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200 Hard Riddles With Answers

200 riddles · answers on the last page · riddleup.com/riddles/hard-riddles

  1. What can be found at the beginning of eternity the end of time and space the beginning of every end?
  2. Long and slinky like a trout, never sings till it's guts come out.
  3. An iron horse with a flaxen tail. The faster the horse runs, the shorter his tail becomes.
  4. When I'm born I fly. When I'm alive I lay. When I'm dead I run.
  5. What occurs four times in every week, twice in every month, only once in a year but never in a day?
  6. I am a good state, there can be no doubt of it; but those who are in, entirely are out of it.
  7. Long legs, crooked thighs, little head, and no eyes.
  8. Turns us on our backs, and open up our stomachs. You will be the wisest of men though at start a lummox.
  9. You have it even if there is none.
  10. In Paris but not in France, the thinnest of its siblings.
  11. This is the tallest peak in the happiest place on earth.
  12. Currency that flirted with a British spy.
  13. I tremble at each breath of air, and yet can heaviest burdens bear.
  14. What eight letter word has "kst" in the middle, at the beginning, and at the end?
  15. What liquid can contain the soul?
  16. I'm the start of eternity and the end of space. There are two of me in heaven and one in hell.
  17. Gets rid of bad ones, short and tall. Tightens when used, one size fits all.
  18. I saw the dead bring forth the living. I saw the living bring forth the dead. What did I see?
  19. What would your father's only sister's sister-in-law be to you?
  20. You'll have me at night and if you remove the first letter I denote the top, such as on a train.
  21. An open ended barrel, it is shaped like a hive. It is filled with the flesh, and the flesh is alive!
  22. Kills the bad ones and the sad ones. Tightens to fit, so one size fits.
  23. Slayer of regrets, old and new, sought by many, found by few.
  24. I bind it and it walks. I loose it and it stops.
  25. When the creeper passes, all the grass kneels.
  26. I have three hundred cattle, with a single nose cord.
  27. There is a creature of God whose body is hard; it does not wish to eat unless you strike its head.
  28. Needed to jack, but also to carp. I can't be used in rust, but can in the grass. What am I?
  29. I can travel from there to here by disappearing, and here to there by reappearing.
  30. What do we see every day, kings see rarely, and God never sees?
  31. Grows from the ground, bushes and grass, leaves of yellow, red and brown. Unruly plants get the axe, trim the hedge back down.
  32. High born, my touch is gentle. Purest white is my lace. Silence is my kingdom. Green is the color of my death.
  33. What can be seen but never found, that only hides in the unwound?
  34. I am the third from a sparkle bright. I thrive throughout the day and night. Deep in the path of a cow's white drink. I've had thousands of millions of years to think. But one of my creatures is killing me. And so the question I ask to thee, is who am I?
  35. What odd number becomes even when beheaded?
  36. I have split the one into five. I am the circle that few will spy. I am the path that breaks and gives. I am the bow no man may bend.
  37. I use electricity and I killed my father. I am a king. I have a lot of girlfriends, but I also have a wife. Who am I?
  38. Two little holes in the side of a hill. Just as you come to the cherry-red mill.
  39. Curtail me thrice, I am a youth; behead me once, a snake; complete, I'm often used, in truth, when certain steps you'd take.
  40. What occurs once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in one thousand years?
  41. Bold are the first; true are the second; playful are the third; clever are the fourth; forceful are the fifth.
  42. My first is an insect; my second is a border; my whole puts the face in a tuneful disorder.
  43. Perfect with a head, perfect without a head; Perfect with a tail, perfect without a tail; Perfect with either, neither, or both.
  44. My first is in fish but not in snail. My second is in rabbit but not in tail. My third is in up but not in down. My fourth is in tiara but not in crown. My fifth is in tree you plainly see. My whole a food for you and me.
  45. I live in water. If you cut my head I'm at your door. If you cut my tail I'm fruit. If you cut both I'm with you.
  46. What surrounds the world, yet dwells within a thimble?
  47. It is an arctic double breasted formal wear.
  48. A vessel have I, that is round as pear, moist in the middle, surrounded with hair; and often it happens that water flows there.
  49. I live above a star who never burns. I have 11 neighbors but they never turn. My initial are p, q, r, and sometimes s. What am I?
  50. Sometimes I am loud. And viewed with distaste. Poke out my "eye", then I'm on the front of your face.
  51. If you look you cannot see me. If you see me you cannot see anything else. I can make anything you want happen, but later everything goes back to normal. What am I?
  52. What is part of you and all around you but if it entangles you, it will kill you?
  53. It increases and decreases yet no one see it. It is not a fire and yet it can be quenched.
  54. As I went over London Bridge I met my sister Jenny; I broke her neck and drank her blood and left her standing empty.
  55. Two brothers we are, great burdens we bear. All day we are bitterly pressed. Yet this I will say, we are full all the day, and empty when go to rest.
  56. I ride, I ride; no tracks are left. I chop and chop; there are no chips left. He rides and rides; turns around: there is no road left.
  57. My first keeps time, my second spends time, my whole tells time.
  58. There is not wind enough to twirl that one red leaf, nearest of its clan, which dances as often as dance it can.
  59. My first is a title of honor; my second is myself; my third is your and I; my whole is a beautiful fixed star, seen in the winter.
  60. It happens when something has been cut with H2O.
  61. What is the thing that stays the same size, but the more it's used the more it decreases?
  62. My first is in some but not in all. My second is into but not in tall. My third in little but not in big. My fourth in pork but not in pig. My whole is made in nature's way. For clothing, rugs used every day.
  63. As I went across the bridge, I met a man with a load of wood which was neither straight nor crooked. What kind of wood was it?
  64. Twigs and spheres and poles and plates. Join and bind to reason make.
  65. My first is a slice affords so nice; my second discomposes; my whole's a bed where honor's head devotedly reposes.
  66. My first is a term to relate a circumstance present or past; and those who are much prone to prate, my second will spout away fast. My whole, in the days of our youth, is what we extremely despised; and though it say nothing but truth, yet it never need hope to be prized.
  67. What eight letter word has 'kst' in middle, in the beginning and at the end?
  68. My first is equality; my second is inferiority; my whole is superiority.
  69. Something wholly unreal, yet seems real to I. Think my friend, tell me where does it lie?
  70. Can you guess the next letter in the series? "CYGTNLIT"
  71. I am a strong as ten men Yet ten men cannot stand me up. What am I?
  72. There are two meanings to me. With one I may need to be broken, with the other I hold on. My favorite characteristic is my charming dimple.
  73. What kinds of men are always above board?
  74. It produces a flower but it is not its fruit; it produces branches which are its fruit.
  75. What can be right but never wrong?
  76. You'll have me at night and if you remove the first letter I denote the top, such as on a train. What am I?
  77. Blend a teapot shot so the pearlies won't rot!
  78. My first is nothing but a name; my second is more small; my whole is of so little fame it has no name at all.
  79. You can read it both ways, I wear; one way it's a number, reversed a snare.
  80. It can make rain, but take away one leg and it'll give you pain.
  81. What is the word that even in plain sight remains hidden?
  82. In two years, I know I'll be twice as old as I was five years ago, said Tom. How old is Tom?
  83. I occur twice in eternity. And I'm always within sight.
  84. What is in the middle of nowhere?
  85. What common English verb becomes its own past tense by rearranging its letters?
  86. I am a time for gathering crops. Remove the first three letters and I become an object you can wear. What am I?
  87. My second is performed by my first, and it is thought a thief by the marks of my whole might be caught.
  88. One am I, among six others: Largest, smallest, cold, dark and two brothers.
  89. The ones in the sea are prickly, but the ones on the street might pickpocket you.
  90. It's always above the negatives Yet it's lower than the first prime no matter how you multiply it's the same every time.
  91. Five men were eating apples, A finished before B, but behind C. D finished before E, but behind B. What was the finishing order?
  92. What seven-letter word becomes longer when the third letter is removed?
  93. What word looks the same upside down and backwards?
  94. I am not alive but seem so, because I dance and breathe with no legs or lungs of my own. What am I?
  95. I go from house to house, a messenger small and tight. Whether it rains or snows, I sleep outside at night. What am I?
  96. I am bigger than an elephant but lighter than a feather. What am I?
  97. I am a mountain at night, meadow at day. What am I?
  98. I am owned by the poor, the rich does not need me. If you eat me, you will die! What am I?
  99. When you take away the whole from me, there is always some left. What am I?
  100. I am free for the taking. Through all of your life, though given but once at birth. I am less than nothing in weight, but will fell the strongest of you if held. What am I?
  101. I am the second L in LOL. What am I?
  102. A hole in a pole. Though I fill a hole in white, I'm used more by the day and less by the night. What am I?
  103. I am a time for gathering crops. Remove the first three letters I become an object you can wear. What am I?
  104. Never was, I am always to be. No one ever saw me, nor ever will. And yet I am the confidence of all, to live and breathe on this terrestrial ball. What am I?
  105. I moan, I groan, I chase after you. I never seem to rest. Time's up for you. What am I?
  106. Fatherless and motherless. Born without sin, roared when it came into the world. And never spoke again. What am I?
  107. I live above a star who never burns. I have 11 neighbors but they never turn. My initials are p, q, r, and sometimes s. What am I?
  108. I am free the first time and second time, but the third time is going to cost you money. What am I?
  109. I can be heard in a court or carried with you. What am I?
  110. I begin and have no end. Eventually I will be the ending of all that has begun. What am I?
  111. I see what you see, feel what you feel, and hear what you hear. I know all of your moves before you make them. I even know the moves you didn't make. What am I?
  112. Though I am dark, Adam married me. What am I?
  113. I can be found after you remove 6 letters from BSAINXLEATEARS. What am I?
  114. I am a fire's best friend. When fat, my body fills with wind. When pushed to thin, through my nose I blow. Then you can watch the embers glow. What am I?
  115. I have 24 keys but cannot open any locks. Sometimes loud, sometimes soft. What am I?
  116. I climb higher as I get hotter. I can never escape from my crystal cage. What am I?
  117. I am a rock group with four members. All dead, one was assassinated. What am I?
  118. I can run but not walk. Wherever I go, thought follows close behind. What am I?
  119. Ripped from my mother's womb. Beaten and burned, I become a bloodthirsty killer. What am I?
  120. My first two letters say my name. My last letter asks a question. What I embrace I destroy. What am I?
  121. I contain six letters, minus one and you got twelve. What am I?
  122. I dance on one foot and know only one shape. Someone with the same name as me is very good with directions. What am I?
  123. In prison I will be found, but I'll never be in court, unless there's more than one. What am I?
  124. I am the ultimate killing machine, used not once but twice, I can be made by humans. What am I?
  125. In my life I must bare, my bloodline I must share. What am I?
  126. My first half means container. Not a lot of people understand my language. What am I?
  127. I am a mother from a family of eight. Spins around all day despite my weight. Had a ninth sibling before finding out its fake. What am I?
  128. I flow from the mouth of Homer when he sees doughnuts. What am I?
  129. Shoot at me a thousand times and I may still survive; one scratch from you and me will find your prospects take a dive. What am I?
  130. I know a thousand faces, and count the tailed heads, feasting bright upon the eyes, of many who have died. Wielding well a mighty power, who hath but humble stature. Masses fall upon their knees, to scarce behold my only side. What am I?
  131. I am the ruler of shovels, I have a double, I am as thin as a knife, I have a wife. What am I?
  132. I am used to bat with, yet I never get a hit. I am near a ball, yet it is never thrown. What am I?
  133. I have a hundred legs but cannot stand, a long neck but no head; I eat the maid's life. What am I?
  134. I'm a king that speaks for my country. At birth I am protected by no one. As I grow my father gives me 2 soldiers to protect me. As I get matured many more are given to me. And at my full age my father gives me 32 white soldiers to guard me and protect me. What am I?
  135. To unravel me, you need a key. No key that was made by locksmith's hand, but a key that only I will understand. What am I?
  136. Take away my first letter and I remain the same. Take away my last letter and I remain unchanged. Remove all my letters and I'm still me. What am I?
  137. He has one and a person has two, a citizen has three and a human being has four, a personality has five and an inhabitant of earth has six. What am I?
  138. Four golfers named Mr. Black, Mr. White, Mr. Brown and Mr. Blue were competing in a tournament. The caddy didn't know their names, so he asked them. One of them, Mr. Brown, told a lie. The 1st golfer said "The 2nd Golfer is Mr. Black." The 2nd golfer said "I am not Mr. Blue!" The 3rd golfer said "Mr. White? That's the 4th golfer." And the 4th golfer remained silent. Which one of the golfers is Mr. Blue?
  139. 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?
  140. Two in a whole and four in a pair. Six in a trio you see. Eight's a quartet but what you must get is the name that fits just one of me. What am I?
  141. The floor's on top, the roof's beneath, and from this place I rarely leave. Yet with the passing of each day. A new horizon greets my gaze.
  142. I heard of a wonder, of words moth-eaten. That is a strange thing, I thought, weird. That a man's song be swallowed by a worm. His blinded sentences, his bedside stand-by rustled in the night - and the robber-guest. Not one wit the wiser. For the words he had mumbled.
  143. Halfway up the hill, I see you at last, lying beneath me with your sounds and sights. A city in the twilight, dim and vast, with smoking roofs, soft bells, and gleaming lights.
  144. When people come for me to meet, they come to me with heavy feet. The one I hold, when I get my chance, will turn and spin, and start to dance.
  145. My first a blessing sent to earth, of plants and flowers to aid the birth; my second surely was designed to hurl destruction on mankind; my whole a pledge from pardoning heaven, of wrath appeased and crimes forgiven.
  146. My first is in riddle, but not in little. My second is in think, but not in brink. My third is in thyme, but not in time. My fourth is in mother, but not in brother. My last is in time, but not in climb.
  147. My head and tail both equal are, my middle slender as a bee. Whether I stand on head or heel Is quite the same to you or me. But if my head should be cut off, the matter's true, though passing strange directly I to nothing change.
  148. I shift around, though always slowly. I never move more than a few inches at a time. A large movement by me can kill many people. I am huge, yet unseen by humans. What am I?
  149. The wave, over the wave, a weird thing I saw, Through-wrought, and wonderfully ornate: A wonder on the wave-water became bone.
  150. When the day after tomorrow is yesterday, today will be as far from Wednesday as today was from Wednesday when the day before yesterday was tomorrow. What is the day after this day?
  151. My first brace Nelson yielded, midst the jar of angry battle, and the din of war; my second, when from labor we retreat, far from polite, yet offers us a seat; my whole is but my second more complete.
  152. As a whole, I am both safe and secure. Behead me, I become a place of meeting. Behead me again, I am the partner of ready. Restore me, I become the domain of beasts.
  153. My first, if you do, you'll increase; my second will keep you from heaven; my whole, such a human caprice, is more frequently given than taken.
  154. My first is to be seen every day in the firmament; My second conquers kings and queens; And my whole is what I would offer to a friend in distress.
  155. I am the beginning of sorrow, and the end of sickness. You cannot express happiness without me, yet I am in the midst of crosses. I am always in risk, yet never in danger. You may find me in the sun, but I am never seen out of darkness.
  156. My first is a heir; My second's a snare; My whole is the offspring of fancy; Which I sent, out of play, Upon Valentine's day, As a token of love, to my Nancy.
  157. I am essential to life on earth! I am split into thirds. Two thirds are the same. One of the thirds is 8. The other two are 1 each. What am I?
  158. Five hundred begins it, five hundred ends it. Five in the middle is seen. First of all figures, the first of all letters. Take up their stations between. Join all together, and then you will bring before you the name of an eminent king.
  159. Six letters do my name compound; Among the aged oft I'm found; The shepherd also, by the brook, Hears me when leaning on his crook; But in the middle me divide, And take the half on either side, Each backward read, a liquor tell, Ev'ry gay toper knows it well.
  160. It is more feared than fear itself, And no one can escape it. It takes no sides and does not judge, it does not know to hold a grudge. It is the most clearest result, Of how life beats you by default.
  161. It's true I bring serenity. And hang around the stars. But yet I live in misery, you'll find me behind bars. With thieves and villains I consort. In prison I'll be found. But I would never go to court. Unless there's more than one.
  162. My first is ocean but not in sea, My second in milk but not in me. My third is in three but not in throw, My fourth in vow but not in crow. My fifth is in eight but not in night, My last is in wrong and also right. My whole is praise for thoughts or men; Or women, too, or tongue or pen.
  163. My first part compliments people. My second part makes things known. My third part hurts feelings. My fourth part holds a previous treasure. My fifth part is used when sharing fancy beverages. What am I?
  164. Physicists have built devices to move me very fast. My last seven letters can be commonly found in newspapers, magazines, and journals. What am I?
  165. I saw a fight the other day; A damsel did begin the fray. She with her daily friend did meet, then standing in the open street, she gave such hard and sturdy blows, he bled ten gallons at the nose; yet neither seemed to faint nor fall, nor gave her an abuse at all.
  166. I am whole but incomplete. I have no eyes, yet I see. You can see, and see right through me. My largest part is one fourth of what I once was.
  167. My first is in blood and also in battle. My second is in acorn, oak, and apple. My third and fourth are both the same. In the center of sorrow and twice in refrain. My fifth starts eternity ending here. My last is the first of last, Oh Dear!
  168. In the land of the green glass door there are riddles but no answers, sheets but no blankets, and books but no words. Name something found in the land of the green glass door.
  169. I'm a word, six letters long; I sometimes enter with a gong. All in order from A to Z, I start with the letter B. What is the word?
  170. I come when the weather is at its prime, Though, it might be wise to leave nothing on the street. But, in the wintertime My name is obsolete What am I?
  171. You use me for multiple reasons, I am many colored, and many shaped. I may or may not also tell you your sexual preference. What am I?
  172. A harvest sown and reaped on the same day In an unplowed field, Which increases without growing, Remains whole though it is eaten Within and without, Is useless and yet The staple of nations.
  173. What must be in the oven yet cannot be baked? Grows in the heat yet shuns the light of day? What sinks in water but rises with air? Looks like skin, but is fine as hair?
  174. We travel much, yet prisoners are, and close confined to boot. Yet with any horse, we will keep the pace, and will always go on foot. What are they?
  175. Begotten, and born, and dying with noise, The terror of women, and pleasure of boys, Like the fiction of poets concerning the wind, I'm chiefly unruly, when strongest confined.
  176. I am the fountain from which no one can drink. For many I am considered a necessary link. Like gold to all I am sought for, but my continued death brings wealth for all to want more.
  177. I am the third from a sparkle bright, I thrive throughout the day and night. Deep in the path of a cows white drink. I've had thousands of millions of years to think. But one of my creatures is killing me. And so the question I ask to thee, is who am I?
  178. This mother comes from a family of eight, Supports her children in spite of their weight, Turns around without being called, Has held you since the time you crawled.
  179. My first, though water, cures no thirst, My next alone has soul, And when he lives upon my first, He then is called my whole.
  180. My first is high, My second damp, My whole a tie, A writer's cramp.
  181. I fly to any foreign parts, assisted by my spreading wings. My body holds an hundred hearts, Nay, I will tell you stranger things when I am not in haste I ride, and then I mend my pace anon. I issue fire from my side. You witty youths, this riddle con.
  182. Man of old, it is told would search until he tired, not for gold, ne'er be sold, but what sought he was fire. Man today, thou mayst say, has quite another aim, in places deep, he did seek, to find me for his gain!
  183. I am small, but, when entire, of force to set a town on fire; Let but one letter disappear, I then can hold a herd of deer; Take one more off, and then you'll find I once contained all human kind.
  184. We are little airy creatures, all of different voice and features, one of us in glass is set. One of us you'll find in jet. Another you may see in tin. And the fourth a box within. If the fifth you should pursue, it can never fly from you. What are we?
  185. A hundred years I once did live, and often wholesome food did give, yet all that time I ne'er did roam, so much as a half a mile from my home, my days were spent devoid of strife, until at last I lost my life. And since my death – I pray give ear, I oft have traveled far and near.
  186. It holds most knowledge that has ever been said. But is not the brain, is not the head. To feathers and their masters, it's both bane and boon. One empty, and one full.
  187. At the end of my yard there is a vat, four-and-twenty ladies dancing in that; Some in green gowns, and some with blue hat; He is a wise man who can tell me that.
  188. My first is second in line; I send shivers up your spine; not quite shining bright I glitter in the light.
  189. It was a tradition long ago, When the world was dark and full of woe. When men turned darkness into light, By mixing, melting and decanting in the night, To seek for youth and gold and riches, Just to be burned as witches.
  190. Every dawn begins with me. At dusk I'll be the first you see, and daybreak couldn't come without. What midday centers all about. Daisies grow from me, I'm told. And when I come, I end all code, but in the sun I won't be found. Yet still, each day I'll be around.
  191. Four wings I have, which swiftly mount on high, on sturdy pinions, yet I never fly; And though my body often moves around, upon the self-same spot I'm always found, and, like a mother, who breaks her infant's bread. I chew for man before he can be fed.
  192. Sometimes it glitters, but often not; May be cold, or may be hot! Ever changing though the eye can't measure, concealed within are many treasures. Some find safety beneath its gate, while some may die beneath its weight! Old and broken, it brings forth life.
  193. It's in the church, but not in the steeple; It's in the parson, but not in the people; It's in the oyster, but not in the shell; It's in the clapper, but not in the bell.
  194. With thieves I consort, With the Vilest, in short, I'm quite at ease in depravity, Yet all divines use me, And savants can't lose me, For I am the century of gravity.
  195. In wealth I abound; in water I stand; As a fencer I'm valued all over the land; At Venice I'm famous; by farmers I'm prized; Respected by law, yet huntsmen despised; Consternation and ruin ensue when I break; And the beasts of the forest advantage won't take.
  196. Plow and hoe, reap and sow, What soon does every farmer grow?
  197. In marble halls as white as milk, lined with a skin as soft as silk. Within a fountain crystal-clear. A golden apple doth appear. No doors there are to this stronghold, yet thieves break in and steal the gold.
  198. A useful thing, hard, firm, and white, outside in shaggy robe bedight; Hallowed within right cleverly, it goes to work both white and dry. When after labor it comes back, you'll find it moist and very black; for service it is ready ever, and fails the hand that guides it never.
  199. A single syllable do I claim, black was my most famous name; Fetal to mortals here below, thousands have I slain in a single blow.
  200. My love, when I gaze on thy beautiful face. Careering along, yet always in place, the thought has often come into my mind. If I ever shall see thy glorious behind.

Answers

  1. The letter "E"The letter E starts "eternity," ends "time" and "space," and begins the word "end."
  2. GunA gun is long and sleek like a fish, and it only 'sings' (fires with a bang) once its 'guts' (bullet and gunpowder) are expelled.
  3. NeedleA sewing needle ('iron horse') pulls thread ('flaxen tail') through fabric, and the thread supply shortens the more it's used.
  4. SnowSnow 'flies' as it falls, 'lies' on the ground once settled, and 'runs' as melted water once it 'dies' (melts).
  5. ECounting the letter's occurrences in the words 'week,' 'month,' 'year,' and 'day' matches this exact pattern for the letter E.
  6. SaneThe riddle plays on double meaning: 'sane' is a good state of mind, but people who are 'in-sane' are by definition out of their right mind.
  7. TongsKitchen tongs have long crossed 'legs' (arms), a small pivoting 'head' or hinge, and no eyes.
  8. BooksOpening a book (cracking its spine like a 'stomach', laying it back) can transform an ignorant person (a lummox) into a wise one.
  9. HopeThe riddle plays loosely on the idea that people can still "have hope" even in a hopeless situation, though the phrasing itself is a bit paradoxical.
  10. The letter I"Paris" contains the letter I, which does not appear in "France"; among the letters unique to Paris, I is visually the thinnest.
  11. The MatterhornDisneyland, often called 'the happiest place on earth,' features the Matterhorn Bobsleds ride, modeled after the actual Swiss peak, as its tallest structure.
  12. Miss MoneypennyMiss Moneypenny is the character in the James Bond films who is fond of Agent 007, and her name puns on 'money' and 'penny.'
  13. WaterWater ripples at the slightest breeze yet can support enormous weight, such as ships, through buoyancy.
  14. InkstandThe source's intended wordplay is the word 'inkstand,' which hides the letters 'ink' and 'stand' inside an eight-letter word; the wording of this riddle is somewhat garbled in the original text.
  15. InkThis is a loose, poetic link: writing (done with ink) is said to capture a person's thoughts and 'soul' on the page.
  16. The letter E'Eternity' starts with E, 'spacE' ends with E, 'hEavEn' contains two E's, and 'hEll' contains one.
  17. A nooseA hangman's noose tightens around anyone's neck regardless of height, historically used to eliminate 'bad ones.'
  18. A funeralThe source lists 'funeral' as the answer to this deliberately poetic and ambiguous riddle, though the imagery of the dead producing the living (and vice versa) is a looser fit than most riddles in this collection.
  19. Your motherYour father's only sister's sister-in-law is your father's wife -- your mother -- since the sister-in-law of your aunt, through her marriage to your father, is your father's own spouse.
  20. Supper'Supper' is the evening meal; drop its first letter S and you get 'upper,' as in an 'upper' berth -- the top bunk on a sleeper train.
  21. A thimbleA thimble is a small, hive-shaped, open-bottomed cap worn over a living finger (the 'flesh') to protect it while sewing.
  22. A nooseA hangman's noose is a grim 'one size fits all' device that tightens around the neck regardless of the person's size.
  23. RedemptionRedemption is the act of making up for past wrongs and erasing regrets, yet it's something many seek but few truly achieve.
  24. A sandalStrapping (binding) a sandal onto a foot lets a person walk; unstrapping it removes that ability, stopping them.
  25. A plowAs a plow (the 'creeper') is dragged across a field, it flattens ('kneels') the grass and soil in its path.
  26. BeadsThis traditional riddle likens a string of many beads threaded on one cord to a herd of cattle tethered together by a single rope -- a loosely metaphorical, translated riddle.
  27. A chiselA chisel has a hard body and only 'bites' into material (works) when its head is struck with a mallet.
  28. The letter A"Jack" and "carp" both contain the letter A, "rust" does not contain an A, and "grass" does.
  29. The letter TRemove the T from "there" and you get "here"; add the T back to "here" and it becomes "there" again.
  30. An equalOrdinary people meet their "equals" every day, kings rarely meet anyone of equal status, and God, as supreme, has no equal at all.
  31. HairThe riddle describes hair as if it were landscaping: it "grows," comes in shades like blond ("yellow"), red, and brown, and unruly growth gets trimmed, a haircut, just like an overgrown hedge.
  32. SnowSnow falls gently from high in the sky, is pure white and lacy in pattern, blankets the world in silence, and "dies," melts, into green grass come spring.
  33. RelaxationRelaxation is something you feel only when you let go of tension ("unwound"), and it can't be actively "found" by searching.
  34. EarthEarth is the third planet from the sparkling sun, sits within the Milky Way ("cow's white drink" is milk), is billions of years old, and is being harmed by humanity, one of its own creatures.
  35. SevenRemoving the "S" from "seven" leaves "even," turning the odd number's name into the word for an even number.
  36. A rainbowA rainbow splits white light into the colors of the spectrum, forms a faint circle rarely seen in full, appears in broken light through rain, and looks like a bow no one can actually string.
  37. ZeusIn Greek mythology, Zeus wields lightning, overthrew his father Cronus to become king of the gods, was married to Hera, and had many other lovers.
  38. The noseThis poetically describes a face: the "hill" is your face, the "two little holes" are your nostrils, and the "cherry-red mill" is your mouth — together framing the nose.
  39. A ladderRemoving the last three letters of "ladder" leaves "lad" (a youth); removing just the first letter leaves "adder" (a snake); the whole word "ladder" is what you climb, step by step.
  40. The letter MThe letter M appears once in "minute," twice in "moment," but not at all in "one thousand years."
  41. BraveThe initials of the five described traits, Bold, Real, Adventurous, Clever, and Vigorous, spell out the word BRAVE, which the source gives as the answer.
  42. Anthem"Ant" (insect) plus "hem" (a border, or edge, of cloth) forms "anthem," and singing along to a rousing anthem can twist your face into odd, tuneful expressions.
  43. A wigThe source's answer likely alludes to historical wigs, some styled with a tail (queue) and some without, and worn as full head-coverings or partial hairpieces -- a fairly obscure, loose fit compared to most riddles here.
  44. FruitThe letters spell F (fish, not snail), R (rabbit, not tail), U (up, not down), I (tiara, not crown), and T (tree), together spelling 'fruit.'
  45. A pearl'Pearl' forms in water inside an oyster; drop its first letter for 'earl' (a nobleman), drop its last letter for 'pear' (a fruit), and drop both to get 'ear,' which is always with you.
  46. SpaceOuter space surrounds the entire world, yet the small pocket of empty space inside a sewing thimble is also, technically, space.
  47. A snowsuitThe clue's classic form usually points to a tuxedo-like penguin; the source instead answers 'snowsuit,' referencing a heavily layered cold-weather outfit, which is a looser fit for 'formal wear.'
  48. An eyeThe eyeball is round and moist, ringed by lashes and brows, and tears (water) often flow from it.
  49. The number 7 on a phone keypadOn a phone keypad, the 7 sits above the star (*) key, shares the pad with 11 other unmoving buttons, and its letters are P, Q, R, S.
  50. Noise'Noise' can be loud and unpleasant; remove the letter 'i' (its 'eye') and the remaining letters spell 'nose,' which sits on the front of your face.
  51. ImaginationYou can't spot imagination by looking around, but once you're lost in it nothing else registers -- and it can conjure anything, until reality returns.
  52. WaterThe human body is made mostly of water, water surrounds us in rivers and oceans, yet becoming tangled and trapped underwater can drown a person.
  53. ThirstThirst is an invisible feeling that grows or fades, and like a fire, it can be "quenched" -- in this case, by drinking water.
  54. Gin"Sister Jenny" is old slang for a bottle of gin: breaking her neck opens the bottle, drinking her blood is drinking the gin, and leaving her standing empty leaves the empty bottle behind.
  55. BootsTwo boots ("brothers") bear the weight of your body all day, remaining "full" of your feet until you take them off and empty them at night.
  56. BoatA boat glides through water leaving no tracks, cuts through waves without leaving chips, and turns around at sea where there is no road at all.
  57. WatchmanThis is a charade riddle: "watch" keeps time, "man" spends his time on duty, and together "watchman" is someone who patrols keeping track through the night.
  58. SunThis passage more naturally describes a single trembling autumn leaf; the source lists "sun" as the intended answer, though the connection between a lone red leaf and the sun is a genuine stretch worth flagging.
  59. Sirius"Sir" (a title of honor) plus "I" (myself) plus "us" (you and I) spells SIRIUS, the brightest star in the winter sky.
  60. DilutedAdding water (H2O) to a liquid to reduce its strength is the definition of diluting it.
  61. IronThe source lists 'iron' as the answer here, though the description of shrinking with use actually fits an item like a bar of soap far better; this appears to be a weak or mismatched answer in the original worksheet, which we retain as given.
  62. SilkEach clue isolates one letter present in the first word but absent from the second, spelling S-I-L-K -- the natural fiber woven into clothing and rugs. (The source text's "port" appears to be a scanning error for "pork," which is what actually supplies the letter K.)
  63. SawdustSawdust is just loose wood particles with no defined shape at all, so it is neither straight nor crooked.
  64. SkeletonThe bones of a skeleton resemble twigs, round joints resemble spheres, long bones resemble poles, and flat bones resemble plates, all joined together to form a functioning ('reasoning') body.
  65. Hammock"Ham" is a nice slice of meat and "mock" means to unsettle or disturb (discompose); together they form "hammock," a bed where one might rest with honor.
  66. Telltale"Tell" relates a past or present circumstance, and someone who prates (chatters) spins a "tale" quickly; together they form "telltale," a name children hated to be called even when telling the truth.
  67. InkstandThe intended answer, INKSTAND (from "ink" plus "stand"), does contain the letters K, S and T clustered near its middle, though the printed clue about that pattern repeating at the very start and end appears distorted by scanning errors and doesn't check out cleanly letter-by-letter.
  68. PeerlessReading the described letter-clues in sequence spells "peerless," meaning without equal, matching the riddle's own play on "equality," "inferiority," and "superiority."
  69. The mindThe mind can create thoughts and illusions that feel completely real even though they exist only internally, and the riddle plays on "where does it lie," both meaning location and the act of telling a lie.
  70. S, because the letters are the first letters of the words in "Can You Guess The Next Letter In The Series"Each letter in 'CYGTNLIT' is the first letter of a word in the question itself ('Can You Guess The Next Letter In The...'), so the next letter continues the phrase with 'Series' -- S.
  71. WaterWater can be extremely forceful, yet because it has no fixed shape, no number of strong men could ever make it physically "stand up" on its own.
  72. A tie"Tie" has multiple meanings: a game "tie" may need to be broken to determine a winner, while a necktie is something you hold onto (wear), and a well-tied necktie often features a stylish dimple.
  73. ChessmenA pun on the idiom "above board" (meaning honest) -- chessmen (chess pieces) are literally always above the board during play.
  74. Sweet cornA corn plant grows a tassel (flower) at its top, which is not the harvested part; instead, the ears growing along its stalk ("branches") are its useful "fruit."
  75. A right angleThis is a wordplay riddle: a "right angle" is called "right" (a 90-degree angle) by name, so it can never technically be described as a "wrong angle."
  76. SupperYou eat "supper" at night, and removing its first letter leaves "upper," as in an "upper" berth or deck, such as on a train.
  77. Toothpaste"Pearlies" refers to teeth (pearly whites), and toothpaste is used to keep them from decaying ("rot"). Note: the riddle's own phrasing is oddly worded in the source, but the intended answer is clearly toothpaste.
  78. NamelessThis is a compound-word riddle: 'name' (nothing but a name) plus 'less' (smaller) combine to form 'nameless,' a word that ironically has no name of its own.
  79. Ten'Ten' spelled backward is 'net' -- a snare used to trap something -- making it readable both ways as intended.
  80. The letter R'R' plus 'ain' spells 'rain'; remove one leg from the letter R and it becomes a 'P,' which plus 'ain' spells 'pain' -- a letter-based wordplay riddle.
  81. "Hidden"This is a self-referential wordplay riddle: the word 'hidden,' printed right there on the page, is the answer itself -- hidden in plain sight until you notice it.
  82. TwelveLet Tom's age be x: x + 2 = 2(x - 5), which solves to x = 12, so Tom is twelve years old.
  83. The letter TThe word 'eternity' contains the letter T twice, and T also appears in the word 'sight.'
  84. The letter HCounting the letters of 'nowhere,' the letter H sits exactly in the middle.
  85. Eat'Eat' rearranged becomes 'ate' -- its own past-tense form, made from the same letters.
  86. Harvest'Harvest' is the crop-gathering season, and dropping its first three letters ('har') leaves 'vest,' a piece of clothing.
  87. A footstepThe 'foot' (first part) performs the 'step' (second part), and the footsteps left behind can help catch a thief.
  88. EuropeAmong the seven continents, Asia is largest, Australia smallest, Antarctica coldest and darkest in winter, and North/South America are the 'two brothers,' leaving Europe as the remaining one.
  89. UrchinA sea urchin is covered in sharp spines, while a 'street urchin' is old slang for a scrappy child who might pick pockets.
  90. ZeroZero sits directly above the negative numbers on a number line and below 2 (the first prime), and any number multiplied by zero always stays zero.
  91. CABDEWorking from the clues -- C before A before B, and B before D before E -- the only consistent finishing order is C, A, B, D, E.
  92. LoungerRemoving the third letter (U) from LOUNGER gives LONGER, a word that is literally 'longer' in meaning.
  93. SWIMSThe word 'SWIMS' reads the same when the page is flipped upside down and when it's viewed reflected, thanks to the symmetry of its letters.
  94. FameA flickering flame or a piece of animated art can seem lifelike, 'dancing' and 'breathing' with movement despite having no legs or lungs — though the riddle's link to fame specifically is an unusually loose fit worth noting.
  95. RoadThe source gives "road" as the answer -- a road connects every house and stays outdoors through all weather, though the imagery of a "small and tight messenger" fits a road only loosely; a mail carrier or letter might seem a more literal match to that phrase.
  96. WindA gust or storm of wind can be an enormous force of nature, yet air itself weighs next to nothing, lighter than a feather.
  97. BedThis is a loose, poetic fit -- an unmade bed with rumpled covers can look like a 'mountain' at night, while a made bed lies flat like a 'meadow' during the day.
  98. NothingThe poor "have" nothing, the rich don't need nothing, and if you "eat nothing" (starve) you would die -- a classic riddle about the word "nothing."
  99. WholesomeThe riddle is a letter/word trick: remove 'whole' from 'wholesome' and 'some' is left over -- a play on the word itself rather than a real object.
  100. BreathA person's breath is given freely at birth, weighs nothing, and yet its absence — being unable to breathe — can overpower even the strongest person.
  101. Loud'LOL' stands for 'laugh out loud,' and its second letter, L, stands for the word 'loud.'
  102. EyeA lightbulb screws into a socket ('hole'), glows white, and gets far more use after dark than during daylight hours.
  103. Harvest'Harvest' minus its first three letters ('har') leaves 'vest,' a wearable garment.
  104. FutureThe future never truly 'arrives' — by the time it does, it's already the present — yet everyone lives trusting it will come.
  105. ChildrenThe source's answer here loosely evokes labor pains -- moaning, restless contractions that chase toward a final moment -- ending in the arrival of children; it's a weaker, more figurative fit than most riddles in this set.
  106. ThunderThis describes thunder as a mythic figure: it has no parents, is a natural (sinless) force, roars with a boom, and then falls silent again.
  107. The number 7 on a phone keypadOn a classic phone keypad, the '7' key sits above the star (a symbol, not a burning star) with 11 other keys as neighbors and carries the letters P, Q, R, and S.
  108. TeethPeople get two sets of teeth naturally at no cost -- baby teeth, then adult teeth -- but further dental work, like removing troublesome wisdom teeth, will cost you money at the dentist.
  109. CaseA 'case' is heard in court (a court case) and is also something you carry with you (a briefcase/suitcase) -- the riddle plays on both meanings of the word.
  110. DeathDeath has no end once it begins, and it is the eventual conclusion awaiting everything that has ever begun (been born).
  111. BrainThe brain processes every sight, sound, and sensation you experience and generates every decision, including the ones you ultimately don't act on.
  112. EveAccording to the biblical story, Eve was Adam's wife, and the riddle's 'dark' clue is a play on the word 'eve' as in evening.
  113. BananaThis is a hidden-word letter puzzle; after removing the extra letters from the scrambled string, the source's intended remaining word is "banana" (the scrambled text itself appears somewhat garbled by the PDF extraction).
  114. BellowsA bellows fills with air when expanded ("fat") and, when squeezed thin, forces air out its nozzle ("nose") to fan flames and make embers glow.
  115. MusicThe "keys" most literally belong to an instrument like a piano or music box, but the source's stated answer is "music" itself, which can indeed sound loud or soft.
  116. MercuryLiquid mercury inside a glass thermometer rises up the tube as the temperature increases, but it's always sealed inside the glass "cage."
  117. Mount RushmoreMount Rushmore is carved into rock and depicts four U.S. presidents, all now deceased, one of whom (Lincoln) was assassinated -- a pun on "rock group."
  118. NoseA runny nose 'runs' constantly but never physically walks; the rest of the clue is a looser fit, describing the intangible way something (like a sneeze or sniffle) seems to trail right behind it.
  119. Iron oreIron ore is mined ("ripped") from the earth (its "mother"), then hammered and heated in a forge to be turned into deadly weapons like blades or bullets.
  120. Ivy"IVY" starts with letters that sound like its own name, ends in "Y" (sounding like "why," a question word), and as a climbing plant it can strangle and kill the trees it wraps around.
  121. DozensThe word 'dozens' has six letters; drop the final 's' and 'dozen' — meaning twelve — remains.
  122. CompassA compass needle balances and spins on a single point, always pointing north, and a person nicknamed 'Compass' would be famously good with directions.
  123. The letter SThe letter S appears in "priSon" but not in "court" -- only in the plural "courtS," i.e. "unless there's more than one."
  124. WarThis refers to war broadly — humanity has waged World War I and World War II, both devastatingly deadly and entirely man-made.
  125. SiblingA sibling shares a portion of your family bloodline throughout life, whether you like it or not.
  126. BinaryBinary starts with 'bin,' meaning a storage container, and its strings of 1s and 0s are a 'language' only computers and specialists truly understand.
  127. EarthEarth is one of eight planets orbiting the sun, spins on its axis daily, and once had a supposed 'ninth sibling,' Pluto, until it was reclassified as a dwarf planet.
  128. DroolThe name Homer Simpson is famous for drooling over doughnuts, making 'drool' flow from his mouth at the sight of one.
  129. Eight ballIn pool, the eight ball can be struck many times safely throughout a game, but sinking it prematurely, or scratching while pocketing it, immediately ends the game in a loss.
  130. CoinCoins bear the faces ("heads") of countless historical figures, are prized by masses seeking wealth, and each coin has only two sides, one of which people commonly favor face-up.
  131. King of spadesIn a deck of cards, the king of spades rules the spade suit, has a mirrored 'double' image printed on the card, is flat as a knife, and is paired with a queen — his 'wife.'
  132. EyelashesYou can "bat" your eyelashes (flirtatiously blink), and they sit right next to the eyeball ("ball") without ever touching or hitting it.
  133. BroomA broom's bristles are its 'hundred legs,' its handle is a headless 'long neck,' and traditionally it was the housemaid's constant chore ('life').
  134. TongueThe tongue 'speaks' for the country, and its royal guard is teeth — none at birth, two at first, and a full set of 32 by adulthood.
  135. CipherA cipher (secret code) can only be 'unlocked' or understood with the right key to its pattern, not a physical locksmith's key.
  136. MailmanThis riddle plays on identity rather than spelling: no matter what mail is taken away -- his first delivery, his last delivery, or all of it -- he is still called a mailman.
  137. Syllables'He' has one syllable, 'person' has two, 'citizen' has three, 'human being' counts to four, 'personality' has five, and 'inhabitant' has six -- each word matches its own syllable count.
  138. The 3rd one.Testing each golfer as the possible liar (only Mr. Brown lies) against all three statements is only consistent when the 3rd golfer is revealed to be Mr. Blue.
  139. "You will hang me."Claiming 'You will hang me' creates an unresolvable paradox: hanging him would make the statement true (so he told the truth and should have been shot instead), while shooting him would make it a lie (so he should have been hanged instead) - so the captors can carry out neither punishment.
  140. halfThis wordplay riddle counts by twos - a whole holds two halves, a pair holds four, a trio six, a quartet eight - always doubling the count, with 'half' being the name that fits just one single unit.
  141. sailorAboard ship a sailor's world is turned around - the deck above serves as his 'roof,' the hull below as his 'floor' - and every day at sea brings a fresh horizon into view.
  142. bookwormThis Old English riddle (the 'Moth' riddle from the Exeter Book) describes a bookworm that literally eats through a manuscript's words while its meaning goes unnoticed.
  143. pastThis poem describes gazing down at a twilight city from a hillside as if it were a memory - a metaphor for looking back on the past.
  144. gallowsPeople approach the gallows with dread ("heavy feet"), and the condemned person it "holds" is hanged, causing the body to swing and twitch ("turn and spin, and start to dance").
  145. rainbow'Rain' nurtures plants and flowers, 'bow' (as in bow and arrow) is a weapon of destruction, and together 'rainbow' is the biblical sign of God's promise never to flood the earth again.
  146. rhymeEach clue hides one letter of RHYME - R from riddle, H from think, Y from thyme, M from mother, and E from time - spelling out the poetic device this very riddle relies on.
  147. eightThe numeral 8 has two equal round loops joined by a slim waist, looks the same right-side up or upside-down, and if you slice off its top loop, what remains is simply a 0.
  148. tectonic plateTectonic plates drift only inches per year, yet a sudden major shift can trigger a devastating, deadly earthquake - enormous forces moving unseen beneath our feet.
  149. iceThis old riddle describes frozen water - waves turned to hard, intricately patterned ice that looks almost carved like bone.
  150. thursdayWorking through each relative day-shift in the riddle - the day after tomorrow, the day before yesterday - and solving for consistency with Wednesday pins the day in question down to Thursday.
  151. armchairARM (which Admiral Nelson famously lost in battle) plus CHAIR (where we rest after labor) combine into ARMCHAIR - a chair made 'more complete' with armrests.
  152. stableSTABLE beheaded becomes TABLE (a meeting place), beheaded again becomes ABLE (paired with 'ready'), and restoring the S returns to STABLE - literally a barn, the domain of beasts.
  153. adviceADD (which increases a total) plus VICE (a sin that keeps you from heaven) combine into ADVICE - notoriously given far more often than it's actually taken.
  154. solace'Sol' is the sun seen daily in the sky, an 'ace' beats kings and queens in cards, and together they form 'solace' -- comfort offered to a struggling friend.
  155. SThe letter S starts 'sorrow' and ends 'sickness,' sits inside 'happiness' and 'crosses,' pairs with 'risk' but not 'danger,' and appears in 'sun' but never outside 'darkness.'
  156. sonnetAn 'heir' is often a 'son,' and a 'snare' is a 'net' -- combine son plus net to get 'sonnet,' a poem born of imagination and a classic Valentine's gift.
  157. waterWater (H2O) is made of two hydrogen atoms (each atomic number 1) and one oxygen atom (atomic number 8) — 'two thirds the same' and 'one of the thirds is 8.'
  158. DavidD (500 in Roman numerals) starts and ends the name, V (5) sits in the middle, and A (first letter of the alphabet) and I (the first Roman numeral) fill the remaining spots, spelling DAVID, the biblical king.
  159. murmurSplit 'murmur' down the middle into 'mur' and 'mur,' and each half read backward spells 'rum' - the liquor every heavy drinker ('toper') knows well.
  160. deathDeath is universal, unavoidable, and impartial, everyone eventually experiences it regardless of who they are, making it the inevitable end result of life.
  161. SAdding the letter S turns 'star' into 'stars,' 'bar' into 'bars,' and 'court' into 'courts' - it only shows up when there's more than one of something, fitting every clue in the riddle.
  162. cleverEach line hides one letter of CLEVER - C from ocean, L from milk, E from three, V from vow, E from eight, R from wrong - spelling out a word of praise for sharp thinking.
  163. handThis charade riddle points to the word "hand": lending a hand compliments, information gets handed over, a backhand can hurt, heirlooms are handed down, and drinks are handed round -- though the fit for each clue is loose in the source material.
  164. particlesPhysicists accelerate subatomic particles to tremendous speeds, and dropping the leading letter from 'particles' leaves 'articles' - the written pieces found in newspapers, magazines, and journals.
  165. pumpThis old riddle's 'fight' and 'bleeding' are a playful disguise for two people working a water pump - the 'blows' and 'ten gallons' describe pumped water, not real violence.
  166. skeletonA skeleton is a whole set of bones yet incomplete without flesh; its empty eye sockets let light pass through, and its largest single part, the skull, forms from far fewer fused bones than the many separate ones a baby's skull once had.
  167. barrelEach clue spells one letter of BARREL - B from blood and battle, A from acorn/oak/apple, R doubled from the center of 'sorrow' and twice in 'refrain,' E starting 'eternity,' and L, the first letter of 'last.'
  168. Any word with two letters next to each other. Like the word letters.This classic party riddle allows only items whose name contains a double letter - 'riddles,' 'sheets,' and 'books' all qualify, just like the example word 'letters.'
  169. begins"Begins" has six letters, starts with B (the second letter of the alphabet), and events such as boxing matches often "begin" with the sound of a gong.
  170. hailHail typically forms during warm-season storms and can be hazardous to leave things exposed to, but once true winter cold sets in, precipitation falls as snow instead, so the term becomes obsolete.
  171. scarfA scarf comes in endless colors, shapes, and uses for warmth or fashion; the riddle's final line is a wink at real-world scarf color codes some subcultures use to signal orientation.
  172. warThis classic riddle describes war: it can be started and ended ("sown and reaped") within a single day, grows through destruction rather than cultivation, consumes nations from within and without, and has tragically been a grim "staple" of human history.
  173. yeastYeast goes into oven-baked bread without itself being 'baked' as food, ferments and grows in warm darkness, and makes dough rise with the gas it produces even though the yeast itself settles out in liquid.
  174. spursSpurs are fixed to a rider's boot and never leave it, yet they travel wherever the horse carries the rider, always staying at foot level.
  175. cannonA cannon is 'born' with a deafening blast, terrifies onlookers, delights boys who play at soldiers, and is most dangerous when its powder is tightly confined.
  176. OilOil gushes like a fountain but isn't drinkable, is a vital economic "link" fueling industry, is highly sought after like gold, and its ongoing depletion ("death") only drives up demand and profit.
  177. EarthEarth is the third planet from the sun ("sparkle bright"), sits within the Milky Way galaxy ("a cow's white drink"), has existed for billions of years, and is now being harmed by humanity, one of its own creatures.
  178. EarthEarth is one of eight planets in our solar "family," supports every living thing on it despite their weight, rotates on its own without prompting, and its gravity has held you since before you could even crawl.
  179. A seamanThe charade combines "sea" (salt water that can't quench thirst) with "man" (a being with a soul), and a man who lives and works upon the sea is called a seaman.
  180. A hyphenThis charade splits "hyphen" into "hy" (sounding like "high") and "phen" (sounding like "fen," a damp marsh) -- and a hyphen joins words together like a tie, often causing writers grammatical headaches.
  181. A shipThis old riddle describes a sailing ship: its sails are "wings," its crew are the "hundred hearts" aboard, it can anchor and "ride" at rest before resuming its pace, and its cannons "issue fire" from its sides.
  182. OilAncient man searched for a way to make fire, while modern man drills deep underground in search of oil for profit -- both driven by the same resourceful pursuit across different ages.
  183. A sparkThis letter riddle removes one letter at a time: "spark" (can ignite a fire) becomes "park" (can hold a herd of deer), and drops another letter to become "ark" (Noah's Ark, said to hold all humankind).
  184. The vowelsThis classic riddle points to the five vowels: A in glAss, E in jEt, I in tIn, O in bOx, and U -- which can never fly from "yoU" since it's part of the very word "you."
  185. A treeA tree can live for a century without ever moving from where it's rooted, providing shade and fruit through its life, but after being cut down and made into lumber -- a ship's timbers, say -- it can travel the world.
  186. PaperPaper has recorded most of humanity's knowledge without being a brain itself, and to a writer with a quill ("feathers"), a blank sheet is a daunting "bane" while a filled one is a satisfying "boon."
  187. FlaxThe source's answer key lists 'fax' here, but this classic old English riddle (ladies dancing in a vat, green gowns, blue hats) is traditionally solved as 'cabbages' growing in a garden - an apparent mismatch in the original worksheet, preserved here as instructed.
  188. IceIce sends a chill up your spine on contact and glints and glitters rather than truly shining -- the "second in line" clue is a looser fit, though it hints at ice's letter I standing near the front of the alphabet.
  189. AlchemyAlchemists of old mixed, melted, and distilled substances in secret, chasing the mythical elixir of youth and the power to turn base metal into gold -- practices that sometimes got practitioners condemned as witches.
  190. The letter DThe letter D begins 'dawn,' 'dusk,' and 'daybreak,' sits at the center of 'midday,' starts 'daisies,' ends 'code,' and is missing entirely from 'sun' - yet found in 'day' itself.
  191. A windmillA windmill's four sails ("wings") spin high in the air without ever leaving the spot it's built on, and it grinds grain into flour -- "chewing" the food -- before people can bake it into bread.
  192. A rockRock formations can glisten with minerals or sit dull, feel cold or (as lava) scorching hot, hide gems and treasures inside, offer shelter in caves, prove deadly in a landslide, and break down over time into soil that supports new life.
  193. The letter RThe letter R hides inside 'church,' 'parson,' 'oyster,' and 'clapper,' but is missing from their paired words 'steeple,' 'people,' 'shell,' and 'bell.'
  194. The letter VThe letter V is tucked inside every key word here - thie-V-es, V-ilest, di-V-ines, sa-V-ants, and gra-V-ity - the hidden-letter trick behind this riddle.
  195. A bankThis riddle plays on multiple meanings of "bank": a financial bank (wealth), a riverbank (stands in water, valued by farmers for irrigation and fencing land), the famous canal banks of Venice, and the collapse of a riverbank causing floods, which even wild animals avoid crossing during a break.
  196. WearyThis riddle is a play on words -- after endlessly plowing, hoeing, reaping, and sowing, every farmer inevitably grows "weary" from the constant labor.
  197. An eggThis famous Tolkien riddle describes an egg: its white shell ("marble halls"), the soft inner membrane ("skin like silk"), the clear egg white ("fountain"), and the golden yolk -- which has no door, yet can be "stolen" by cracking it open.
  198. A quill penThis old riddle describes a quill pen: a hard white feather shaft in its "shaggy robe" of down, hollowed out and cut to a nib, dipped white and dry into the inkwell, and returning from writing ("labor") stained black with ink.
  199. The plague"Plague" is one syllable, its most infamous outbreak was known as the "Black" Death, and it proved fatal to mortals, wiping out thousands in devastating waves.
  200. The moonThis classic riddle describes the moon: it appears to travel across the sky yet is always "in place" orbiting Earth, and because the same side always faces us, we can never see its far side ("behind").