2907.HardWater Riddle

In Jamaica, if you drop a steel ball weighing five pounds from a height of 45 inches, will it fall more rapidly through the water at 20 degrees Fahrenheit or water at 40 degrees Fahrenheit?

  • A.20 degrees Fahrenheit
  • B.They fall at the same rate
  • C.Neither, it wouldn't sink
  • D.40 degrees Fahrenheit (at 20 degrees the water would be ice)
Answer: 40 degrees Fahrenheit (at 20 degrees the water would be ice)

At 20°F, water would already be frozen solid ice, not liquid water for the ball to fall through.

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2917.HardWater Riddle

If boiling water is poured into a thick drinking glass as well as a very thin wine glass. Which of the two is more likely to crack?

  • A.The thin glass, because it's fragile
  • B.Neither will crack
  • C.Both will crack equally
  • D.The thick glass, due to uneven heat expansion stress
Answer: The thick glass, due to uneven heat expansion stress

Thick glass heats unevenly, creating more internal stress than thin glass, which warms quickly and uniformly.

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2946.HardWater Riddle

You want to boil a two-minute egg. If you only have a three-minute timer (hourglass), a four-minute timer, and a five-minute timer, how can you boil the egg for only two minutes?

  • A.Use the four-minute timer twice
  • B.Use only the five-minute timer
  • C.Combine all three timers
  • D.Turn the three and five-minute timers over when water boils. Put the egg in when the three-minute timer runs out, remove it when the five-minute timer finishes.
Answer: Turn the three and five-minute timers over when water boils. Put the egg in when the three-minute timer runs out, remove it when the five-minute timer finishes.

The gap between the three and five minute timers is exactly two minutes.

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2952.HardWater Riddle

The rungs of a 10-foot ladder attached to a ship are 1 foot apart. If the water is rising at the rate of one foot an hour, how long will it take until the water covers the ladder?

  • A.Ten hours
  • B.Five hours
  • C.One hour
  • D.It will never cover the ladder because as the water rises, so will the floating ship.
Answer: It will never cover the ladder because as the water rises, so will the floating ship.

Since the ladder is attached to a floating ship, the whole ship rises with the tide too.

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2956.HardWater Riddle

A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him underwater for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be?

  • A.She used a stunt double
  • B.It was all a dream
  • C.He was immortal
  • D.The woman was a photographer. She shot a picture of her husband, developed it, and hung it up to dry.
Answer: The woman was a photographer. She shot a picture of her husband, developed it, and hung it up to dry.

The words 'shoots', 'underwater', and 'hangs' all describe steps in developing a photograph.

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2957.HardTree Riddle

A woman is walking down a street night at a constant pace. As she passes the street light, she notices that her shadow becomes longer. Does the top of her shadow move faster, slower or the same when the shadow is longer as when it is shorter?

  • A.It moves faster when the shadow is longer.
  • B.It moves slower when the shadow is longer.
  • C.It stops moving entirely.
  • D.This point maintains a constant speed, independent of the lenght of the shadow.
Answer: This point maintains a constant speed, independent of the lenght of the shadow.

Using similar triangles, the tip of the shadow's speed stays proportional and constant regardless of shadow length.

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2958.HardTree Riddle

There are 50 horses and 50 kings riding along an old dirt road. They came to a peach tree with 50 peaches. Each took one, yet there were still 49 left. How is this possible?

  • A.There were actually 100 peaches.
  • B.Only one horse took a peach.
  • C.It's a trick, it's impossible.
  • D.Each is the name of one of the kings and he's the only one that took one!
Answer: Each is the name of one of the kings and he's the only one that took one!

The trick is that 'Each' is used as a proper name (one of the 50 kings), so only that single king actually took a peach, leaving 49.

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2963.MediumTree Riddle

I climbed a cherry tree, where I found cherries. I didn't pick cherries, nor did I leave cherries. How did I achieve this?

  • A.I ate the cherries instead.
  • B.I only looked at the cherries.
  • C.There were no cherries at all.
  • D.The cherry tree held two cherries. I pick a cherry and left a cherry.
Answer: The cherry tree held two cherries. I pick a cherry and left a cherry.

With exactly two cherries, taking one still leaves one behind, satisfying both conditions.

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2976.MediumTree Riddle

A bird, a monkey, and a squirrel are racing to the top of a coconut tree, all eyeing a delicious banana up there. Who will get it first?

  • A.The bird, because it can fly.
  • B.The monkey, since it's the best climber.
  • C.The squirrel, since it's quickest.
  • D.None of them, because bananas don't grow on coconut trees!
Answer: None of them, because bananas don't grow on coconut trees!

Coconut trees produce coconuts, not bananas, so the premise itself is flawed.

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2978.HardTree Riddle

Lauren has a lemon tree. The number of lemons on the tree doubles every week. In 28 weeks, Lauren should expect the tree to be completely covered with fruit. How many weeks will it take for the tree to be half-covered with apples?

  • A.27 weeks.
  • B.14 weeks.
  • C.28 weeks.
  • D.Zero. The riddle asks about apples, not lemons; apples don't grow on lemon trees.
Answer: Zero. The riddle asks about apples, not lemons; apples don't grow on lemon trees.

Read closely: the second question switches the fruit from lemons to apples.

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2982.MediumTree Riddle

What's the difference between falling from a coconut tree and falling into a well?

  • A.There is no difference.
  • B.One hurts more than the other.
  • C.One is on land and one is in water.
  • D.Falling from a coconut tree – you go up first, then you fall. Falling into a well – you fall first, then you go up.
Answer: Falling from a coconut tree – you go up first, then you fall. Falling into a well – you fall first, then you go up.

Think about the order of movement: climbing up first versus dropping down first.

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2990.HardTree Riddle

Streets can go through me, but roads can't. Goodwill can go through me, but not the Salvation Army. Trees can go through me, but bushes can't. Football can go through me, but not rugby. Can a tennis ball go through me?

  • A.No, because tennis isn't a team sport.
  • B.No, because a ball can't 'go through' words.
  • C.Yes, because tennis has more letters.
  • D.Yes. For something to go through, it has to have two of the same letter in a row. Tennis ball has that occurring twice. Nn and ll.
Answer: Yes. For something to go through, it has to have two of the same letter in a row. Tennis ball has that occurring twice. Nn and ll.

Look for double letters in each word that 'passes through' versus each word that doesn't.

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2998.EasyTree Riddle

Who is braver, a stone or a tree?

  • A.The tree, because it stands tall.
  • B.Neither, they're both inanimate.
  • C.The tree, because it survives storms.
  • D.The stone, because it's a little boulder.
Answer: The stone, because it's a little boulder.

This is a pun on 'boulder' sounding like 'bolder'.

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