A riddle is a statement, question, or phrase with two or more meanings that is presented as a problem to be answered. Enigmas are difficulties that are often written in a metaphorical or allegorical language and take ingenuity and careful thought to solve, whereas conundrums are questions that rely on punning in either the query or the answer for their effects.
It’s difficult to define riddles properly, and it’s a topic that’s sparked a lot of academic dispute. Robert Petsch made the first important modern attempt to characterize the enigma in 1899 and Robert A. Georges and Alan Dundes made another seminal contribution in 1963, inspired by structuralism. A riddle is a classic verbal statement that has one or more descriptive parts, one of which may be in opposition to the other; the elements’ reference is to be guessed,” Georges and Dundes suggested. The riddle can be broken down into several other categories, such as charades, doodles, and jokes.
Who doesn’t enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes with solving a brain teaser? While cerebral jokes can be deciphered in a matter of seconds, riddles take a little longer to unravel, which makes the payoff much sweeter. INSIDER scoured Reddit for a list of difficult logic puzzles, word puzzles, and more. The answers to the majority of these brain teasers can be found in the captions below each image. Slowly scroll down to avoid viewing the answer too soon. Don’t worry if you get stuck on any of the riddles; we’ve supplied explanations.
Here are 5 puzzles to complete that might take some time
Four individuals arrive at a river with a narrow bridge that can only accommodate two persons at a time. It’s late at night, and they only have one torch with which to cross the bridge. Person A takes one minute to cross the bridge, while B takes two minutes, C takes five minutes, and D takes eight minutes. When two persons cross the bridge at the same time, they must follow the slower person’s lead. Is it possible for them all to cross the bridge in 15 minutes or less?
Answer:
The four-person group must follow these steps.
1. A and B cross the bridge first, and A returns the light. This takes 3 minutes to complete.
2. After that, C and D intersect, and B reintroduces the light. This will take an additional ten minutes.
3. Finally, A and B come together once more. This will take 2 minutes more.
You’re trying to get out of a maze, and there are three doors in front of you. The left-hand entrance leads to a blazing fire. The central door leads to a lethal assassin. The lion on the right hasn’t eaten in three months, according to the door on the right. Which door are you going to choose?
Answer: After three months without eating, the lion would be dead
You’re walking down the street when you come to a fork in the road. The one route leads to definite death, while the other leads to endless joy. You have no idea what’s what. You come across two brothers in the middle of the fork who can tell you which path to take. One brother is always truthful, while the other is always deceitful. There is only one question you may ask them. Which path would you choose if you had to choose?
Answer: Let’s say the way to eternal happiness is on the right. “He would say the left route leads to eternal happiness,” both brothers will tell you once you’ve asked your question.
“You would choose the opposite of what they both say in either circumstance,” Reddit user OnscreenForecaster explained.
An elderly father dies, leaving two sons behind. In his will, he instructs his sons to race with their horses, with the winner receiving his inheritance. The two boys race, but because they are both holding their horses back, they seek advice from a wise man. The brothers then race once more, this time at full speed. What did the wise guy have to say to them?
Answer: Because they still technically own the losing (i.e., slower) horse after they switch horses, whoever wins the race gets the inheritance.
A farmer must cross a river with a fox, a chicken, and a sack of grain. Only a little boat can cross the river, and it can only carry the farmer and one of the three items. If the chicken is left alone, it will eat the grain and the fox will eat the chicken. The fox, on the other hand, will not try to consume the grain, and neither the fox nor the chicken will go. What is the farmer’s plan for getting everything across the river?
Answer: These measures must be followed by the farmer.
1. Cross the river with the chicken.
2. Return with a boat that is empty.
3. Cross the river with the grain.
5. Cross the river with the fox.
4. Return with the bird.
6. Return with a boat that is empty.
7. Cross the river with the chicken.
-Rohan Borgohain