New Riddles With Answers - page 33 of 53
What lives as long as it eats but dies when it drinks?
This is a rephrasing of the classic fire riddle: fuel sustains fire, while water extinguishes it.
If I eat I live yet if I drink I die. What am I?
Fire is fed by fuel (feeding keeps it alive) but is extinguished by water (drinking kills it).
No legs have I to dance, No lungs have I to breathe, No life have I to live or die And yet I do all three. What am I?
Fire appears to 'dance' as flames flicker, 'breathe' as it consumes oxygen, and 'live and die' as it starts and burns out, despite being non-living.
If a fire hydrant has H2O inside, what does it have on the outside?
The joke reads 'K9P' as 'canine pee,' referencing dogs marking fire hydrants, playing off the chemistry notation H2O.
Many things can create one, it can be of any shape or size, it is created for various reasons, and it can shrink or grow with time. What is it?
Holes can be dug, punched, or worn into anything, come in any shape or size, and can widen or close up over time.
In olden days, the student of logic was given this problem: If half of 5 were 3, what would one-third of 10 be?
If half of 5 is redefined as 3 (i.e. the usual value plus one), then applying the same adjusted proportion to one-third of 10 gives 4.
If I say I am lying, am I telling the truth?
This is the classic liar paradox: the statement cannot be consistently true or false, so it has no logical answer.
Why are 1990 dollar bills worth more than 1989 dollar bills?
The riddle is simple arithmetic in disguise: 1990 individual bills are worth more than 1989 individual bills simply because there is one more bill.
I am known everywhere as a criminal, yet I have never done anything illegal. I always have an inside angle on you, and there are two of me for every one of you. What am I?
The 'crook' of your elbow shares its name with a criminal (a crook), forms an inside angle, and every person has two of them, one per arm.
Whiling away the hours of flowers, Walking through fields of gold. Preening and pruning in lights fading hours, For petals to freeze in the cold. What is it?
The imagery moves through spring flowers, golden summer fields, autumn pruning as light fades, and finally frozen winter petals — the four seasons.
What two reasons why whispering in company is not proper?
The riddle relies on two puns: 'not aloud' sounds like 'not allowed,' and 'private earing' sounds like 'privateering,' a form of piracy.
Why is a manhole cover round and not square? Can you guess the two reasons?
A circle's constant width means it can never tip and fall through its own hole, and it can be rolled easily to move it, unlike a square cover.
I am coming here with a sense of unity and a cup of tea. What am I forming?
The pun hides the word 'community' by splitting it into 'come,' 'unity,' and 'tea' (a cup of tea).
Thursday, Nick and Rick went to a restaurant for dinner. The bill came out to $27. Nick and Rick each paid $9…but then, who paid the remaining $9?
'Thursday' is actually the name of a third friend at dinner, not the day of the week, so Thursday paid the remaining nine dollars.
In this place, people lie, people cry, and people ask why. In this place, people sleep, people weep, and people's solitude, they keep. What is it?
'Lie' and 'sleep' both play on lying down in a grave, while 'cry,' 'weep,' and 'solitude' describe mourners visiting a cemetery.
I cease to be after I commence, Here I am, then back once more. A simple treat for another sense. Given, taken, or stolen, a thing you can't ignore. What am I?
A glance ends the instant it happens, is quick to give or receive, and is a small visual gesture directed at someone.
Where once there were many, now there are none. Time has done ticking; the hours are done. For now is an end, but also beginning, For darkest is now, but soon shall be thinning. What is it?
Midnight marks the end of one day's hours and the start of the next, is the darkest point of night, and the darkness begins fading afterward.
My veins of green may go unseen, Til on the ground I lay around. What am I?
Leaves have visible green veins that carry water and nutrients, and are most noticed once they've fallen and lie scattered on the ground.
Every country has one, though we are not the same. Waving to our citizens, throughout the wind and rain. What is it?
Every nation has its own unique flag that physically waves in the wind as a symbol to its people.
I make hair stand on end, whisper between radio stations, and yet I refuse to change. What am I?
Static electricity causes hair to stand up, and 'static' is also the hissing noise heard between radio stations — and the word 'static' itself means unchanging.
Adored by few, Feared and hated by many. Mistress of the entire universal reason, Master in the art of numbers. Some may have solved many of your mysteries, But there still much of them to find. What are they?
Math governs the fundamental rules of numbers and reasoning in the universe, is loved by few and dreaded by many students, and still holds unsolved mysteries.
I can provide a blessing, a curse, or clarity. I am always running, but I am stuck in a loop. And though I will rule you for most of your life, you will always look up to me. What am I?
A clock's hands 'run' in an endless loop, it governs your daily schedule, and it is traditionally mounted high on a wall, so you look up at it.
I peel to heal this pain I feel. What am I?
As sunburned skin heals, the damaged outer layer peels away, which is the process described in the rhyme.
Which word does not belong with the others? niart, emag, tluda, mom, dad, mistag, yub, or sega
Reading each word backward gives a real English word except 'mistag,' which reversed spells the nonsense word 'gatsim.'
You use me everyday but let me rest at night. I have an identical twin beside me all the time. For some reason you always cover me up. I am not alive but I have a soul. What am I?
Feet are used all day and rest at night, come in an identical pair, are covered by shoes, and each has a 'sole' (soul pun).
Why was the jack-o-lantern afraid?
This puns on 'spine,' meaning both courage and a physical backbone, which a hollowed-out pumpkin lacks.
What's a monster's favorite play?
This puns on 'Ghouliet,' blending 'ghoul' with 'Juliet' from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
How do vampires get around on Halloween?
This puns on 'blood vessels,' a biological term, referencing a vampire's need for blood as a mode of 'transport.'
Why don't mummies take vacations?
This puns on 'unwind,' meaning both relaxing and a mummy's wrapped bandages literally unwinding.
What do birds give out on Halloween?
This puns on 'tweets,' meaning both a bird's chirp and candy 'treats' given out on Halloween.
Why did the skeleton stay home on Halloween?
This puns on 'guts,' meaning both courage and internal organs, which skeletons lack.
What's a ghost's favorite dessert?
This puns on 'I-scream,' sounding like 'ice cream,' combined with a ghost's frightening scream.
How do ghosts like their eggs?
This puns on 'terri-fried,' combining 'terrified' with 'fried,' a way of cooking eggs.
What room does a ghost not need?
This puns on 'living room,' since ghosts are not alive and therefore have no need for a room meant for the living.
Why are ghosts bad liars?
This puns on 'see right through them,' meaning both detecting a lie and a ghost's transparent, see-through appearance.
What do ghosts use to wash their hair?
This puns on 'sham-boo,' combining 'shampoo' with 'boo,' a ghost's spooky sound.
Why did the ghost go to the bar?
This puns on 'boos,' sounding like 'booze,' referencing both a ghost's spooky sound and alcoholic drinks.
What's the ratio of a pumpkin's circumference to its diameter?
This puns on 'pumpkin pi,' combining the mathematical constant pi with pumpkin pie, a fall dessert.
Why is fall the best season for jokes?
This puns on 'ripe,' meaning both fruit ready for harvest in fall and jokes being perfectly timed.
What did one autumn leaf say to another?
This puns on 'falling head over heels,' an idiom for being in love, referencing a leaf literally falling.
Why do birds fly south in the fall?
This is an absurdist joke stating the obvious reason birds fly rather than walk long distances.
Why did the scarecrow love autumn?
This puns on 'hay-day,' sounding like 'heyday,' meaning a peak period, combined with the hay a scarecrow is stuffed with.
What's an autumn tree's favorite drink?
This puns on 'root,' referring to a tree's roots, combined with the beverage 'root beer.'
How do leaves travel in autumn?
This puns on 'autumn-mobile,' combining 'autumn' with 'automobile,' describing leaves 'traveling' by falling and blowing around.
Why are trees so carefree in autumn?
This puns on 'fall away,' meaning both releasing worries and leaves falling from trees.
What did the leaf say to autumn?
This puns on 'falling,' meaning both romantic infatuation and leaves literally falling in autumn.
Why did the tree worry in autumn?
This puns on 'leaf-ing,' sounding like 'leaving,' referencing leaves falling off trees in autumn.
What do you call a fancy pumpkin?
This puns on 'gourd-met,' combining 'gourd' with 'gourmet,' meaning refined or high-class food.
Why did the pumpkin blush?
This puns on 'dressing,' meaning both salad dressing and getting undressed, making the pumpkin blush.
What did the pumpkin say to the pie?
This puns on 'gourd-geous,' combining 'gourd,' a pumpkin family term, with 'gorgeous.'
How do pumpkins listen to music?
This puns on 'vinyl,' a type of music record, sounding like 'vine,' which pumpkins grow on.
Why was the pumpkin afraid?
This puns on 'guts,' meaning both courage and the seeds/pulp scooped from inside a pumpkin.
What's a pumpkin's favorite sport?
This puns on 'squash,' both a sport and a vegetable related to pumpkins.
What do you call a biologist's selfie?
This puns on 'cell-fie,' combining 'cell,' the basic unit of biology, with 'selfie.'
Why did the amoeba go to therapy?
This puns on 'divided,' meaning both emotional conflict and an amoeba's method of reproduction by splitting.
How does a biologist flirt?
This puns on 'nucleus,' the control center of a cell, romantically applied to being the center of someone's heart.
Why are biologists great at parties?
This puns on 'break the ice,' a social icebreaker phrase, combined with DNA, a core concept in biology.
What did the cell say when his sister stepped on his foot?
This puns on 'mitosis,' the process of cell division, sounding like 'my toe, sis.'
Why did the biologist break up with the physicist?
This puns on 'chemistry,' meaning both romantic connection and the scientific field distinct from biology and physics.
What do you call a witch's garage?
This puns on 'broom closet,' a small storage space, humorously repurposed to store a witch's broomstick.
How do witches stay positive?
This puns on 'cast good spells,' meaning both performing benevolent magic and maintaining a positive outlook.
Why was the witch's spelling book boring?
This puns on 'spells,' meaning both magic spells and spelling words correctly.
What do witches use to keep their hair in place?
This puns on 'scare spray,' sounding like 'hairspray,' fitting a witch's spooky theme.
Why did the witch go to the beach?
This puns on 'broom tides,' sounding like 'brood tides,' combining a witch's broom with ocean waves.
Which witch is which?
This plays on the homophones 'which' and 'witch,' resolved with the classic witch hat as identifier.
Why did the vampire read the newspaper?
This puns on 'circulation,' meaning both a newspaper's readership numbers and blood circulation, which vampires crave.
What kind of music do mummies listen to?
This puns on 'wrap,' sounding like 'rap' music, referencing the bandages mummies are wrapped in.
Why are graveyards noisy?
This puns on 'coffin,' sounding like 'coughing,' a noisy sound associated with graveyards.
What do you call a spooky chicken?
This puns on 'poltergeist,' a type of ghost, combined with 'poultry,' referring to chicken.
Why did the skeleton go to the party alone?
This puns on 'no body,' meaning both no companion and literally lacking a body since he's a skeleton.
What did the puzzle say after completion?
This puns on 'piecing,' sounding like 'pleasing,' referencing the puzzle pieces coming together.
Why was the crossword puzzle sad?
This puns on 'clueless,' meaning both lacking crossword clues and being uninformed or confused.
How do puzzles flirt?
This puns on puzzle pieces literally fitting together, applied romantically as a flirtatious line.
Why did the puzzle go to school?
This puns on 'smart piece,' sounding like 'smart peace,' referencing a puzzle piece becoming educated.
What do you call a puzzle that's always late?
This combines 'jigsaw,' a puzzle type, with 'procrastinator,' someone who delays tasks.
Why was the puzzle so confident?
This puns on 'having all the pieces,' meaning both literal puzzle pieces and being fully prepared or informed.
Why did the pho go to therapy?
This puns on 'beefs,' meaning both unresolved issues and the beef ingredient commonly found in pho.
What did the noodle say to the soup?
This puns on 'Pho,' the Vietnamese soup, sounding like 'forget' in 'forget about it.'
What did one grape say to the other?
This puns on 'vine,' sounding like 'fine,' referencing the vine that grapes grow on.
How do grapes propose?
This plays on the fact that grapes are fermented into wine, a fitting proposal gift from a grape's perspective.
Why are grapes never lonely?
This puns on 'bunches,' referencing how grapes naturally grow clustered together on the vine.
What do you call two grapes hanging out?
This puns on 'bunch,' meaning both a cluster of grapes and a group of friends.
Why did the grape stop in the middle of the road?
This puns on 'juice,' meaning both fuel/energy and the liquid inside a grape.
What did the grape say when it got stepped on?
This puns on 'wine,' sounding like 'whine,' referencing the grape's transformation into wine when crushed.
How do you make holy water?
This puns on 'boil the hell out of it,' an exaggerated phrase for boiling vigorously, applied literally to make water 'holy.'
Why did the dad bring a ladder to the bar?
This puns on 'on the house,' meaning both free drinks and literally being on top of the house's roof.
What do you call a factory that makes okay products?
This puns on 'satisfactory,' combining 'satisfy' with 'factory' to describe mediocre goods.
I don't trust stairs.
This puns on 'up to something,' meaning both suspicious behavior and stairs literally leading upward.
Why don't crabs give to charity?
This puns on 'shellfish,' sounding like 'selfish,' describing the crab's stinginess.
I'm reading a book about anti-gravity.
This puns on 'put down,' meaning both stopping reading a book and gravity holding objects down.
What do you get when you cross a snake and a pie?
This puns on 'python,' sounding like 'pie' plus 'thon,' combining the snake and dessert.
Why did the cookie go to the doctor?
This puns on 'crummy,' meaning both feeling unwell and being full of crumbs.
What do you call a sleeping bull?
This puns on 'bulldozer,' combining 'bull' with 'dozer,' someone who dozes off sleeping.
What animal needs to wear a wig?
This puns on 'bald,' the eagle species name, implying it needs a wig for its 'baldness.'
Why did the student eat his homework?
This puns on 'piece of cake,' an idiom for something easy, taken literally as an edible cake.
What is a cat's favorite color?
This puns on 'purr-ple,' combining a cat's purring sound with the color 'purple.'
Why did the cat go to medical school?
This puns on 'purr-medic,' combining a cat's purring sound with 'paramedic.'
What do you call a cat in a station wagon?
This puns on 'carpet,' combining 'car' with 'pet,' referring to a cat riding in a car.
How do cats end a fight?
This puns on 'hiss and make up,' resembling the phrase 'kiss and make up,' referencing a cat's hissing sound.
Why was the cat afraid of the tree?
This puns on 'bark,' meaning both a tree's rough outer covering and the sound a dog makes.