2 is company and 3 is a crowd, what are 4 and 5?

Q: I add 5 to 9 and get 2. The answer is correct, so what am I?

A: A clock. When it is 9 a.m., adding 5 hours would make it 2 p.m.

Q: Rachel goes to the supermarket and buys 10 tomatoes. Unfortunately, on the way back home, all but 9 get ruined. How many tomatoes are left in a good condition?

Q: What is 3/7 chicken, 2/3 cat, and 2/4 goat?

A: Chicago!

Q: If a zookeeper had 100 pairs of animals in her zoo, and two pairs of babies are born for each one of the original animals, then (sadly) 23 animals don’t survive, how many animals do you have left in total?

A: 977 animals (100 x 2 = 200; 200 + 800 = 1000; 1000 – 23 = 977)

Q: I saw my math teacher with a piece of graph paper yesterday.

A: I think he must be plotting something.

Q: If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is this?

Q: I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?

Q: What 3 numbers give the same result when multiplied and added together?

A: 1, 2, and 3 (1 + 2 + 3 = 6 and 1 x 2 x 3 = 6).

Q: What's a single-digit number with no value?

Q: A tree doubled in height each year until it reached its maximum height over the course of ten years. How many years did it take for the tree to reach half its maximum height?

A: Nine years.

Funny Riddles

Q: How can you drop a raw egg from a height onto a concrete floor without cracking it?

A: Concrete floors are very hard to crack.

Q: Pronounced as 1 letter, And written with 3, 2 letters there are, and 2 only in me. I’m double, I’m single, I’m black blue, and gray, I’m read from both ends, and the same either way. What am I?

Q: Who has married many women but was never married?

A: The priest

Q: Forward, I am heavy; backward, I am not. What am I?

Q: What can you hold in your right hand, but never in your left hand?

A: Your left hand.

Q: If two snakes marry, what will their towels say?

A: Hiss and hers

Q: What does a man do only once in his lifetime, but women do once a year after they are 29?

Hard Riddles

Q: Four cars come to a four-way stop, each coming from a different direction. They can’t decide who got there first, so they all go forward at the same time. All 4 cars go, but none crash into each other. How is this possible?

A: They all made right-hand turns.

Q: I have a head like a cat and feet like a cat, but I am not a cat. What am I?

A: A kitten.

Q: Who makes it, has no need of it. Who buys it, has no use for it. Who uses it can neither see nor feel it. What is it?

A: A coffin.

Q: What has hands but cannot clap?

A: A clock.

Q: Paul's height is six feet, he's an assistant at a butcher's shop, and wears size 9 shoes. What does he weigh?

Q: What gets broken without being held?

A: A promise.

Q: Poor people have it. Rich people need it. If you eat it you die. What is it?

A: Nothing.

Q: What is the longest word in the dictionary?

A: Smiles, because there is a mile between each ‘s’.

Q: Throw away the outside and cook the inside, then eat the outside and throw away the inside. What is it?

A: Corn on the cob.

Q: What is at the end of a rainbow?

A: The letter W!

Q: What kind of tree can you carry in your hand?

Q: They come out at night without being called, and are lost in the day without being stolen. What are they?

Q: What is always in front of you, but can’t be seen?

A: The future.

Q: You’ll find me in Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. But never Neptune, or Venus. What am I?

A: The letter “R”.

Q: How many months have 28 days?

A: Every month has 28 days.

Q: I can be cracked, made, told, and played. What am I?

Q: I cannot talk, but I always reply when spoken to. What am I?

A: An echo.

Q: When is the top of a mountain similar to a savings account?

A: When it peaks one’s interest.

Q: A man goes out for a walk during a storm with nothing to protect him from the rain. He doesn’t have a hat, a hood, or an umbrella. But by the end of his walk, there isn’t a single wet hair on his head. Why doesn’t the man have wet hair?

A: He’s bald.

Q: I love to dance, and twist. I shake my tail as I sail away. When I fly wingless into the sky. What am I?

Q: When you stop to look, you can always see me. But if you try to touch me, you can never feel me. Although you walk towards me, I remain the same distance from you. What am I?

A: The horizon

Q: You see a boat filled with people. It has not sunk. But when you look back, you don’t see a single person on the boat. Why?

A: All the people on board are married.

Q: What is it that no one wants to have, but no one wants to lose either?

A: A lawsuit.

Q: I welcome the day with a show of light, I stealthily came here in the night.I bathe the earthy stuff at dawn, But by noon, alas! I'm gone.

A: The morning dew.

Q: What goes through cities and fields, but never moves?

Q: What can be touched but can't be seen?

A: Someone’s heart.

Q: In a bus, there is a 26-year-old pregnant lady, a 30-year-old policeman, a 52-year-old random woman, and the driver who is 65 years old. Who is the youngest?

A: The baby of the pregnant lady.

Q: When it is alive we sing, when it is dead we clap our hands. What is it?

A: A birthday candle.

Q: What can go through glass without breaking it?

Q: What gets bigger the more you take away?

Q: I have no life, but I can die. What am I?

A: A battery.

Q: What kind of room has no walls, door or windows?

A: A mushroom.

Q: It belongs to you, but your friends use it more. What is it?

A: Your name.

Q: What 2 things can you never eat for breakfast?

A: Lunch and dinner.

Q: I make a loud sound when I’m changing. When I do change, I get bigger but weigh less. What am I?

A: Popcorn.

Q: It has keys, but no locks. It has space, but no room. You can enter, but can’t go inside. What is it?

A: A keyboard.

Q: I’m orange, I wear a green hat and I sound like a parrot. What am I?

A: A carrot.

Q: What runs all around a backyard, yet never moves?

A: A fence.

Q: Take off my skin - I won't cry, but you will! What am I?

A: An onion.

Q: What invention lets you look right through a wall?

A: A window.

Q: What is always on its way but never arrives?

A: Tomorrow.

Q: Two girls were born to the same mother, on the same day, at the same time, in the same month and year, and yet they're not twins. How can this be?

A: The two babies are two of a set of triplets.

Q: What has a bottom at the top?

A: Your legs.

Q: What can you catch but never throw?

Q: What has many teeth but cannot bite?

Q: What has branches, but no fruit, trunk, or leaves?

Q: What thrives when you feed it but dies when you water it?

Q: What do you buy to eat but never consume?

A: Cutlery.

Q: Two fathers and two sons are in a car, yet there are only three people in the car. How?

A: They are grandfather, father, and son.

Q: A bus driver goes the wrong way down a one-way street. He passes the cops, but they don’t stop him. Why?

A: He was walking.

Q: If an electric train is traveling south, then which way is the smoke going?

A: There is no smoke—it's an electric train.

Q: Where is the only place where today comes before yesterday?

A: The dictionary.

Q: What can you put in a bucket to make it weigh less?

Q: How can kids drink beer and not get drunk?

A: By sticking to root beer.

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20 Tough Riddles for Adults That Will Have You Scratching Your Head

Put your logic and math skills to the test. No cheating!

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us?

So go grab a pencil and a piece of scratch paper and prepare to rip your hair out (and we really do mean that in the best way possible). When you think you’ve got the right answer, click the link at the bottom of each riddle to find the solution. Got it wrong? No worries, you have 19 other riddles to test out.

Navigate Through Our Riddles:

Puzzmo / The King’s Orders / How Many Eggs? / The Gold Chain / Pickleball / Circuit Breaker / Two Trains, Two Grandmas / Ant Math / Peppermint Patty / Great American Rail Trail / A Cruel SAT Problem / Movie Stars Cross a River / Tribute to a Math Genius / One Belt, One Earth / Elbow Tapping / Whiskey Problem / Doodle Problem / Stumping Scientists / What ’ s On Her Forehead? / Keanu for President / Who Opened the Lockers?

Riddle No. 1: The King’s Orders Make for One Hell of a Brain Teaser

Difficulty: easy.

King Nupe of the kingdom Catan dotes on his two daughters so much that he decides the kingdom would be better off with more girls than boys, and he makes the following decree: All child-bearing couples must continue to bear children until they have a daughter!

But to avoid overpopulation, he makes an additional decree: All child-bearing couples will stop having children once they have a daughter! His subjects immediately begin following his orders.

After many years, what’s the expected ratio of girls to boys in Catan?

The likelihood of each baby born being a girl is, of course, 50 percent.

Ready for the solution? Click here to see if you’re right .

Riddle No. 2: How Many Eggs Does This Hen Lay?

This problem is in honor of my dad, Harold Feiveson. It’s due to him that I love math puzzles, and this is one of the first problems (of many) that he gave me when I was growing up.

A hen and a half lays an egg and a half in a day and a half. How many eggs does one hen lay in one day?

Riddle No. 3: The Gold Chain Math Problem Is Deceptively Simple

Difficulty: moderate.

You’re rummaging around your great grandmother’s attic when you find five short chains each made of four gold links. It occurs to you that if you combined them all into one big loop of 20 links, you’d have an incredible necklace. So you bring it into a jeweler, who tells you the cost of making the necklace will be $10 for each gold link that she has to break and then reseal.

How much will it cost?

Riddle No. 4: Try to Solve This Pickleball Puzzle

Difficulty: 🚨hard🚨.

Kenny, Abby, and Ned got together for a round-robin pickleball tournament, where, as usual, the winner stays on after each game to play the person who sat out that game. At the end of their pickleball afternoon, Abby is exhausted, having played the last seven straight games. Kenny, who is less winded, tallies up the games played:

Kenny played eight games

Abby played 12 games

Ned played 14 games

Who won the fourth game against whom?

How many total games were played?

Riddle No. 5: Our Circuit Breaker Riddle Is Pure Evil. Sorry.

The circuit breaker box in your new house is in an inconvenient corner of your basement. To your chagrin, you discover none of the 100 circuit breakers is labeled, and you face the daunting prospect of matching each circuit breaker to its respective light. (Suppose each circuit breaker maps to only one light.)

To start with, you switch all 100 lights in the house to “on,” and then you head down to your basement to begin the onerous mapping process. On every trip to your basement, you can switch any number of circuit breakers on or off. You can then roam the hallways of your house to discover which lights are on and which are off.

What is the minimum number of trips you need to make to the basement to map every circuit breaker to every light?

The solution does not involve either switching on or off the light switches in your house or feeling how hot the lightbulbs are. You might want to try solving for the case of 10 unlabeled circuit breakers first.

Riddle No. 6: Two Trains. Two Grandmas. Can You Solve This Tricky Math Riddle?

Jesse’s two grandmothers want to see him every weekend, but they live on opposite sides of town. As a compromise, he tells them that every Sunday, he’ll head to the subway station nearest to his apartment at a random time of the day and will hop on the next train that arrives.

If it happens to be the train traveling north, he’ll visit his Grandma Erica uptown, and if it happens to be the train traveling south, he’ll visit his Grandma Cara downtown. Both of his grandmothers are okay with this plan, since they know both the northbound and southbound trains run every 20 minutes.

But after a few months of doing this, Grandma Cara complains that she sees him only one out of five Sundays. Jesse promises he’s indeed heading to the station at a random time each day. How can this be?

The trains always arrive at their scheduled times.

Riddle No. 7: Here’s a Really F@*#ing Hard Math Problem About Ants

Max and Rose are ant siblings. They love to race each other, but always tie, since they actually crawl at the exact same speed. So they decide to create a race where one of them (hopefully) will win.

For this race, each of them will start at the bottom corner of a cuboid, and then crawl as fast as they can to reach a crumb at the opposite corner. The measurements of their cuboids are as pictured:

If they both take the shortest possible route to reach their crumb, who will reach their crumb first? (Don’t forget they’re ants, so of course they can climb anywhere on the edges or surface of the cuboid.)

Remember: Think outside the box.

Riddle No. 8: This Peppermint Patty Riddle Is Practically Impossible

You’re facing your friend, Caryn, in a “candy-off,” which works as follows: There’s a pile of 100 caramels and one peppermint patty. You and Caryn will go back and forth taking at least one and no more than five caramels from the candy pile in each turn. The person who removes the last caramel will also get the peppermint patty. And you love peppermint patties.

Suppose Caryn lets you decide who goes first. Who should you choose in order to make sure you win the peppermint patty?

First, solve for a pile of 10 caramels.

Riddle No. 9: Can You Solve the Great American Rail-Trail Riddle?

This problem was suggested by the physicist P. Jeffrey Ungar.

Finally, the Great American Rail-Trail across the whole country is complete! Go ahead, pat yourself on the back—you’ve just installed the longest handrail in the history of the world, with 4,000 miles from beginning to end. But just after the opening ceremony, your assistant reminds you that the metal you used for the handrail expands slightly in summer, so that its length will increase by one inch in total.

“Ha!” you say, “One inch in a 4,000 mile handrail? That’s nothing!” But … are you right?

Let’s suppose when the handrail expands, it buckles upward at its weakest point, which is in the center. How much higher will pedestrians in the middle of the country have to reach in summer to grab the handrail? That is, in the figure below, what is h ? (For the purposes of this question, ignore the curvature of the Earth and assume the trail is a straight line.)

Pythagoras is a fascinating historical figure.

Riddle No. 10: This Riddle Is Like an Especially Cruel SAT Problem. Can You Find the Answer?

Amanda lives with her teenage son, Matt, in the countryside—a car ride away from Matt’s school. Every afternoon, Amanda leaves the house at the same time, drives to the school at a constant speed, picks Matt up exactly when his chess club ends at 5 p.m., and then they immediately return home together at the same constant speed. But one day, Matt isn’t feeling well, so he leaves chess practice early and starts to head home on his portable scooter.

After Matt has been scooting for an hour, Amanda comes across him in her car (on her usual route to pick him up), and they return together, arriving home 40 minutes earlier than they usually do. How much chess practice did Matt miss?

Consider the case where Amanda meets Matt exactly as she’s leaving their house.

Riddle No. 11: Can You Get These 3 Movie Stars Across the River?

Three movie stars, Chloe, Lexa, and Jon, are filming a movie in the Amazon. They’re very famous and very high-maintenance, so their agents are always with them. One day, after filming a scene deep in the rainforest, the three actors and their agents decide to head back to home base by foot. Suddenly, they come to a large river.

On the riverbank, they find a small rowboat, but it’s only big enough to hold two of them at one time. The catch? None of the agents are comfortable leaving their movie star with any other agents if they’re not there as well. They don’t trust that the other agents won’t try to poach their star.

For example, Chloe’s agent is okay if Chloe and Lexa are alone in the boat or on one of the riverbanks, but definitely not okay if Lexa’s agent is also with them. So how can they all get across the river?

There isn’t just one way to solve this problem.

Riddle No. 12: This Ludicrously Hard Riddle Is Our Tribute to a Late Math Genius. Can You Figure It Out?

On April 11, John Horton Conway , a brilliant mathematician who had an intense and playful love of puzzles and games, died of complications from COVID-19. Conway is the inventor of one of my favorite legendary problems (not for the faint of heart) and, famously, the Game of Life . I created this problem in his honor.

Carol was creating a family tree, but had trouble tracking down her mother’s birthdate. The only clue she found was a letter written from her grandfather to her grandmother on the day her mother was born. Unfortunately, some of the characters were smudged out, represented here with a “___” . (The length of the line does not reflect the number of smudged characters.)

“Dear Virginia,

Little did I know when I headed to work this Monday morning, that by evening we would have a beautiful baby girl. And on our wedding anniversary, no less! It makes me think back to that incredible weekend day, J___ 27th, 19___ , when we first shared our vow to create a family together, and, well, here we are! Happy eighth anniversary, my love.

Love, Edwin”

The question: When was Carol’s mother born?

This problem is inspired by Conway’s Doomsday Rule .

Riddle No. 13: To Solve This Twisty Math Riddle, You Just Need One Belt and One Earth

Imagine you have a very long belt. Well, extremely long, really … in fact, it’s just long enough that it can wrap snugly around the circumference of our entire planet. (For the sake of simplicity, let’s suppose Earth is perfectly round, with no mountains, oceans, or other barriers in the way of the belt.)

Naturally, you’re very proud of your belt. But then your brother, Peter, shows up—and to your disgruntlement, he produces a belt that’s just a bit longer than yours. He brags his belt is longer by exactly his height: 6 feet.

If Peter were also to wrap his belt around the circumference of Earth, how far above the surface could he suspend the belt if he pulled it tautly and uniformly?

Earth’s circumference is about 25,000 miles, or 130 million feet … but you don’t need to know that to solve this problem.

Riddle No. 14: This Elbow Tapping Riddle Is Diabolical. Good Luck Solving It.

In some future time, when the shelter-in-place bans are lifted, a married couple, Florian and Julia, head over to a bar to celebrate their newfound freedom.

They find four other couples there who had the same idea.

Eager for social contact, every person in the five couples enthusiastically taps elbows (the new handshake) with each person they haven’t yet met .

It actually turns out many of the people had known each other prior, so when Julia asks everyone how many elbows they each tapped, she remarkably gets nine different answers!

The question: How many elbows did Florian tap?

What nine answers did Julia hear?

Riddle No. 15: You’ll Need a Drink After Trying to Solve This Whisky Riddle

Alan and Claire live by the old Scottish saying, “Never have whisky without water, nor water without whisky!” So one day, when Alan has in front of him a glass of whisky, and Claire has in front of her a same-sized glass of water, Alan takes a spoonful of his whisky and puts it in Claire’s water. Claire stirs her whisky-tinted water, and then puts a spoonful of this mixture back into Alan’s whisky to make sure they have exactly the same amount to drink.

So: Is there more water in Alan’s whisky, or more whisky in Claire’s water? And does it matter how well Claire stirred?

The size of the spoon does not matter.

Riddle No. 16: The Doodle Problem Is a Lot Harder Than It Looks. Can You Solve It?

This week’s riddle is relatively simple—but sinister all the same.

The question: Can you make 100 by interspersing any number of pluses and minuses within the string of digits 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1? You can’t change the order of the digits! So what’s the least number of pluses and minuses needed to make 100?

For instance, 98 - 7 - 6 + 54 - 32 shows one way of interspersing pluses and minuses, but since it equals 107, it’s not a solution.

I call this a “doodle problem”: one that’s best worked on during meetings where you might be doodling otherwise.

You might want to start looking for solutions that use a total of seven pluses and minuses (although there are ways to use fewer).

Ready for the solution? Click here to see if you’re right.

Riddle No. 17: This Math Puzzle Stumped Every Scientist but One. Think You Can Crack It?

Difficulty: hard.

In honor of Freeman Dyson, the renowned physicist who died last month , here’s a legendary tale demonstrating his quick wit and incredible brain power.

One day, in a gathering of top scientists, one of them wondered out loud whether there exists an integer that you could exactly double by moving its last digit to its front. For instance, 265 would satisfy this if 526 were its exact double—which it isn’t.

After apparently just five seconds , Dyson responded, “Of course there is, but the smallest such number has 18 digits.”

This left some of the smartest scientists in the world puzzling over how he could have figured this out so quickly.

So given Dyson’s hint, what is the smallest such number?

My second grader has recently learned how to add a 3-digit number to itself using the classic vertical method:

18-digit numbers, of course, can be added in the same way.

Riddle No. 18: Figure Out What’s on Her Forehead

Cecilia loves testing the logic of her very logical friends Jaya, Julian, and Levi, so she announces:

“I’ll write a positive number on each of your foreheads. None of the numbers are the same, and two of the numbers add up to the third.”

She scribbles the numbers on their heads, then turns to Jaya and asks her what her number is. Jaya sees Julian has 20 on his forehead, and Levi has 30 on his. She thinks for a moment and then says, “I don’t know what my number is.” Julian pipes in, “I also don’t know my number,” and then Levi exclaims, “Me neither!” Cecilia gleefully says, “I’ve finally stumped you guys!”

“Not so fast!” Jaya says. “Now I know my number!”

What is Jaya’s number?

Jaya could be one of two numbers, but only one of those numbers would lead to Julian and Levi both not knowing their numbers. Why?

Riddle No. 19: Can You Get Keanu Reeves Elected As President?

It’s 2024, and there are five candidates running in the democratic primary: Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Mark Cuban, Keanu Reeves, and Dwayne Johnson. (Hey, it could happen.) As usual, the first primary is in Iowa.

In an effort to overcome its embarrassment after the 2020 caucus debacle , the Iowa Democratic Party has just announced a new, foolproof way of finding the best candidate: there will be four consecutive elections.

First, candidate 1 will run against candidate 2. Next, the winner of that will run against candidate 3, then that winner will run against candidate 4, and finally the winner of that election will run against the final candidate. By the transitive property, the winner of this last election must be the best candidate ... so says the Iowa Democratic Party.

Candidate Keanu has been feeling pretty low, as he knows he is ranked near the bottom by most voters, and at the top by none. In fact, he knows the Iowa population is divided into five equal groups, and that their preferences are as follows:

Keanu is childhood friends with Bill S. Preston, Esq., the new head of the Iowa Democratic Party. Preston, confident that the order of the candidates doesn’t matter for the outcome, tells Keanu he can choose the voting order of the candidates.

So what order should Keanu choose?

How would Keanu fare in one-to-one races against each candidate?

Riddle No. 20: Who Opened All These Damn Lockers?

There are 100 lockers that line the main hallway of Chelm High School. Every night, the school principal makes sure all the lockers are closed so that there will be an orderly start to the next day. One day, 100 mischievous students decide that they will play a prank.

The students all meet before school starts and line up. The first student then walks down the hallway, and opens every locker. The next student follows by closing every other locker (starting at the second locker). Student 3 then goes to every third locker (starting with the third) and opens it if it’s closed, and closes it if it’s open. Student 4 follows by opening every fourth locker if it’s closed and closing it if it’s open. This goes on and on until Student 100 finally goes to the hundredth locker. When the principal arrives later in the morning, which lockers does she find open?

Make sure you pay attention to all of the factors.

Laura Feiveson is an economist for the government, a storyteller, and a lifelong enthusiast of math puzzles.  She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and two daughters. 

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100+Riddles for Adults with answers: To Boost Your Brainpower

Up a chimney down-riddles for adults.

• Show Answer Answer: An umbrella

End of Everything-Riddles for adults

• Show Answer Answer: The letter ?G?

What is It -Riddles for adults

• Show Answer Answer: Silence

Read the Same Upside Down-Riddles for adults

• Show Answer Answer: SWIMS.

Come Out at Night-Riddles for adults

• Show Answer Answer: Stars!

Mountain Saving Account-Riddles for adults

• Show Answer Answer: When it peaks one?s interest.

26-Year-Old Pregnant Lady- Riddles for adults

• Show Answer Answer: The baby of the pregnant lady.

Alive we Sing, Dead we Clap - Riddles for adults

• Show Answer Answer: A birthday candle.

Glass Without Breaking-Riddles for adults

• Show Answer Answer: Light.

More You Take Away-Riddles for adults

10. riddles.

• Show Answer Answer: A hole.

Born to Same Mother-Riddles for adults

11. riddles.

• Show Answer Answer: The two babies are two of a set of triplets.

Man and Boss-Riddles for adults

12. riddles.

• Show Answer Answer: He's self-employed

Alexas children-Riddles for adults

13. riddles.

• Show Answer Answer: Five children?all four daughters have the same brother

Letter "t" and island-Riddles for adults

14. riddles.

• Show Answer Answer: They are both found in the middle of water

Sam's dad-Riddles for adults

15. riddles.

• Show Answer Answer: Sam

14 challenging brainteasers and riddles only smart people can solve

• Insider compiled a list of challenging logic problems, riddles, and word puzzles.
• We've also included the answers below each picture, so don't scroll too quickly.
• Some are a play on words, while others need multiple steps to figure out.

Get ready for a challenge. 

The 14 puzzles below are a mix of riddles, logic problems, and word games, but they all have one thing in common: They'll take brainpower to solve.

Keep reading to see if you can figure out the answers — and to see how smart you really are.

1. If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you don't have me. What am I?

Answer : A secret.

Source: RhinoBarbarian, Reddit

2. You're escaping a labyrinth, and there are three doors in front of you. The door on the left leads to a raging inferno. The door in the center leads to a deadly assassin. The door on the right leads to a lion that hasn't eaten in three months. Which door do you choose?

Answer: The door on the right.

Explanation:  The lion would be dead after not eating for three months.

Source:  AntmanIV, Reddit

3. If I am holding a bee, what do I have in my eye?

Answer: Beauty.

Explanation:  This riddle is a play on the proverb, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." In this case, you are the "bee-holder." Thus, beauty is in your eye.

Source: lipwiggler, Reddit

4. An old man dies, leaving behind two sons. In his will, he orders his sons to race with their horses, and the one with the slower horse will receive his inheritance. The two sons race, but since they're both holding their horses back, they go to a wise man and ask him what they should do. After that, the brothers race again — this time at full speed. What did the wise man tell them?

Answer: To switch horses.

Explanation:  After they switch horses, whoever wins the race will get the inheritance because they still technically own the losing (i.e., slower) horse.

Source:  qweiopasd, Reddit

5. Turn me on my side and I am everything. Cut me in half and I am nothing. What am I?

Answer: The number 8.

Explanation:  On its side, the number 8 looks like an infinity symbol. Cut in half, the number 8 becomes two zeros.

Source: romz7, Reddit

6. A farmer needs to take a fox, a chicken, and a sack of grain across a river. The only way across the river is by a small boat, which can only hold the farmer and one of the three items. Left unsupervised, the chicken will eat the grain, and the fox will eat the chicken. However, the fox won't try to eat the grain, and neither the fox nor the chicken will wander off. How does the farmer get everything across the river?

Answer: The farmer must follow these steps.

1. Take the chicken across the river. 2. Come back with an empty boat. 3. Take the grain across the river. 4. Bring the chicken back. 5. Take the fox across the river. 6. Come back with an empty boat. 7. Take the chicken across the river.

Source: someguyinworld, Reddit

7. If you have a 7-minute hourglass and an 11-minute hourglass, how can you boil an egg in exactly 15 minutes?

Answer: To boil the egg in exactly 15 minutes, follow these steps.

1. Start both hourglasses as you start boiling the egg. 2. After the 7-minute hourglass runs out, turn it to start it again. 3. Four minutes later, when the 11-minute hourglass runs out, turn the 7-minute hourglass again. 4. Wait for the 7-minute hourglass to run out, which will take another four minutes and get you to exactly 15 minutes of boiling time.

Source:  DarylHannahMontana, Reddit

8. You are walking down a road and come to a fork. One path leads to certain death; the other leads to eternal happiness. You don't know which is which. In the middle of the fork, you come across two brothers who know which road is which. One brother always tells the truth and the other always lies. You can only ask them one question. How would you determine which road to take?

Answer: Ask each brother, "If you were your brother, which road would you say leads to eternal happiness?"

Explanation:  Let's say the path on the right leads to eternal happiness. After you ask your question, both brothers will tell you the exact same thing: "He would say the left path leads to eternal happiness."

As Reddit user OnscreenForecaster explained, "In either case ... you would pick the opposite of what they both say because one is telling the truth about it being a lie, and one is lying about it being the truth."

Source:  SneeKeeFahk, Reddit

9. What is next in this sequence of numbers: 1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221, 312211, ______?

Answer: 13112221.

Explanation:  Each sequence of numbers is a verbal representation of the sequence before it. Thus, starting with 1, the next sequence would be "one one," or "11." That sequence is followed by "two one," or "21," and so on and so forth.

Still confused? Here's a good explanation by Reddit user hankthetank921 :

The first number is just ONE (amount) "1" (0-9 numeral). So if you say there's ONE "1" (seriously just say it aloud) the next number would be an 11. Then there are TWO "1's", creating 21. Then ONE "2" and ONE "1" which creates 1,211. Then ONE "1", ONE "2", and TWO "1's" creating 111,221 ... and so on.

Source: arsenal7777, Reddit

10. Four people arrive at a river with a narrow bridge that can only hold two people at a time. It's nighttime and they have one torch that has to be used when crossing the bridge. Person A can cross the bridge in one minute, B in two minutes, C in five minutes, and D in eight minutes. When two people cross the bridge together, they must move at the slower person's pace. Can they all get across the bridge in 15 minutes or less?

Answer: Yes, they can cross in exactly 15 minutes.

Explanation:  The group of four must follow these steps.

1. First, A and B cross the bridge and A brings the light back. This takes 3 minutes. 2. Next, C and D cross and B brings the light back. This takes another 10 minutes. 3. Finally, A and B cross again. This takes another 2 minutes.

Source:  bananaslayer100, Reddit

11. A rebus is a pictogram that represents a word, phrase, or saying. For example, "Ci ii" represents "See eye to eye." What word or phrase does the following rebus represent: O_ER_T_O_?

Answer: Painless operation.

Explanation :  The letters missing in O_ER _T _O_ (OPERATION) spell out PAIN. Thus, "pain-less" operation.

Source:  kjivxx, Reddit

12. During a recent census, a man told the census taker that he had three children. When asked their ages, he replied, "The product of their ages is 72. The sum of their ages is the same as my house number." The census taker ran to the man's front door and looked at the house number. "I still can't tell," she complained. The man replied, "Oh that's right, I forgot to tell you that the oldest one likes chocolate pudding." The census taker then promptly wrote down the ages of the three children. How old are they?

Answer: 3, 3, and 8.

Explanation:  As Reddit users  TT1103 and RedditRage explained, the key to this brain teaser is that the census taker looks at the house number. In other words, she knows the sum of the children's ages.

However, at that point of the riddle, she still can't tell how old the man's children are. Therefore, she has to be stuck between multiple possibilities. To narrow it down further, only two sets of numbers that multiply to 72 share the same sum: (2,6,6) and (3,3,8).

After the man reveals that his oldest   child likes chocolate pudding, however, the census taker can differentiate between the two options. That is, only the latter of those two sets has a distinct "oldest" child.

Source: mikebrown_pelican, Reddit

13. You're in a dark room with a candle, a wood stove, and a gas lamp. You only have one match, so what do you light first?

Answer: The match.

Source: notarobot45, Reddit

14. There are five bags of gold that all look identical, and each has 10 gold pieces in it. One of the five bags has fake gold in it. The real gold, fake gold, and all five bags are identical in every way, except the pieces of fake gold each weigh 1.1 grams, and the real gold pieces each weigh 1 gram. You have a perfectly accurate digital gram scale and can use it only once. How do you determine which bag has the fake gold?

Answer: Take one gold piece from the first bag, two from the second bag, three from the third bag, four from the fourth bag, and five from the fifth bag. If the weight on the scale ends in .1, then you know the first bag has the fake gold. If the weight on the scale ends in .2, then the second bag has the fake gold, and so on and so forth.

Source: dankability, Reddit

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24 Really Hard Riddles For Adults: Keep Your Mind Alive With Fun Puzzles!

Home » Riddles » 24 Really Hard Riddles For Adults: Keep Your Mind Alive With Fun Puzzles!

by Kyle Boureston | June 2nd, 2023

Kyle is the founder of Mantelligence, a relationship & dating coach, and a conversation & communication expert. His work has been featured on Marriage.com, Reader's Digest, Vice, Ask Men, and Refinery29. He ... Read Full Bio

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via: Pexels / Pavel Danilyuk

If you're looking for  hard riddles for adults to really get your brain thinking, this post is for you.

As an expert in riddles for adults, I've been published on sites like Rest Nova and Last Call Trivia . Because of my wide knowledge of anything riddles and trivia, I know all the hard riddles to excite you, your family, and your friends!

Let's get thinking.

Unbreakable List of Hard Riddles for Adults

via: Pexels / Porapak Apichodilok

We appreciate easy riddles, but as adults, there's something about hard riddles that get us going. The mind-boggling puzzles are enjoyable because you know you're exercising your brain and learning something along the way. Not to mention, many hard riddles are funny when you think about them.

That is why I've collected some of the best hard riddles for adults for anyone to enjoy. Whether you're using it for game night or a friendly conversation, it's always nice to know some riddles.

Riddle Categories

4 Hardest Puzzles For Grown-ups (With Answers)

via: Pexels / cottonbro

If you can answer the  hardest riddles , you can solve anything! These riddles are so challenging they will take you a long time to decode. However, once you get them, it's as fulfilling as can be.

1. A man goes out in heavy rain with nothing to protect him from it. His hair doesn’t get wet. How does he do that?

View answer.

He is bald.

More Information

It makes sense because he doesn't have any hair. That means nothing will get wet. It's a clever riddle that seems simple but may not be something that will cross your mind.

2. I only lie down once - when I die. What am I?

via: Unsplash / Johann Siemens

3. There are two sisters. One gives birth to the other, and she, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are the two sisters?

Day and night.

Of course, if you take this literally, you wouldn't be able to get the answer. But this one is a really nice thought.

4. What has a heart that doesn’t beat?

An artichoke.

via: Unsplash / Martin Adams

4 Tough But Funny Mystery Questions for Oldies

via: Pexels / Kampus Production

Answering funny riddles for adults is double the fun! Puzzles are already fun but make it a funny riddle, and you will laugh nonstop. This list of the best funny riddles is something that you should keep in your mind. If you want to make people laugh, it will take you just one brain teaser.

5. Two girls were born to the same mother, on the same day, at the same time, in the same month, and in the same year, however, they’re not twins. How is this possible?

The two girls are a part of a set of triplets.

This riddle is one of the good riddles out there because it's very confusing! But it gets funny once you realize that a mother can give birth to more than two girls in one go.

6. Three different doctors said that Paul is their brother, yet Paul claims he has no brothers. Who is lying?

No one is lying because the three doctors are Paul’s sisters.

via: Unsplash / Cdn Pages

7. You measure my life in hours, and I serve you by expiring. I'm quick when I'm thin and slow when I'm fat. The wind is my enemy.

This one is actually a tough riddle, but it makes complete sense! Especially because the thin and fat part kind of gives the answer away.

8. I come from a mine and get surrounded by wood always. Everyone uses me. What am I?

Pencil lead.

via: Unsplash / Francesco Lo Giudice

3 Not so Easy But Clever Puzzles for Grownups

via: Pexels / MART PRODUCTION

If you're a big fan of riddles and brain teasers , you know that the more clever a riddle is, the better! Many riddles are a play on the English language, so it's really great to get into them. Each puzzle is like decoding a mystery.

9. I am laced twice in eternity and always within sight. What could I be?

The letter “T.”

Letter riddles like this are fun. You think the answer is clever, but it just turns out to be a letter. If you think about it, a riddle like this is an easy riddle; if only it's not so confusing.

10. What English word retains the same pronunciation, even after you take away four of its five letters?

via: Unsplash / Gabriella Clare Marino

11. What kind of coat is always wet when you put it on?

A coat of paint.

Difficult riddles like this can be ridiculous at times. It's funny because it makes so much sense, but also it doesn't!

4 Hard but Short Riddles For Adults

Don't let these short riddles fool you! They're short, but they're tricky. Get your thinking caps on and answer these as fast as you can.

12. How many letters are in the alphabet?

Eleven letters are in "the alphabet."

This is such a play on words! You think you got the right answer, but you don't! It's funny and hard riddles that make you suspicious of future puzzles.

13. What has only two words but thousands of letters?

A Post Office.

via: Pexels / Kelly

14. What has ten letters and starts with gas?

An automobile.

Yes, we can't argue with that. An automobile wouldn't start without gas.

15. People in poverty have this. If you eat this, you will die. What is it?

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3 Difficult But Long Puzzles For Young at Heart

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If you're not a fan of short riddles, maybe long puzzles will do it for you! These riddles are longer but just as clever and mind-boggling.

16. How can you throw a ball as hard as you can only to have it come back to you without it bouncing off of anything?

Throw the ball straight into the air.

This riddle is tricky, but when you think about it, it's pretty common sense. It's just playing on the imagery to confuse you!

17. I am the beginning of the end of time and space that surrounds everything and every place. What am I?

The letter “E.”

via: Pexels / Magda Ehlers

18. A man attending his mother’s funeral sees a woman in another pew and experiences love at first sight. He tries to find her but has no luck. A few weeks later, he kills his sister. Why does he kill his sister?

He kills his sister in hopes of seeing the woman at her funeral.

That's a very bothersome way to see someone you have a crush on, isn't it?

3 Famous Mystery Questions Even Grownups Can't Answer

via: Pexels / Mohammed Suhail

Some riddles are so hard you probably won't be able to figure out the answer. Lucky for you, we provide solutions to these hard riddles.

19. What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?

You shouldn't take this riddle literally if you want to get the answer. Morning, noon, and evening are metaphors for stages of life!

20. How can the number four be half of five?

IV, the Roman numeral for four, which is “half” (two letters) of the word five.

via: Pexels / Mat Brown

21. What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?

The letter "M."

Letter riddles like this can really make you lose your trust with riddles.

3 Brain Teasers That Will Challenge Your Mind

via: Pexels / RODNAE Productions

If you're looking for some  brain riddles  that can challenge your mind, look no further. I've compiled the three most brain-teasing puzzles here!

22. You're in a dark room with a candle, a wood stove, and a gas lamp. You only have one match, so what do you light first?

Some people will look too deep into this and won't realize you have to light the match before strategizing anything else!

23. A Red House Is Made From Red Bricks. A Blue House Is Made From Blue Bricks. A Yellow House Is Made From Yellow Bricks. What Is A Green House Made From?

via: Pexels / Expect Best

24. Jenny Dropped An Earring In Her Coffee Yet The Earring Didn't Get Wet. How Did This Occur?

The earring was dropped into dry coffee grounds.

It makes sense because the riddle didn't specify that it was a coffee drink.

Downloadable/Printable List of Hard Riddles For Adults

Here is a downloadable and printable jpg/pdf list of riddles that are really hard to answer for adults (right-clicked the image and select Save Image As...)

What Makes Answering Puzzles Fun?

via: Unsplash / Jonathan Kemper

Answering puzzles and riddles is one of the fun things to do when bored , but why is this activity so fun?

A riddle helps people exercise logic, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Being able to answer a riddle correctly can touch the brain's reward center, making us feel like we're in control. However, even incorrectly answering riddles is fun because we get to laugh at the creative play of words. Being amused with the creativity of puzzles can help our system release dopamine, which leads to feelings of fun and positivity.

8 Popular and Iconic Mind-Blowing Movies That Will Keep You Guessing

via: Unsplash / Tech Daily

Word riddles aren't the only fun riddles to solve. Movies are riddles on their own. If you're into some movie trivia , why not be sucked into movie riddles, too?

This thriller film is loosely based on the novel, "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie, so you know it's going to be a good ride figuring out what happens next!

The Sixth Sense

The Sixth Sense is a classic horror movie that you should watch if it's something right up your alley. You'll never figure out the next thing happening, which makes it a good watching experience.

This is one of the most mind-blowing movies of all time. You think you know what's happening, but you don't. And don't even get me started on that ending.

This movie is based on a book with the same name, and the ending is one unpredictable scene that can really get you thinking.

This is one classic gory and horror film that's surely on the must-watch list of any horror movie lover. You'll keep guessing about what will happen. This one is a definite nail-biter.

The Prestige

The Prestige is a sci-fi thriller movie loosely based on true stories. That will really get you thinking!

Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect actually follows a really cool concept that can make your brain hurt. If you want something truly mind-boggling, then watch this film.

What would you do if someone stole your identity? It's one big puzzle waiting to be unfolded.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are riddles so mind-boggling that you have more questions? Don't worry; we have the answers.

How do you start a riddle?

Before you start asking riddles, make sure whoever you're talking to actually wants to answer a riddle. No matter how easy your riddle may be, it can be overwhelming for others, so ask them first if they're up for it.

Are riddles poems?

Riddles can be poems! However, not all riddles are poems.

How many lines does a riddle poem have?

A riddle poem shouldn't exceed 6 lines. If it does, it becomes too long and confusing to figure out.

What is the world’s toughest riddle?

The answer to this one really depends. We all have different ideas of a tough riddle, so I think this is subjective.

How do you make your own riddles?

If you want to make riddles, start from the answer. Think of the answer you want, and then go from there. You can make it a poem if you're more comfortable with that. Be creative with your riddle. And if it rhymes, it's even better!

How to Choose the Hardest Riddle For Adults

via: Unsplash / Redd

There are many riddles on this list, but not all of them may be suitable for your needs! We have a short guide for you to figure out how to choose the best riddle to use.

1. Choose the one you can figure out.

via: Unsplash / Christin Hume

Of course, you should choose the riddle that you can figure out. It doesn't only mean that you can easily search for the answer. You have to understand it! You can't deliver a riddle well if you can't explain the answer well. You have to understand how the answer came to be.

2. Choose one that will be hard but fun.

Riddles should be hard, but they shouldn't feel like a chore. Remember that you should have fun, so choose a riddle you know many people will enjoy and be amused by!

More Awesome Riddles to Test your IQ

These riddles might not be doing it for you even though they're hard enough, so we have more riddles for you to decode!

• These easy riddles with answers are great for beginners and experts alike. It's all just fun here!
• If these hard riddles for adults aren't enough, why not try some clever riddles ?
• Simple riddles should do the trick if you want to pass the time and test your brain at the same time.

We hope these  hard riddles for adults get your mind going. They're tricky and confusing, but they're all fun. Regardless of whether you want to crack them on your own or with your friends, you're bound to have a great time with them.

About The Author

Kyle Boureston

Kyle is the founder of Mantelligence, a relationship & dating coach, and a conversation & communication expert. His work has been featured on Marriage.com, Reader's Digest, Vice, Ask Men, and Refinery29. He lives in Austin, TX with his loving wife and his energetic Border Collie.

One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.

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Mantelligence founder launching World's First Highly-Effective Mosquito Trap, Powered by Essential Oils.

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Hard riddles for adults with answers

Hard riddles for adults with answers. Challenge your mind with our collection of mind-bending hard riddles for adults! Explore a diverse range of brain teasers that will test your intellect and problem-solving skills.

Whether you’re a riddle enthusiast or seeking a unique mental workout, our compilation promises an exhilarating experience. From clever wordplay to intricate logic puzzles, each riddle comes with detailed answers to unravel the mystery.

Elevate your cognitive abilities and have fun along the way! Discover the ultimate collection of hard riddles for adults with answers, and embark on a journey of mental stimulation and entertainment.

Riddle me this:

What water can you eat and chew?

A watermelon.

What five letter word stays the same when you take away the first, third and last letter?

4 fathers, 2 grandfathers and 4 sons went to watch a movie.

What is the minimum number of tickets they need to buy?

Four tickets for four people in total.

Explanation.

2 grandfathers: Each grandfather is also a son and a father. So this makes 2 grandfathers, 2 fathers and 2 sons.

2 fathers: Each father is also a son. So this makes 2 fathers and 2 sons.

What kind of table does not have legs?

Periodic and multiplication tables.

What is it that given one, you’ll have either two or none?

Thirty white horses on a red hill. First they champ, then they stamp, then they stand still. What am I?

What can you fill with empty hands?

What word looks the same backwards and upside down?

What has six faces but does not wear makeup and has twenty one eyes, but cannot see?

• Related: Best riddles to solve .

When I was 6 years old, my sister was half of my age and my brother was twice of my age 5 years later.

What is the sum of my siblings ages?

8 + 17 = 25.

First you eat me, then you get eaten. What am I?

A fishhook.

I twist and turn and leaves a loop. What am I?

A shoelace.

Jimmy’s mother had three children. She named the first Monday. She named the second Tuesday. What is the name of the third child?

Jimmy , because Jimmy’s mother had 3 children.

You can see me in water, but I never get wet. What am I?

A reflection.

I am a ball that can be rolled but never bounced or thrown. What am I?

An eyeball.

What has golden hair and stands in the corner?

A prisoner is told : ”If you tell a lie, we will hang you and if you tell the truth we will shoot you”. What did the prisoner say to save himself?

The prisoner said:  ”You will hang me”.

Hard riddles with answers for adults

I am a seed with three letters in my name. Take away the last two and I still sound the same. What am I?

If Mother’s name is  Mrs Sixty Two. Son’s name is  Fifty Two.

Daughter’s name is  Forty Two. What is name of Father?

The Father’s name will be  Sixty Two . Mother’s name is mentioned as  Mrs Sixty Two ,  her original name is not mentioned anywhere.

Once I’m 24, twice I’m 20. Three times I’m inappropriate. What am I?

The letter ”X”.

Hard riddles with answers

Mr. Smith had four daughters, each daughter had a brother. How many children does Mr. Smith have?

He now has zero children. The use of word ”had” creates all the difference here.

Stronger than steel yet lighter than cotton.Found in a corner forever forgotten.I bother so many but marvel a few. You can’t seem to make me.

I’m a mystery to you. What am I?

A spider web.

I sound like one letter, but I’m written with three. I show you things, when you look through me. What am I?

Where can you finish a book without finishing a sentence?

When I point up it’s bright, but when I point down it’s dark. What am I?

A light switch.

The faster you run, the harder it is to catch me. What am I?

I’m full of holes but strong as steel. What am I?

They made me a mouth but didn’t give me breath.Water gives me life but the sun brings me death. What am I?

What has a big mouth, yet never speaks?

There’s a bathtub full of water in front of you.You have a bucket, a spoon and a cup.

Which is the fastest way to empty the tub?

By pulling out the plug.

What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?

The future.

What is it that no one wants, but no one wants to lose?

What English word has three consecutive double letters?

Bookkeeper.

John’s father has five sons.The names of four sons are Papa, Pepe, Pipi and Popo respectively.

What is the name of the fifth son?

John’s father has five children and four of them have already been named above. The fifth son is John himself.

What has fifteen diamonds but isn’t rich?

A deck of cards.

Stronger than iron, crueler than death, sweeter than springtime I live beyond breath. What am I?

What stays where it is when it goes off?

An alarm clock.

I turn everything around while standing still. What am I?

What has 88 keys but cannot open a single door?

How can a pants pocket be empty and still have something in it?

It has a hole.

I run, it runs, I stop, it runs. What is it?

What spends all the time on the floor but never gets dirty?

Your shadow.

What has roots as nobody sees, is taller than trees, up it goes, and yet never grows?

A mountain.

2 mothers and 2 daughters went out for dinner. Everyone ate one pizza, yet only three pizzas were eaten in total. How is this possible?

They were 3 people: a grandmother, mother and daughter.

The mother is both a daughter to the grandmother, and a mother to the daughter. So, there are two mothers and two daughters going out to dinner and each one of them ate a pizza. Therefore, a total of three pizzas were eaten.

What has a foot but no leg?

Solve me this:

Without being called, we came out at night.Without being stolen, we get lost in the day. Who are we?

What word has five letters but sounds like it only has one?

Look at me one way and I weigh a whole lot.Turn me around and you’ll see that I am not. What am I?

The two answers to the puzzle are 40 and 96.

If the answer is 40.

2+5=7+5=12 

3+6=9+12=21

11+8=19+21=40.

If the answer is 96.

1+4=5 (obvious).

Then multiply the two numbers and add the first number to the product.

2+5 = (2×5)+2=10+2= 12.

The next is 3+6= 21= (3×6)+3 =18+3= 21.

Last step: 8+11= (8×11)+8= 88+8= 96.

When you buy me, I’m expensive, but the only use I have is just hanging.  What am I?

I live in a house with one bedroom, 50 hallways, and ghosts lurking everywhere. Who am I?

You might say I’m popular, I always have the most dates.  What am I?

A calendar.

I may go around and in the house, but i will never touch the house. What am I?

What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?

The letter ”M”.

I have a neck but no head, yet can still wear a cap.  What am I?

I have two legs, but they only touch the ground while I’m at rest. What am I?

A wheelbarrow.

I make you weak at the worst of all times.I keep you safe, I keep you fine.I make your hands sweat and your heart grow cold. I visit the weak, but seldom the bold. What am I?

What is it that no man ever saw, which never was but always will be?

Hands she has but does not hold, teeth she has but does not bite feet she has but they are cold, eyes she has but without sight. Who is she?

Who plays when he works and works when he plays?

An actor OR A musician.

• What has ten letters and starts with gas? A: An automobile.

How far can a dog run into the woods?

Only halfway, after that, he’s running out of the woods.

• What grows up while growing down? A: A goose or duck

What do elephants have that no other animal has?

Baby elephants.

You are my brother, but I am not your brother. Who am I?

Your sister.

• Why is it that when you have lost something, it’s always in the last place you look? A: Because when you find it, you stop looking.

1 is the brother of 2. 2 is the brother of 3. 3 is the father of 4. So how is 4 related to 1?

1 is 4’s uncle.

How many words are in a Dictionary?

Two. ”A” and ”Dictionary”.

• Clever riddles with answers .

I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have nobody but come alive with the wind. What am I?

• Now try to solve these tricky riddles !

the hardest riddle in the world,logic riddles,smart riddles,mystery riddles,math riddles

45 Best Workplace Riddles For Adults To Test Their Wits In 2024

The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?

Okay, so this first one was a freebie, but the next question is, do you have what it takes to solve these head scratching, brain-busting riddles and brain teasers for work teams?

Get Your Free Riddles for Adults Bundle

Better yet, maybe you’re looking for challenging or fun riddles for adults to make parties more entertaining or to up the  engagemen t during your next  team building  activity. Either way, we’ve got you covered with riddles ranging from easy to hard to keep your employees on their toes.

“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood. All is a riddle, and the key to a riddle is another riddle.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Browse through this list of icebreaker riddles and riddles for work to stump your coworkers or employees in the most fun and entertaining way possible. And while you’re at it, see if you crack these brain-teasers! Good Luck!

Let’s check out the 45 best riddles for work in 2024!

Page Contents (Click To Jump)

Riddles for Work

Many of these riddles for work are based on work; however, all of them will be fun to solve with your coworkers or employees!

1. A man and his boss have the same parents, but are not siblings. How is this possible?

• Answer: He’s self-employed
• Why this is a good riddle for work: This tricky riddle for work pays homage to the self-employed.

2. Why is it so easy for an elephant to get a job?

• Answer: Because it will work for peanuts
• Why this is a good riddle for work: This silly riddle involves everyone’s favorite gentle giant. Elephants are known for being smart, but apparently, well, they’re willing to work for peanuts!

3. Why did the invisible man turn down a job offer?

• Answer: He just couldn’t see himself doing it.
• Why this is a good riddle for work: This funny work riddle happens to be a great play on words!

4. What does nobody want, yet nobody wants to lose?

• Answer: Work
• Why this is a good riddle for work: Hey, sometimes truth is truth, so we might as well laugh at it.

5. Why did the spider get a job in I.T.?

• Answer: He was a great web designer.
• Why this is a good riddle for work: This riddle for work is especially good for your I.T. department.

Icebreaker Riddles For Meetings

Icebreaker riddles are meant to give your employees or coworkers a laugh, a reason to think, or a reason to work together to solve them at your next meeting or work outing.

6. What kind of coat is always wet when you put it on?

• Answer: A coat of paint
• Why this is a good icebreaker riddle: This icebreaker riddle doubles as a word riddle, which will force everyone to think a little outside-the-box.

7. I have branches yet I have no leaves, no trunk and no fruit. What am I?

• Answer: A bank
• Why this is a good icebreaker riddle: Yet another word and  icebreaker  riddle hybrid. This one isn’t incredibly hard, but it’s also not the easiest.

8. How many bananas can you eat if your stomach is empty?

• Answer: Just one after that it’s not empty anymore.
• Why this is a good icebreaker riddle: This icebreaker riddle is simple, fun, and fairly easy. It’s specific enough that there really is one right answer.

9. What belongs to you but other people use it more than you?

• Answer: Your name
• Why this is a good icebreaker riddle: This icebreaker riddle is meant to be instantly understood. Sometimes those in-your-face-obvious riddles are the most interesting and the easiest to second guess.

10. What runs, but never walks. Murmurs, but never talks. Has a bed, but never sleeps. And has a mouth, but never eats?

• Answer: A river
• Why this is a good icebreaker riddle: This icebreaker riddle is like something Golum would have asked Bilbo in The Hobbit.

Funny Riddles For Work

Funny riddles will make your team laugh, and laughter is key to building a winning company culture.

11. An electric train is headed east. Where does the smoke go?

• Answer: Electric trains don’t produce any smoke!
• Why this is a funny riddle: This funny riddle is a bit of a trick question  — and who doesn’t like tricks?

12. There are two monkeys on a tree and one jumps off. Why does the other monkey jump too?

• Answer: Monkey see monkey do
• Why this is a funny riddle: This funny riddle takes a classic idiom and turns it into a joke !

13. What tastes better than it smells?

• Answer: A tongue
• Why this is a good funny riddle: Sometimes the most obvious riddles are the most elusive.

14. Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the tallest mountain in the world?

• Answer: Everest. It just wasn’t discovered yet.
• Why this is a funny riddle: For those who love a healthy dose of sarcasm, this funny riddle is sure to satisfy.

15. What goes up and never comes down?

• Answer: Your age
• Why this is a good funny riddle: We can all laugh at Father Time. In fact, it’s best if we find a way to.

For more  fun and laughter , use those riddles during your next virtual lunch party.

Easy Riddles For Adults

If you’re not in the mood for a brain games, easy riddles are the way to go. Your team will be entertained, yet will feel like problem-solving champs.

16. Contrary to my name, I am not a queen. Hold me up to things though and their length is seen.

• Answer: Ruler
• Why this is an easy riddle: We love this riddle for work because it involves serious wordplay, yet the answer is pretty straightforward.

17. This belongs to you, but everyone else uses it.

• Answer: Your Name
• Why this is an easy riddle: The key to this easy and short riddle is to think of anything else but an actual object. Use your critical thinking skills to get conceptual on this one.

18. I am higher without a head. What am I?

• Answer: A pillow
• Why this is an easy riddle : This one may take your coworkers a second, but the answer is definitely within reach after a second of thinking about it.

19. You answer me, although I never ask you questions. What am I?

• Answer: Telephone
• Why this is an easy riddle: The trick to this one is all in the wording. Your coworkers will feel like puzzle solving pros and it can be a great icebreaker question .

20. What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?

• Answer: A clock
• Why this is an easy riddle: This riddle is simple yet effective

Hard Riddles For Adults

Hard riddles for adults are designed to get your team working together out of necessity. They’ll have to merge wits to crack these bewildering brain-busters.

21. What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?

• Answer: Stamp
• Why this is a hard riddle for adults: Because it makes sense but isn’t super obvious.

22. I’m light as a feather, but not even the strongest person can hold me for more than 5 minutes. What am I?

• Answer: Breath
• Why this is a hard riddle for adults: We love the juxtaposition of lightness and heaviness and how “hold” is used to make it sound like a physical object.

23. I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have nobody, but come alive with wind. What am I?

• Answer: An echo
• Why this is a hard riddle for adults: Not only is this riddle pretty hard, it’s also poetic.

24. You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I’m quick when I’m thin and slow when I’m fat. The wind is my enemy.

• Answer: A candle
• Why this is a hard riddle for adults: Each hint compounds with the next to give the solver a better chance, but this difficult riddle is still as tricky as a trick candle.

25. I’m often running yet I have no legs. You need me but I don’t need you. What am I?

• Answer: Water
• Why this is a hard riddle for adults: This hard riddle is cleverly worded. That’s the fun part.

Tricky Riddles For Adults

Tricky riddles aren’t necessarily hard or easy, but are all about figuring out their hidden trick.

26. What is seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month?

• Answer: The Letter R
• Why this is a tricky riddle: This riddle works by trying to get you to think about the weather or holidays or other events linked to a calendar. To get this one right you actually need to get super literal.

27. I come from a mine and get surrounded by wood always. Everyone uses me. What am I?

• Answer: Pencil Lead
• Why this is a tricky riddle: The clue that you are looking for is in the detail. This riddle is a toughie, but wood might lead you to figure it out.

28. I am neither a guest or a trespasser, to this place I belong, it belongs also to me. What is it?

• Answer: Home
• Why this is a tricky riddle: This tricky riddle is all in the phrasing. Each hint, narrows down the possibilities.

29. Slayer of regrets, old and new, sought by many, found by few. What am I?

• Answer: Redemption
• Why this is a tricky riddle: Some of the trickiest riddles center around something in-concrete — like this one.

30. Spelled forwards I’m what you do everyday, spelled backwards I’m something you hate. What am I?

• Answer: Live
• Why this is a tricky riddle: The key to this one is figuring out the first part, and then confirming it by reversing it.

Love Riddles For Adults

If you’re looking for riddles to play on Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or an engagement party, you’ve come to the right place! These love-themed adult riddles are sure to melt hearts and blow a few minds.

31. How do French chefs make you love them?

• Answer: They butter you up!
• Why this is a good love riddle: Because it’s a feast for the senses!

32. What do you call two Italian ants

• Answer: Romance
• Why this is a good love riddle: The riddle is a little corny, but hey, love can be a bit corny sometimes, too. That’s why they say love makes a fool out of me and you!

33. What did the paper clip say to the magnet?

• Answer: I find you very attractive
• Why this is a good love riddle: The answer to this love riddle might click instantly for your “sciencey” types.

34. What do snakes give each other when they say goodbye?

• Answer: A little hiss on the cheek
• Why this is a good love riddle: Everyone needs love — even the most reptilian among us.

35. Why did the banker break up with his girlfriend?

• Answer: He was losing interest
• Why this is a good love riddle: This love riddle is adorable and completely silly, which is exactly why we love it.

Word Riddles For Adults

Word riddles make the riddle world go round. Word riddles force us to really pay attention to semantics and every syllable of the question.

36. What has 18 legs and catches flies?

• Answer: A Baseball Team
• Why this is a good word riddle: This word riddle involves what was, at least once upon a time, America’s favorite pastime.

37. What has 13 hearts but no other organs?

• Answer: A deck of cards
• Why this is a good word riddle: For game enthusiasts this one may be a no brainer, but the way the word hearts is used will probably stump a few people in the office.

38. What word contains all of the twenty-six letters?

• Answer: Alphabet
• Why this is a good word riddle: This riddle focuses entirely on being hyper-literal.

39. What has many words but never speaks?

• Answer: A book
• Why this is a good word riddle: This is yet another word riddle that can be solved by looking at it from a hyper-literal perspective.

40. First you eat me, then you get eaten. What am I?

• Answer: A fishhook
• W hy this is a good word riddle : The trick to this word riddle is in how you think about the word “you.”

Math Riddles For Work

Break out the calculator, the protractor, and whatever others mathematical tools you might need. These math riddles are designed to test your wits in the timeless art of precision.

41. What did the triangle say to the circle?

• Answer: You’re pointless
• Why this is a good math riddle: While it’s certainly a good math riddle, it also checks off all the requirements needed for at least a light laugh.

42. What is the smallest number that increases by 12 when it is flipped and turned upside down?

• Answer: 86. When it is turned upside down and flipped, it becomes 98, which is 12 more than 86.
• Why this is a good math riddle: This one will make employees or coworkers think a bit. While many entries on this list have been easy or meant to inspire a laugh, this one will create a moment of pause.

43. I am a three digit number. My tens digit is five more than my ones digit. My hundreds digit is eight less than my tens digit. What number am I?

• Answer: 194
• Why this is a good math riddle: This math riddle will probably require them to pull out a pen and paper.

44. You know 2 + 2 comes to the same as 2 x 2. Now find a set of three different whole numbers whose sum is equal to their total when multiplied.

• Answer: The three different whole numbers whose sum is equal to their total when multiplied are 1, 2, and 3.
• Why this is a good math riddle: You’ll probably also want a pen and paper handy for this math riddle as well.

45. My twin lives at the reverse of my house number. The difference between our house numbers ends in two. What are the lowest possible numbers of our house numbers?

• Answer: The lowest possible numbers for the houses are 19 and 91. The difference is 72.
• Why this is a good math riddle: Because this math riddle is outright tricky!

People Also Ask These Questions About Riddles for Adults

Q: what are some good riddles for team building.

• A: Some good riddles for team building are questions that force employees to work together to come up with solutions. If you are looking for unique riddles for your next meeting, check out this list .

Q: What are the benefits of solving riddles?

• A: The benefits of solving riddles include boosting creative problem solving skills, team chemistry, and group intelligence.

Q: Can employees and coworkers play the riddle game virtually?

• A: Yes, employees and coworkers can play the riddle game virtually through applications like Skype and Microsoft Teams. Sometimes, they may simply need to download and print the games, so they have them on hand.

Q: When should I use riddles for work?

• A: You should use riddles for work anytime work begins to feel monotonous for employees. Additionally, riddles for work are a great way to assimilate and onboard new hires.

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76 Workplace riddles for adults (with solutions!)

Team-building riddles are a fantastic warm-up act for your brain, especially before diving into a brainstorming session. They're a great way to get those mental gears turning, particularly in technical teams where some naturally enjoy untangling puzzles (coders, we’re looking at you!). 

Riddles, similar to brainteasers , can become a light jog for your mind before the marathon of problem-solving ahead. And don't worry, we're focusing on riddles for adults here. While there's a ton of kid-friendly teasers out there, the ones we're talking about today are tailored for a more mature audience, challenging enough to spark creativity and break the ice in any workplace setting.

We’ve even put them into 6 categories, to make sure the Dad-Jokes don’t creep in!

Double Entendres and Puns

• Logic and Lateral Thinking Riddles

Mathematical Riddles

‘clean’ adult riddles, historical and cultural riddles, abstract riddles, short story riddles.

Let’s get into these juicy riddles!

Double entendres and puns make any conversation extra zesty. They aim to mix a bit of humor with a dash of cleverness, and voilà, you've got yourself a delightful riddle! They're awesome because they get everyone thinking and laughing, creating those "aha" moments that are great for improving team cohesion . ‍

1. It's lighter than what it's made of and keeps your food from becoming undone. What is it?

Solution: A fridge. The pun here plays on the word "lighter," suggesting something not heavy, while also implying that the fridge keeps food fresh, or "not undone." ‍

2. I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?

Solution: An echo. This riddle plays on the personification of an echo, which "speaks" and "hears" but is merely a sound reflection. ‍

3. You find me in December, but not in any other month. What am I?

Solution: The letter "D." This riddle uses a literal interpretation of being "found" in the word "December" but not in the names of any other months. ‍

4. I am not alive, but I grow; I don't have lungs, but I need air; I don't have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I?

Solution: Fire. The pun here is on the characteristics of fire described in a way that could also fit a living organism, but the twist is in its non-living nature. ‍

5. What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?

Solution: The letter "M." This riddle plays with the frequency of the letter "M" in the spelling of "minute," "moment," and "thousand years." ‍ ‍

6. I can be cracked, made, told, and played. What am I?

Solution: A joke. The pun here relies on the different meanings of the word "cracked" (as in solved or laughed at), "made" (created), "told" (recounted), and "played" (joked with). ‍

7. What has keys but can’t open locks?

Solution: A piano. This riddle hinges on the double meaning of "keys" – piano keys versus lock keys. ‍

8. I'm tall when I'm young, and I'm short when I'm old. What am I?

Solution: A candle. The pun plays on the literal height of a candle, which decreases as it melts over time. ‍

9. What has a head, a tail, is brown, and has no legs?

Solution: A penny. The riddle uses a description that might initially lead one to think of an animal, but the twist is that it's a coin. ‍

10. Forward I am heavy, but backward I am not. What am I?

Solution: The word "ton." Played forwards, it represents a heavy weight, but spelled backward ("not"), it negates the concept of heaviness. ‍

11. I shave every day, but my beard stays the same. What am I?

Solution: A barber. The pun plays on the daily activity of shaving, which one might assume refers to oneself, but in this case, it's about shaving others. ‍

12. I'm full of holes, yet I'm full of water. What am I?

Solution: A sponge. The pun hinges on the contradiction of something being full of holes but also capable of holding water. ‍

13. What has a bottom at the top?

Solution: Your legs. The pun here is on the unexpected shift in perspective, where the "bottom" refers to the buttocks, located at the "top" of your legs. ‍

14. I go in hard, come out soft, and am never the same. What am I?

Solution: Chewing gum. This riddle plays with the transformation of gum's texture from hard to soft upon chewing. ‍

15. What has one eye but can’t see?

Solution: A needle. The pun relies on the literal "eye" of a needle, which unlike a living eye, does not see. ‍

16. What comes out at night without being called, and is lost in the day without being stolen?

Solution: The stars. This riddle uses poetic language to describe the natural phenomenon of stars appearing at night and disappearing during the day. ‍

17. What has a neck but no head, two arms but no hands?

Solution: A shirt. The pun plays on the parts of a shirt named after body parts, despite the shirt not being a living entity. ‍

18. I'm not alive, but I can grow; I don't have lungs, but I need air; I'm not thirsty, but I can die if I don't drink. What am I?

Solution: A balloon. This riddle creatively describes how a balloon "grows" when inflated, requires air to "live," and can "die" (deflate) if it loses air. ‍

19. What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?

Solution: A stamp. The pun here is on the physical placement of a stamp on mail, which can travel internationally while remaining in the corner of an envelope.

Logic and Lateral Thinking riddles

Logic and lateral thinking riddles are a fantastic way to stretch your brain and see problems in new, creative ways. They often require you to step outside the box and use reasoning that's not immediately obvious. ‍

20. I am taken from a mine, and shut up in a wooden case, from which I am never released, and yet I am used by almost every person. What am I?

Solution: Pencil lead. This riddle challenges you to think about common objects from unusual perspectives. ‍

21. What has cities, but no houses; forests, but no trees; and rivers, but no water?

Solution: A map. This riddle relies on understanding that the terms can have different meanings based on context. ‍

22. A man looks at a painting in a museum and says, "Brothers and sisters I have none, but that man's father is my father's son." Who is in the painting?

Solution: The man's son. This riddle requires breaking down the familial relationship described to understand the perspective. ‍

23. Forward I am heavy, but backward I am not. What am I?

Solution: The word "ton." This is a play on the reversal of the word, requiring thinking about words not just for their meaning but their structure. ‍

24. You see a boat filled with people. It has not sunk, but when you look again you don’t see a single person on the boat. Why?

Solution: All the people were married. This riddle plays on the interpretation of "single" meaning unmarried rather than alone. ‍

25. A woman shoots her husband, then holds him underwater for five minutes. Next, she hangs him. Right after, they enjoy a lovely dinner. How is this possible?

Solution: She took a photo of him ("shoots" with a camera), developed it in a dark room (the "water" and "hanging" refer to photo processing), and they ate dinner together. This riddle requires thinking beyond the literal meanings of the words used. ‍

26. What occurs once in every minute, twice in every moment, yet never in a thousand years?

Solution: The letter "m." This riddle relies on abstract thinking about the frequency of letters in words rather than time. ‍

27. A man is pushing his car along, and when he comes to a hotel he shouts, "I'm bankrupt!" Why?

Solution: He's playing Monopoly. This requires lateral thinking to connect the scenario with something outside of the expected real-life context. ‍

28. How can a pants pocket be empty and still have something in it?

Solution: It can have a hole in it. This riddle plays on the interpretation of "something" being a physical object versus a space or lack thereof.

Mathematical riddles are perfect for giving your brain a workout with numbers and logic! ‍

29. I am an odd number. Take away one letter and I become even. What number am I?

Solution: Seven (remove the 's' to become 'even'). ‍

30. If two's company, and three's a crowd, what are four and five?

Solution: Nine (4 + 5 = 9). This riddle plays on the phrase by turning it into a math problem. ‍

31. What three positive numbers give the same result when multiplied and added together?

Solution: 1, 2, and 3 (1+2+3 = 6 and 1×2×3 = 6). ‍

32. You have 8 identical balls. One of them is slightly heavier than the others, which are all of equal weight. You have a balance scale that you can use only twice. How do you find the heavier ball?

Solution: Divide the balls into three groups: two groups of three and one group of two. First, weigh the two groups of three against each other. If they balance, the heavier ball is in the group of two, and you can find it with one more weighing. If one group of three is heavier, take those three and weigh two of them. If they balance, the third ball is the heavier one; if not, the scale will reveal the heavier ball. ‍

33. What is the next number in the sequence: 2, 3, 5, 9, 17, ...?

Solution: 33 (Each number is the sum of the previous number plus the next prime number: 2+1=3, 3+2=5, 5+4=9, 9+8=17, 17+16=33). ‍

34. If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is this?

Solution: Zero (0 multiplied by any number is always 0). ‍

35. A grandfather, two fathers, and two sons went fishing one day. They were only three people. How is this possible?

Solution: There are three generations present: a grandfather (who is also a father), his son (who is both a son and a father), and his grandson (who is just a son). ‍

36. How many times can you subtract 10 from 100?

Solution: Once. After you subtract it the first time, you're no longer subtracting from 100. ‍

37. What comes next in this sequence: 1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221, ...?

Solution: 312211 (Each term describes the previous term: one 1 [11], two 1s [21], one 2 then one 1 [1211], and so on). ‍

38. I add five to nine, and get two. The correct answer is not fourteen. How is this possible?

Solution: The time is 9 o'clock. Add 5 hours to 9 o'clock and you get 2 o'clock.

Adult riddles can be fun and a bit cheeky while still staying on the side of clean and clever. Here are a few that play with words in a way that's appropriate for all audiences, but with a wink to the adults in the room:

39. I am a word that begins with the letter “e” and ends with the letter “e” but only contains one letter. What am I?

Solution: Envelope.

40. The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?

Solution: Footsteps.

41. What has a neck but no head, and wears a cap but has no face?

Solution: A bottle.

42. What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?

Solution: The letter "M."

43. I go up and down without moving. What am I?

Solution: A staircase.

44. What has keys but can’t open locks?

Solution: A piano.

45. What has a heart that doesn’t beat?

Solution: An artichoke.

46. I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?

Solution: A nose.

47. What has a bottom at the top?

Solution: Your legs.

48. I start with a “T”, end with a “T”, and I have “T” in me. What am I?

Solution: A teapot.

Here are riddles for the History heads amongst you! Don’t worry if some aren’t up-to-date with their history knowledge, it’s a great opportunity to learn whilst having fun too.

49. I was the lifeblood of ancient civilizations, yet I flow through modern cities still. Kings and pharaohs have fought over me. What am I?

Solution: The Nile River (or rivers in general, vital for ancient civilizations like Egypt).

50. Built for a king, my body guards him in death, not in life. I stand tall, pointing to the skies, yet I am not alive. What am I?

Solution: A pyramid (specifically, the Great Pyramid of Giza for Pharaoh Khufu).

51. I am both a mother and a child of the invention of the wheel. Born in the ancient world, I am still used today. What am I?

Solution: The city (cities as we know them were both made possible by and contributed to the invention of the wheel).

52. My body is ancient, my head is new, and I am a symbol of liberty too. What am I?

Solution: The Statue of Liberty (given its ancient symbolism and relatively newer construction).

53. Once I was a place of healing, named after the god of medicine. Today, I stand as a testament to ancient ingenuity. What am I?

Solution: The Asclepeion or any ancient Greek temple dedicated to Asclepius, the god of healing.

54. I am the reason for a historic midnight ride; I am the cause for a country's new light. What am I?

Solution: The American Revolution (referencing Paul Revere's midnight ride).

55. I have keys but open no locks, I have space but no room, and you can enter but not go outside. What ancient invention am I?

Solution: A keyboard or, more historically, the concept of a musical keyboard which dates back to ancient times.

56. Crafted in an ancient city, I am a testament to love and beauty, now found in a city of lights. What am I?

Solution: The Venus de Milo (ancient Greek statue found in Paris, the City of Light).

57. I am the silent witness of a great love story, standing tall for centuries. My beauty inspired a poet, yet I am not a work of art. What am I?

Solution: The Taj Mahal (built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and praised by poets).

58. Once a means to mark the heavens, now I draw crowds from all around. Ancient builders aligned my stones; their purpose profound, yet not entirely known. What am I?

Solution: Stonehenge (an ancient structure believed to have been used to observe astronomical events).

Abstract riddles are the brain teasers that make you think outside the box , often requiring you to interpret concepts in a non-literal way. They're the mental gymnastics of the riddle world, where the answer isn't about what you see, but how you think. Let's dive into a few to get those neurons firing:

59. I am the beginning of the end, the end of every place. I am the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space. What am I?

Solution: The letter "E."

60. What can fill a room but takes up no space?

Solution: Light.

61. The more of this there is, the less you see. What is it?

Solution: Darkness.

62. I speak without a voice and am heard without ears. I tell of the coming of all, and without me, everything is lifeless. What am I?

Solution: Time.

63. What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?

Solution: The future.

64. I am not alive, but I grow; I don't have lungs, but I need air; I don't have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I?

Solution: Fire.

65. I am a band that does not play music. What am I?

Solution: A rainbow.

66. I can be created in the present, but the future can never change me. What am I?

Solution: History.

Short story riddles are a delightful blend of storytelling and puzzling that draw you into a narrative only to challenge you with a twisty question at the end. They're perfect for those who love a good tale along with their brain teasers. ‍

67. The Secret Password

A person arrives at a secret club's door and hears a voice from inside that says "twelve." The person responds with "six," and is allowed in. Another person arrives, hears "six" from the voice inside, responds with "three," and is also allowed in. A third hopeful attendee arrives, hears "ten," and based on the pattern they've observed, responds with "five," but is denied entry. What should the third person have said to enter?

Solution: Say "three." The trick is to count the letters in the number you hear. "Ten" has three letters. ‍

68. The Bridge Crossing

Four people need to cross a rickety bridge at night to return to their campsite. Unfortunately, they have only one flashlight and, because of the bridge's condition, a maximum of two people can cross at a time. The bridge is too dangerous to cross without the light. The four campers move at different speeds: one can cross in 1 minute, another in 2 minutes, the third in 5 minutes, and the last in 10 minutes. When two people cross the bridge together, they must move at the slower person's pace. What is the quickest time in which all four campers can get across the bridge?

Solution: The fastest time is 17 minutes. Pair the fastest together and send the torch back with the quickest each time. ‍

69. The Locked Book

A book has a number combination lock that consists of three digits. A hint provided to find the combination reads: "The first digit is four times the second digit. The third digit is three less than the first. If you add all three digits, the sum is 12." What is the combination to unlock the book?

Solution: The combination is 624. The first digit is four times the second (4x), and the third is three less than the first (x-3). Adding these up to 12 (4x + x + x-3 = 12), solving for x gives the second digit as 2, making the first 8 and the third 5, but since the sum needs to be 12 and fit the conditions, the correct digits by recalculating are 6 (first), 2 (second), and 4 (third). ‍

70. The Three Doors

You are trapped in a room with three doors leading out. The first door opens to a room engulfed in raging fire. The second door opens to a room with an assassin waiting to kill anyone who enters. The third door leads to a room with a lion that hasn't eaten in three years. Which door is the safest to escape through?

Solution: The safest door is the one leading to the room with a lion that hasn't eaten in three years. A lion that hasn't eaten in three years would be dead, making it the safest option. ‍

71. The Race to Cairo

Two explorers are racing to be the first to reach Cairo on foot from their current location in the Sahara Desert. They both have the same speed, and they start at the same time and place. One brings a camel to carry his supplies, while the other carries his own supplies. The camel can carry enough supplies for 6 days of travel and moves at the same speed as the explorers. However, the camel can be sent back to the starting point to bring more supplies. How can the explorer with the camel reach Cairo first, assuming Cairo is 8 days away at their constant walking speed?

Solution: The key is to use the camel to carry extra supplies strategically so the explorer can make the trip in fewer days without running out. ‍

72. The Unfaithful Spouse

In a certain town, 25% of the husbands have cheated on their wives, but no wife knows about her own husband's infidelity. They all know about the infidelities of the others. One day, the town's wise woman declares that at least one husband has been unfaithful. What happens in town following the declaration?

Solution: After the announcement, a chain reaction occurs where each wife can logically deduce whether her husband has been unfaithful. ‍

73. The Monty Hall Problem

You're on a game show and presented with three doors: behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say No. 1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say No. 3, which has a goat. He then asks if you want to switch to door No. 2. Is it in your interest to switch?

Solution: Switching doors gives you a better chance (2/3) of winning the car because it avoids the initial 1/3 chance of picking the car. ‍

74. The Ship's Cargo

A ship sails into port, and the man on board says, "I do not wish to pay the customs duty on my cargo, which is bats." The customs officer knows that bats are not subject to duty, but also knows that every statement the man has ever made about his cargo has been a lie. Should the customs officer charge duty on the cargo?

Solution: The customs officer should charge duty on the cargo. Since the man claims his cargo is bats and every statement he has made about his cargo has been a lie, it means his cargo is not actually bats and may indeed be subject to customs duty. ‍

75. The Wise King's Test

A wise king devises a test for his three sons to determine who will inherit the throne. He gives each son an equal amount of money and instructs them to fill the palace's large room completely with something that shows their wisdom. The first son buys straw, but it only fills a part of the room. The second son buys feathers, which fill more of the room but still not completely. The third son buys something that fills the room completely without being a physical object. What does he buy?

Solution: The third son buys a candle and lights it, filling the room with light, proving his wisdom by using something intangible. ‍

76. The Farmer's Dilemma

A farmer needs to sell his crops in the market, which is across a river. Unfortunately, the bridge that crosses the river can only support the farmer and one of his three items at a time. He has a fox, a chicken, and a sack of grain. If left unattended with the chicken, the fox will eat it. If left alone with the grain,

Solution: Take the chicken across first, then the grain, but bring the chicken back. Take the fox across, leave it with the grain, and finally, go back for the chicken.

Don’t let these riddles go to waste! Use them on a team-building retreat!

These quick team-building activities are perfect for setting the tone for your next retreat! But how are you supposed to organize such a big event? No problem, this is where Surf Office flies in to save the day.

We've had the pleasure of organizing over 700+ team-building retreat experiences , including remote teams , for many different companies. Here’s how what we offer:

• Stress-free transfers? We got you! ✅
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Brain Teasers, Riddles, Trivia, Games and more...

Braingle is a place to solve puzzles, brush up on your trivia, play games and give your brain a workout. Get ready to have your brain tangled!

With over 15,000 brain teasers, riddles, logic problems and mind puzzles submitted and ranked by users like you, Braingle has the largest collection anywhere on the internet!

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RIDDLES WITH ANSWERS

The Original Riddles Website - Thousands of riddles with answers for kids and adults to tell, share, and rate. Plus a riddle of the day, every day!

Last updated: May 28, 2024

The best riddles with answers are enigmas wrapped up in a puzzle and shrouded in mystery. It is up to you to unravel the secret and solve the riddles until that “A-ha!” moment that leaves you feeling so satisfied. Great riddles are the ones that challenge your mind and require your ability to look beyond the words and if the riddle stumps your friends that’s a bonus!

Tell me a riddle! We've assembled fantastic sets of riddles for kids into both printable and downloadable riddle quiz pages that could be used by teachers for fun lessons, homeschool learning, or just some simple wholesome family fun.

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7 Puzzles to Challenge Your Critical Thinking

Can you spot the connections and sort these items.

Posted March 5, 2015 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

The theme of this post is critical thinking—and the kinds of puzzles that can be constructed around it. This term is used frequently in psychology and education . There are various definitions, but the one that best suits our purpose and which is, in the end, perhaps the best, is the ability to comprehend the logical connections among ideas, words, phrases, and concepts . In the relevant scientific literature, of course, the term is used much more broadly as a framework for understanding human cognition . But in my opinion, the best way to understand things is to construct puzzles to illustrate their basic essence.

Critical thinking involves skill at recognizing a pattern in given information and especially recognizing how the information is connected to the real world. Here are a couple of very simple examples. First, consider the five words below:

• Cruise ship
• Walking on foot
• Automobile (not a race car)

Now, put them in order from the slowest to the fastest, when they are going at maximum speed. The solution, of course, is: 4-2-5-1-3.

As with all such puzzles, there might be slightly different solutions—one could claim that some automobiles go faster than cruise ships. This “indeterminacy” characterizes this kind of thinking. However, some puzzles are straightforward. For instance, what do the following five things have in common?

The answer? These are all words referring to shades of blue.

The seven puzzles below are to the ones above, though hopefully more challenging. Some involve knowledge of facts, but critical thinking is still involved in such cases because the organization of the facts according to some principle is always involved—for example, a puzzle may ask you to put five items in order of their dates of invention.

The following tongue-in-cheek definition of critical thinking by Richard W. Paul, a leading expert on critical thinking theory, says it all: “Critical thinking is thinking about your thinking while you’re thinking in order to make your thinking better.”

I. What do the following 5 things have in common?

• Orange juice

II. Put the following buildings or structures in order of height, from the shortest to the tallest.

• Typical camping tent

III. What do the following animals have in common?

IV. Put the following inventions in order from earliest to most recent.

V. What feature do the following words have in common?

• Imagination

VI. Put these bodies of water in order in terms of volume, from smallest to largest .

VII. What do the following landmasses have in common?

I. They are all drinkable liquids. II. 5-1-4-3-2 III. They all have a tail. They are also all quadrupeds. IV. To the best of my knowledge: 5-4-3-1-2 V. They start with a vowel: a, e, i, o, u VI. 4-2-1-5-3 VII. They are all peninsulas.

Marcel Danesi, Ph.D. , is a professor of semiotics and anthropology at Victoria College, University of Toronto. His books include The Puzzle Instinct and The Total Brain Workout .

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73 Best Workplace Riddles for Adults

By: Grace He | Updated: August 27, 2022

Here is our list of funny workplace riddles for adults .

Workplace riddles for adults are brainteasers that get teammates thinking outside the box. These questions encourage employees to use problem-solving skills. For example, What is easy to lift but difficult to throw? Or, Which month in the year has 28 days in it? You can use these sayings as icebreakers and build confidence and relationships among team members.

These prompts are a problem-solving exercise similar to team building riddles and brain-teasers for teams .

This list includes:

• hard riddles for adults
• logic riddles for adults
• short riddles for adults
• smart riddles for adults
• good riddles for the workplace

Let’s get started!

Hard riddles for adults

• (Answer: If I were to ask the other guard which path leads to freedom, then which path would he tell me?)
• (Answer: A river.)
• (Answer: Heroine).
• (Answer: First, take the goat across, then come back alone. Take the wolf across, then bring the goat back. Next, leave the goat and take the cabbage across. Finally, leave the cabbage and go back for the goat.)
• (Answer: The third golfer.)
• (Answer: Day and night.)
• (Answer: The third room. Lions that have not eaten in three years would be dead.)
• (Answer: CABDE.)
• (Answer: The letter O.)
• (Answer: WHEAT.)

Logic riddles for adults

• (Answer: “You will hang me.”)
• (Answer: Five daughters and one son equaling 6 children.)
• (Answer: None. The woman owns a pear tree, not a plum tree.)
• (Answer: The 19th day.)
• (Answer: While the sailors were at opposite ends of the ship, they were facing each other.)
• (Answer: The oldest sibling is 19 years old.)
• (Answer: The letter D.)
• (Answer: A map.)
• (Answer: You stand back-to-back.)
• (Answer: Light.)
• (Answer: She took his picture, developed it, and hung the print up to process.)
• (Answer: Three sons and four daughters.)
• (Answer: Your father.)
• (Answer: Four horses in standing in a square.)
• (Answer: The letter E.)
• (Answer: The people are Adam’s sisters.)

Short riddles for adults

• (Answer: A candle.)
• (Answer: A coin.)
• (Answer: A feather.)
• (Answer: Time.)
• (Answer: A comb.)
• (Answer: An egg.)
• (Answer: A shirt.)
• (Answer: A towel.)
• (Answer: A clock.)
• (Answer: A sponge.)
• (Answer: An envelope.)
• (Answer: An echo.)
• (Answer: A piano. Bonus answer, a keyboard!)
• (Answer: An iceberg.)
• (Answer: A Christmas tree.)
• (Answer: The future.)
• (Answer: A coat of paint.)
• (Answer: Your mom.)
• (Answer: All of them have 28 days.)

Smart riddles for adults

• (Answer: A is D’s uncle.)
• (Answer: Short.)
• (Answer: Legs.)
• (Answer: John.)
• (Answer: Your age.)
• (Answer: A cold.)
• (Answer: A coffin.)
• (Answer: Queue.)
• (Answer: Seven.)
• (Answer: Bob is now in second place.)
• (Answer: There are no stairs, it is a one-story house.)
• (Answer: When it is ajar.)
• (Answer: Your name.)
• (Answer: A needle.)

Good riddles for the workplace

• (Answer: A keyboard.)
• (Answer: A bank.)
• (Answer: Money.)
• (Answer: You have two books.)
• (Answer: A stapler.)
• (Answer: 99 students.)
• (Answer: Incorrectly.)
• (Answer: There is one grandma, her daughter, and her granddaughter.)
• (Answer: Eat and ate.)
• (Answer: Nine.)
• (Answer: Sally and Susie were born in different time zones.)
• (Answer: The word NOT.)
• (Answer: Today.)

You can use riddles in the workplace can in a variety of ways. First, you can open either virtual or in-person meetings with a riddle. Or, use a riddle as a brain break during a meeting so team members get a chance to blow off some steam. These questions and riddles can encourage camaraderie in employees if they find the answers in teams.

Next, check out these lists of problem-solving books and team building problems .

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FAQ: Workplace riddles

Here are answers to questions about workplace riddles for adults.

How can you use riddles in the workplace?

Riddles in the workplace can be used in a variety of ways. First, you can open either virtual or in-person meetings with a riddle. Or, use a riddle as a brain break during a meeting so team members get a chance to blow off some steam. These questions and riddles can be used to encourage camaraderie in employees if they find the answers in teams.

What are some work good riddles for adults?

Good work riddles for adults encourage team members to think outside the box. The answer should be possible to find, but should take work to figure out. It is best to avoid topics that could be controversial. For example, the classic two guards, one tells the truth and one lies.

Author: Grace He

People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com.

Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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