New Riddles With Answers - page 35 of 53
What is light as a feather but even the world's strongest man can't hold it for long?
Holding your breath feels effortless at first, but even the strongest person must eventually breathe again.
What has a heart that doesn't beat?
The "heart" of an artichoke is a real part of the vegetable, but it has no pulse since it isn't alive in the animal sense.
What has a bed but never sleeps, and a mouth but never eats?
A river has a "bed," its channel, and a "mouth," where it meets the sea, both geographic terms.
What has a thumb and four fingers but is not alive?
A glove is shaped exactly like a hand, with a thumb and four fingers, but isn't a living thing.
What has a tail and a head, but no body?
A coin has "heads" and "tails" sides but no body between them.
What has a face and hands but no arms or legs?
A clock has a "face" with numbers and moving "hands" to show time, but no actual limbs.
Ally and Gwen were told to do house chores on a rainy day. Ally chose to hang the laundry outside to dry, while Gwen vacuum-cleaned the bedrooms. Who is more stupid?
Hanging laundry outside during rain won't let it dry, making Ally's choice illogical.
Of them beware - keep your distance, What happens to them is none of your business. But talk to one, and oh you'll see, Themselves no more, will they be. What group of people are they?
Once you talk to a stranger and get to know them, they stop being a stranger.
How did the phone propose to his girlfriend on Valentine's Day?
"Ring" puns on both a phone call and an engagement ring.
What is hard to find but easy to lose, worth more than gold but costs less than a penny?
Good friends are valuable and hard to find, yet easily lost through neglect.
What did the pirate say on his 80th birthday?
This puns on 'eighty,' sounding like 'aye matey,' a stereotypical pirate phrase.
I am never right. I am often mistaken for being true. I am deceptive and many people use me as an enemy disguised as a friend. What am I?
A lie masquerades as the truth while never actually being right.
The less of them you have; the more one is worth. Who/What are they?
True friends become more valuable to you the fewer of them you have.
I live in a really noisy place, And I only appear when my loud friend is with me. I have my house high in the air, and I cause deadly fires. What am I?
Lightning always appears alongside its loud companion, thunder, high in the sky.
I have one eye but I still can't see. I can surf all day without the sea. I let you know what your friends have to say and I will wake you up every day. What I'm I?
The camera lens is the "eye," and the phone delivers messages and sets alarms.
A mile from end to end, Yet as close to you as a friend. A precious commodity, freely given. Seen on the dead and on the living. Found on the rich, poor, short, and tall, But shared among children most of all. What is it?
A smile figuratively stretches for miles when described as wide, costs nothing to give, and is common to people of every kind, especially children.
My friend asked, "What rhymes with orange?".
It's a joke riddle because no common English word actually rhymes with "orange."
What kind of ship has two mates but no captain?
It's a pun on "mate," meaning both a romantic partner and a ship crew member.
The Pope has it but he does not use it. Your father has it but your mother uses it. Nuns do not need it. Your lady friend's husband has it and she uses it. What is it?
The Pope keeps a surname he no longer goes by, while a wife takes on her husband's.
I see without seeing. Noise is an ally. What am I?
Bats use echolocation, relying on sound rather than sight to navigate.
What's a pirate's favorite letter in the alphabet?
Pirates are stereotypically depicted growling "arr," which sounds like the letter R.
You are home alone and sleeping when your friends ring the doorbell. They have come for breakfast. You have cornflakes, bread, jam, a carton of milk, and a bottle of juice. What do you open first?
You must open your eyes before you can open anything else while waking up.
What do you call two math friends?
It's a pun blending "algebra" with "bros."
I have 11 friends and I am the shortest out of all of them. What am I?
February is the shortest of the twelve months of the year.
What force and strength cannot get through, I with a gentle touch can do. And many in the street would stand, were I not a friend at hand. What am I?
This small object opens locked doors easily, without needing brute force.
A plane crashes between the America-Mexico border. There are ten people on the plane, not including the pilot. Where so you bury the survivors?
Survivors are alive, so no one needs to be buried at all.
What costs more than riches but doesn't cost a penny; that's also hard to find yet easy to lose?
A true friend is priceless yet costs nothing to have, while being hard to find and easy to lose.
If you go to the movies and you're paying, is it cheaper to take one friend to the movies twice, or two friends to the movies at the same time?
Taking two friends together costs three tickets total (you plus two friends), while taking one friend twice costs four tickets (two trips each), so the group outing is cheaper.
It's raining, and you pass a bus stop. There are three people there; your trustworthy friend, the love of your life, and a woman about to go into labor. Your smart car only has two seats. What do you do?
The clever solution avoids the dilemma entirely by handing the keys to the friend, so everyone gets help without you having to choose a rider.
What is rarer and more valuable than gold, but easier to lose?
Genuine love or friendship is hard to find and precious, yet can be lost quickly through neglect or betrayal.
A girl came running home crying because her boyfriend broke up with her. When she got home, she broke her phone and all of the pictures that had her boyfriend in it. What broke first?
Her heart broke emotionally before she physically broke anything else.
How can you physically stand behind your friend as he physically stands behind you?
Standing back-to-back means each person is simultaneously behind the other.
Oh, what a surprise! Oh, what a miracle! It sprouted without a seed, It stood without a trunk. What is it?
The riddle poetically describes the Earth's mysterious formation, sprouting into existence without a seed and standing without a visible support.
A forest exists somewhere on Earth. This forest has no life except for trees. After a storm, a tree was hit by lightning and falls. What sound would it make?
This is the classic philosophical riddle: with no living creature present to perceive it, whether the falling tree technically makes a 'sound' is debatable, and the riddle takes the position that sound requires a listener.
Which is the largest room in the world?
'Room for improvement' is a figure of speech describing limitless potential to get better, making it figuratively the largest 'room.'
A rubber ball is tossed off the top of a 90 foot building. Every time it bounces, it goes back up half way. How many bounces will the ball take before it stops?
If it always rebounds exactly half the remaining height, mathematically it approaches zero but never truly reaches a final stop, making the bounces infinite in an idealized sense.
Where on Earth do the winds always blow from the South?
Standing exactly at the North Pole, every direction you face is south, so any wind must be blowing from the south.
What is the best way to get from earth to mars?
Wordplay — breaking the word "planet" into "plan it," good advice for any journey.
What is the difference between the North Pole and the South Pole?
This is a play on words: literally, 'all the difference in the world' separates two opposite points on the globe.
What's the greatest worldwide use of cowhide?
The straightforward, literal answer is that cowhide's main use is simply covering the cow it grew on.
Why is the largest city in Ireland likely to be the largest city in the world?
Wordplay — "Dublin" sounds like "doubling," implying constant exponential growth.
Mr. Crocker's mom gave him a present for his birthday. This gift was special, since his name was known around the world. What was the gift?
Wordplay — "Crock-pot" contains the family name "Crocker," making it a fitting, personalized gift.
I'm from the Old World, and my name from Latin; I can be cured, or served with au gratin. What am I?
The word "beef" derives from Latin, cattle originated in the Old World, and beef can be cured, like corned beef, or served au gratin.
Which is lighter, the sun or the earth?
Wordplay — "light" as in "rises," not as in weighing less, is the sense used, since the sun visibly rises every day.
Endlessly, I hunger, Lazily, I sleep. Murderous, I thunder, Desires, I do seek. Hoarding countless treasures, so my stature I retain, Envious of others whose feet on Earth remain. What am I?
Each line encodes one of the seven deadly sins in order: gluttony, sloth, wrath, lust, greed, pride, and envy.
My first is appropriate, my second 'tis nine to one if you guess it. My whole elevates the sole above the earth. What am I?
"Pat" means fitting or appropriate, and "ten" plays on odds of "nine to one," combining into "patten," an old shoe device that raised the foot off muddy ground.
I'm an object; good at drawing. I draw without using any drawing instrument, yet I can draw even better and faster than the world's best artist. But what I will draw won't stay permanent and what I draw may see me or not. What am I?
A mirror instantly "draws" a perfect reflection without tools, though the image vanishes the moment you look away.
What can emit an umbra on the earth, provide phosphorescence for all it's creatures. All while altering the visual surface of itself within phases?
The moon casts a shadow (umbra) during eclipses, glows faintly (phosphorescence-like) at night, and its visible shape changes through lunar phases.
What song can everyone in the world sing?
"Happy Birthday to You" is one of the most universally known songs across cultures and languages.
On Earth, I am dead, Though I live on the moon. I am in no crater, And I'm in every boom. What am I?
A wordplay riddle built around the letter "O" — present in "moon" and "boom," but absent from "Earth," "dead," and "crater."
I shake, but unlike the strength of an earthquake. You can find me both high and low, usually out of control. I can be considered both good or bad, sometimes used for both happy or sad. What am I?
A singer's vocal pitch can "shake" with vibrato, rising and falling emotionally, unlike the destructive shaking of an earthquake.
I have no eyes, no legs or ears, and I help move the earth. What am I?
A blind, legless earthworm constantly tunnels through soil, turning and aerating the earth as it moves.
Even though the odds are always in favor of the gambling house, why does the establishment insist on a house limit on stakes?
Betting limits protect the casino from a gambler's doubling strategy, which could theoretically bankrupt the house given unlimited funds and no cap.
I create my lair with earthen string, and dispatch my prey with a biting sting. What am I?
A spider spins web "string" to trap and bite its prey.
I am older than earth and am still living. I am a person. What am I?
Wordplay — anyone claiming to be "older than earth" while alive must be lying, making them literally "a liar."
You cannot touch me. I cause anger and illness. My remedy is tangible. It spreads happiness throughout the world everyday. What am I?
Hunger is an intangible feeling that causes irritability and sickness, but it's cured by the very tangible, joy-spreading act of food.
Where can you see the world but the world can't see you?
Television lets you watch events happening across the globe, but the people on screen can't see you watching.
There were two scientists who were looking through the woods. They found two people on the ground who where dead. They examined the two people and said they were the first people on earth. How did they know?
Without a mother, the first humans, like Adam and Eve, would never have had umbilical cords, and therefore no belly buttons.
I lie in the earth, and under the ground; A map may reveal me for journey's abound; I can be found in squares, to reduce down to size; Or at the end of a strand, where attachment lies. What am I?
Roots grow underground, can appear on certain diagrams, exist in mathematical "square roots," and anchor the end of a hair strand.
What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?
A postage stamp sits in the corner of an envelope, yet it travels wherever the mail goes, potentially around the world.
They can be harbored, but few hold water, You can nurse them, but only by holding them against someone else, You can carry them, but not with your arms, You can bury them, but not in the earth. What are they?
You "harbor" a grudge emotionally, "carry" it in your feelings, and can only get rid of it by "burying" the resentment, not an object.
Which is the biggest jam in the world?
Wordplay — "jam" can mean a fruit preserve or, here, a massive traffic congestion.
I came to prominence in the world during a time of trouble. I brought people together but helped keep them apart. I sound like I should go fast, but I am well known for taking too long to finish. What am I?
Zoom meetings became prominent during the pandemic, connected people remotely while keeping them physically apart, and were notorious for running long.
I hold a thousand voices, yet not one sound I make. I open doors to worlds though I never roam or break. In lines I travel paths, but never take a step. When you seek new places, I am the map you've kept. What am I?
A book contains countless characters' 'voices' in silent text, and its lines of print lead readers to new imagined worlds.
I am black of eye and bright of hair. I fast in to the ground and follow my lord as he races around the world. What am I?
A sunflower has a dark central 'eye' and bright yellow petals, is rooted in the ground, and turns to follow the sun ('lord') across the sky.
I come to you shattered and broken; And though not a word will be spoken; I will reveal to you, a world all anew; If you've the patience to make me unbroken. What am I?
A jigsaw puzzle starts as scattered broken pieces that, once assembled patiently, reveal a complete picture.
I am a contained world that you can shake but please don't drop me because I may break. What am I?
A snow globe holds a miniature scene inside glass that swirls with "snow" when shaken but shatters if dropped.
Many always do say that I am life. I occupy most part of the earth surface, yet I'm found in you. What am I?
Water covers most of Earth's surface and makes up a large percentage of the human body, essential for life.
What has 1 in every corner, 2 in every room, but only 1 in the world?
The letter "o" appears once in "corner," twice in "room," and once in "world."
What is the most slippery country in the world?
Wordplay — "Greece" sounds like "grease," something slippery.
I am hewn from Earth and Fire; But to the sky, I aspire. I am nothing but contented; Until my patient rage is vented. What am I?
A volcano is formed from molten earth, sends its eruption skyward, and stays dormant and calm until its built-up pressure finally releases.
What won't break if you throw it off the highest building in the world, but will break if you place it in the ocean?
A tissue simply flutters down harmlessly from a fall, but it disintegrates ('breaks apart') once wet in the ocean.
Which is the most shocking city in the world?
Wordplay — "electricity" sounds like "electri-city," a shockingly named city.
What was the biggest island in the world before the discovery of Australia by Captain Cook?
A trick question — discovering something doesn't change its size; Australia was already the largest island before anyone found it.
I give you all the money in the world but I receive nothing. What am I?
Paper money is made from trees, so in a sense a tree "gives" all the money in the world without ever receiving anything back.
I begin the earth and end the eclipse, I occur in seconds and minutes, but never in a hand although I am in a lifetime. What am I?
'E' starts 'earth', ends 'eclipse', appears in 'seconds' and 'minutes', is absent from 'hand', but present in 'lifetime'.
What do cows give after an earthquake?
'Milk shakes' puns on the beverage and milk literally being shaken by earthquake tremors.
I blossom like a flower, a hindrance I create, and save you from the earth, do not use me too late. What am I?
A parachute opens up (blossoms) like a flower, slows your fall (a hindrance), and must deploy before you hit the ground.
What is the smallest bridge in the world?
The 'bridge of the nose' is the small ridge between your eyes, punning on an actual bridge structure.
I'm first on earth, second in heaven, I appear twice in a week, and once in a year, I'm in the middle of the Sea. What am I?
'E' is the first letter of 'earth', the second letter of 'heaven', appears twice in 'week', once in 'year', and is the middle letter of 'sea'.
What is made of wood but no saw on earth is sharp enough to cut?
Sawdust is already the byproduct of wood being cut, so no saw can 'cut' it further -- it's the end result of cutting, not a new piece to cut.
I am in the beginning of the earth. I am at the end of the time. I appear two times in a week. I appear once in a year. What Am I?
The letter "e" begins "Earth," ends "time," appears twice in "week," and once in "year."
Say "silk" five times. Now, spell "silk." What do cows drink?
This is a trick riddle designed to make you say 'milk' by pattern, but cows actually drink water.
I'm fatherless and motherless and born without sin. Roaring when entering the world, I never speak again. What am I?
Thunder appears suddenly with a loud roar and vanishes just as quickly, without repeating itself in that same instant.
What is always traveling, has life, has sense but doesn't live?
Earth constantly orbits (travels), supports life, and has 'senses' in a poetic sense, yet is not itself a living being.
We capture light, and yet we don't. We reflect rays of sun, and yet we don't. Without us all the world is gray and dull for everyone. What are we?
Colors exist only through the interaction of light, yet aren't themselves physical objects that capture or reflect it.
I come right in front of Earth, at the end of time, and twice in a week. What am I?
The letter 'E' starts 'Earth,' ends 'time,' and appears twice in the word 'week' if you count loosely as the puzzle intends... actually it appears in 'week' and 'Wednesday.'
What is the sharpest thing in the world?
This is a joke riddle: a fart can pass through fabric without leaving a hole, unlike any physical blade.
I soar without wings, I see without eyes. I've traveled the universe to and fro. I've conquered the world, yet I've never been anywhere but home. Who am I?
The imagination can mentally travel anywhere and 'see' anything without ever physically leaving where you are.
Here on earth it is true, yesterday is always before today; but there is a place where yesterday always follows today. Where?
In a dictionary, the words are in alphabetical order, so 'yesterday' actually appears listed after 'today'.
What is one thing that all wise men, regardless of their politics or religion, agree is between heaven and earth?
This is a wordplay riddle: literally, the word "and" sits between the words "heaven" and "earth" in the phrase.
Why can't the world ever come to an end?
A round shape, like a circle or sphere, has no edge or endpoint to reach.
Three lives have I. Gentle enough to soothe the skin, Light enough to caress the sky, Hard enough to crack rocks. What am I?
The riddle describes water's three states/forms: liquid (soothes skin), vapor/cloud (in the sky), and ice (hard enough to crack rock via freezing).
A cloud was my mother, the wind is my father, my son is the cool stream, and my daughter is the fruit of the land. A rainbow is my bed, the earth my final resting place, and I'm the torment of man. Who Am I?
Rain forms from clouds, is carried by wind, feeds streams, and nurtures crops, ending its journey on the earth.
What travels around the world but stays in one spot?
A postage stamp travels the globe on letters and packages while staying fixed in its corner of the envelope.
There is an ancient invention, still used in some parts of the world today, that allows people to see through walls. What is it?
A window is a hole framed in a wall that lets you literally see through it, unlike solid walls.
Before Mount Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain on Earth?
A trick question — Everest was always the tallest mountain on Earth, whether or not anyone had yet discovered or measured it.
My first is high, My second damp, My whole a tie, A writer's cramp. What am I?
"High" plus "damp" (fen, a damp area) combine into "hyphen," the punctuation mark that ties words together.
A book costs $1 plus half its price. How much does it cost?
If the price is P, then P = 1 + P/2, which solves to P = 2.
Tara has $29.00 dollars. She bought 4 coloring books that cost $3.00 each, and 4 boxes of Crayola crayons that cost $2.00 each. She spends the rest of her money on markers. How much money did she spend on markers?
4 books at $3 plus 4 crayon boxes at $2 totals $20, leaving $9 of the original $29 for markers.