Riddles have always intrigued and challenged us, testing our critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Here’s a collection of 20 mind-bending riddles that will push you to think outside the box. Some may seem easy at first glance, but don’t be fooled; the answers are trickier than you might think!
The Cement Room
Riddle: If you are stuck in a cement room with no means of escape, except a table and a mirror, how will you escape?
Answer: “You look in the mirror and see what you saw, take the saw, and cut the table in half. Two halves make a hole- jump through the hole and you’re out.”
A Tricky Riddle For The Tricky People
Riddle: What can you sleep on, sit on, and even brush your teeth with?
Answer: Well, it is just a bed, a chair, and a toothbrush, isn’t it?
A War of the Words
Riddle: “What always has four letters, sometimes has nine letters, but never has five letters?”
Answer: If you look carefully, this riddle is an observation, rather than a question. Hence, it has no answer.
Eternal Beginnings
Riddle: “I am the beginning of eternity and the end of time and space. The start of every end and the end of every place. What am I?”
Answer: This is quite simple- for it is the letter E.
Breakfast at Riddles
Riddle: “It’s 7 am. You are asleep and there is a sudden knock on the door. Behind the door are your parents, who came to have breakfast. In your fridge: bread, milk, juice, and a jar of jam. To answer, what will you open first?”
Answer: Since you are still asleep- you will be opening your eyes first.
No Mouth, And Yet Words Flow
Riddle: “I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have nobody, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?”
Answer: Speak into a ravine and it would be the echo you listen to.
Men In Masks
Riddle: “A man leaves home on foot one evening, makes three left turns, and arrives back home to find two masked men waiting there. Who are they?”
Answer: Time for MLB fans to shine- for the masked men are the umpire and the catcher.
Cabin in the Woods?
Riddle: “There is a cabin in the woods. There are no footprints around the cabin. There are seven people inside that are all dead. They all died at the same time. There is no one else in the cabin. How did the people die?”
Answer: This is an airplane cabin- that crashed, unfortunately.
No Siblings
Riddle: “A man in prison has a visitor. Afterward, a guard asks the inmate who the visitor was to him. The inmate replies: “Brothers and sisters I have none, but that man’s father is my father’s son.” Who was the visitor to the inmate?”
Answer: It was his son who came to meet.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Riddle: “Four men were fishing in a boat on the lake. The boat turned over and all four men sank to the bottom of the lake. And yet, not one single man got wet. How can this be?”
Answer: None of them were bachelors, so no single men were harmed.
Bat and Ball
Riddle: “A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?”
Answer: Just a meager 5 cents.
The Man Who Has It All
Riddle: “The man who made it sold it.
The man who bought it did not use it.
The man who used it did not know it.
What is it?”
Answer: Sadly, it is a coffin.
Box Of Treasures
Riddle: “A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hidden. What is it?”
Answer: It is an egg.
Thirteen Hearts Why?
Riddle: “What has 13 hearts but no other organs?
Answer: A deck of playing cards
The Vanishing Door?
Riddle: “When is a door, not a door?”
Answer: When it is ajar.
Railroad Dilemma
Riddle: “Railroad crossing, look out for the cars. Can you spell that, without any R’s?”
Answer: It is quite simple- T H A T.
It’s Cowboy Time!
Riddle: “A cowboy rides into town on Friday stays for three days and leaves on Friday. How did he do it?”
Answer: In a similar vein to Robinson Crusoe, he named his horse Friday.
“I am NOT Your Father, Luke!”
Riddle: “I am your father, but you are not my son. Who are you to me?”
Answer: You are my daughter.
Is This The Last Place You Looked?
Riddle: “How is it possible to always find what you’re looking for in the last place you look?”
Answer: If you find what you are looking for, then you would stop looking, so it would be in the last place you looked.
The American Doctor
Riddle: “A man and his son are in a terrible accident and are rushed to the hospital in critical care. The doctor looks at the boy and exclaims ‘I can’t operate on this boy, he’s my son!’ How could this be?”
Answer: The boy’s mother is the operating doctor.