Riddle: A beauty hidden from all the world, in bubbling water she’s unfurled. But if you find her, care you must take, for if not, a tooth you’ll break!
Show answer
Oyster.
Hard riddles
Really hard riddles with answers
If you’re too smart for our fun easy riddles and our riddles for kids, then try these really hard riddles instead! You’re sure to find them more challenging!
What can tear down a mountain but can’t hold a tree, blinds some yet helps others to see?
Riddle: What can tear down a mountain but can’t hold a tree, blinds some yet helps others to see?
Show answer
Time.
What do a room full of married people and an empty room have in common?
Riddle: What do a room full of married people and an empty room have in common?
Show answer
There’s not a single person in either.
What wicked thing battles the darkness?
Riddle: What wicked thing battles the darkness?
Show answer
Candle.
What silent guardian prevents attempted murder?
Riddle: What silent guardian prevents attempted murder?
Show answer
Scarecrow.
The collective noun for a group of crows is a murder of crows.
A man is found dead naked in a field with sandbags around him and a straw in his hand. What happened?
Riddle: A man is found dead naked in a field with sandbags around him and a straw in his hand. What happened?
Show answer
Two men were in a hot air balloon when they started to lose altitude.
They dump the sandbags to lighten the load but that doesn’t help. They toss their clothes as a last ditch attempt but still they are dropping fast.
They finally decide saving one of them is better than both of them dying so they draw straws and the loser has to jump.
Hence a naked man surrounded by sandbags, holding the straw.
A man lies dead in a phone booth, the windows having been smashed on both sides. Murder is out of the question. How did he die?
Riddle: A man lies dead in a phone booth, the windows having been smashed on both sides. Murder is out of the question. How did he die?
Show answer
He was on the phone to someone talking about fishing, as he was talking about the size of the fish he stretched out his arms smashing the windows and cutting his wrists causing death by blood loss.
What is born long and dies short, and spends its life leaving a trail?
Riddle: What is born long and dies short, and spends its life leaving a trail?
Show answer
A pencil.
What goes with a train, stops with a train, has no use for the train, but a train can’t go two feet without it?
Riddle: What goes with a train, stops with a train, has no use for the train, but a train can’t go two feet without it?
Show answer
Noise.
What’s the difference between a gossip and a mirror?
Riddle: What’s the difference between a gossip and a mirror?
Show answer
One speaks without reflecting and the other reflects without speaking.
What exists when one person has it but ceases to exist when another person gets it?
Riddle: What exists when one person has it but ceases to exist when another person gets it?
Show answer
A secret.
What can be put in a cup but can never be taken out?
Riddle: What can be put in a cup but can never be taken out?
Show answer
A crack.
What flies when it’s born, lies when it’s alive, and runs when it’s dead?
Riddle: What flies when it’s born, lies when it’s alive, and runs when it’s dead?
Show answer
A snowflake.
What goes up and down but never moves?
Riddle: What goes up and down but never moves?
Show answer
The temperature.
What’s awesome when it’s up, bad when it’s down and guides you if it’s left or right?
Riddle: What’s awesome when it’s up, bad when it’s down and guides you if it’s left or right?
Show answer
Thumb.
What can be driven but has no wheels, and can also be sliced but remain whole?
Riddle: What can be driven but has no wheels, and can also be sliced but remain whole?
Show answer
A golf ball.
What circles the forest continuously but never enters it?
Riddle: What circles the forest continuously but never enters it?
Show answer
The bark of a tree.
What is weightless, can be seen with the naked eye, and when you put it in a barrel, it makes the barrel lighter?
Riddle: What is weightless, can be seen with the naked eye, and when you put it in a barrel, it makes the barrel lighter?
Show answer
A hole.
How many times a day do the minute and hour hand overlap on a clock?
Riddle: How many times a day do the minute and hour hand overlap on a clock?
Show answer
22 times. In 24 hours, the hour hand goes around twice, and the minute hand goes around 24 times in the same direction. Therefore the minute hand laps the hour hand 24 – 2 = 22 times.
How is a tailor like a kiss?
Riddle: How is a tailor like a kiss?
Show answer
One sews seams nice and the other seems so nice.
What is left on a ship but also taken home and consumed?
Riddle: What is left on a ship but also taken home and consumed?
Show answer
Port.
I am a protector who sits on a bridge. One person can see right through me, while others wonder what I hide. What am I?
Riddle: I am a protector who sits on a bridge. One person can see right through me, while others wonder what I hide. What am I?
Show answer
Sunglasses.
What goes around the wood but never goes into the wood?
Riddle: What goes around the wood but never goes into the wood?
Show answer
The bark of a tree.
What can be used only once and after it’s used it will be gone?
Riddle: What can be used only once and after it’s used it will be gone?
Show answer
A bomb.
What is black when you buy it and red when you use it but grey when you throw it away?
Riddle: What is black when you buy it and red when you use it but grey when you throw it away?
Show answer
Charcoal.
What floats in water and dies as it gets hotter?
Riddle: What floats in water and dies as it gets hotter?
Show answer
Ice.
You can make me say anything, long after I die. My edges will cut you. If you throw me I fly.
Riddle: You can make me say anything, long after I die. My edges will cut you. If you throw me I fly.
Show answer
Paper.
It is made out of wood which has been dead for some time, you can write anything you want, the edges can hurt you and of course you can make a paper airplane out of it.
What does no man want yet no man wants to lose?
Riddle: What does no man want yet no man wants to lose?
Show answer
Work.
What splits itself before splitting something else?
Riddle: What splits itself before splitting something else?
Show answer
Lightning.
Ten soldiers dead on the field, dressed in white, killed by three eyes, black as night. What happened?
Riddle: Ten soldiers dead on the field, dressed in white, killed by three eyes, black as night. What happened?
Show answer
A bowling ball knocked over ten pins.
What job occurs once every moment, always with momentum but never in stopping?
Riddle: What job occurs once every moment, always with momentum but never in stopping?
Show answer
A mom.
You can always see me in darkness, but never in the light. I make laughter lethal. But without me, your scars become a ride.
Riddle: You can always see me in darkness, but never in the light. I make laughter lethal. But without me, your scars become a ride.
Show answer
The letter ‘s’ – it appears twice in the word darkness, add it to the beginning of laughter and you get slaughter, remove it from the word scars and you get the word car.
A man is alone in his house washing dishes. When he looks down, there are more glasses in the sink than there were before. How?
Riddle: A man is alone in his house washing dishes. When he looks down, there are more glasses in the sink than there were before. How?
Show answer
His own pair of glasses fell into the sink.
What do you ask for but rarely take?
Riddle: What do you ask for but rarely take?
Show answer
Advice.
What’s the difference between a person with a terrible toothache and a rainy day?
Riddle: What’s the difference between a person with a terrible toothache and a rainy day?
Show answer
One is roaring with pain; the other is pouring with rain.
What makes up a square with edges like a knife?
Riddle: What makes up a square with edges like a knife?
Show answer
A stamp.
When is half less than a quarter?
Riddle: When is half less than a quarter?
Show answer
When you count the letters each word is spelled with.
What country becomes a part of your body if the last letter is removed?
Riddle: What country becomes a part of your body if the last letter is removed?
Show answer
China.
What freezes when it is heated up?
Riddle: What freezes when it is heated up?
Show answer
A computer.
What has leaves that never fall and is covered in wood but easily ruined?
Riddle: What has leaves that never fall and is covered in wood but easily ruined?
Show answer
A book.
What walks on its head all day?
Riddle: What walks on its head all day?
Show answer
A nail in a horseshoe.
What is taken before you can get it?
Riddle: What is taken before you can get it?
Show answer
Your picture.
What ends in a ‘W’ but has no end?
Riddle: What ends in a ‘W’ but has no end?
Show answer
A rainbow.
What can be pushed but is always stationery?
Riddle: What can be pushed but is always stationery?
Show answer
Envelope.
What lives in winter and dies in summer, and grows with its roots upward?
Riddle: What lives in winter and dies in summer, and grows with its roots upward?
Show answer
An icicle.
Which is the largest room in the world?
Riddle: Which is the largest room in the world?
Show answer
The room for improvement.
What three letters change a girl into a woman?
Riddle: What three letters change a girl into a woman?
Show answer
AGE.
What does someone else have to take before you can get it?
Riddle: What does someone else have to take before you can get it?
Show answer
A photograph.
What has two spines and a lot of ribs and carries much but never moves?
Riddle: What has two spines and a lot of ribs and carries much but never moves?
Show answer
Train tracks.
What book of few words can change the physical state of something its used on but can also describe two of the same thing?
Riddle: What book of few words can change the physical state of something its used on but can also describe two of the same thing?
Show answer
Matchbook.
What’s always found on the ground but never gets dirty?
Riddle: What’s always found on the ground but never gets dirty?
Show answer
Shadow.
What can you keep after giving to someone else?
Riddle: What can you keep after giving to someone else?
Show answer
Your word.
A truck driver is going down a one way street the wrong way, and passes at least five cops. Why is he not caught?
Riddle: A truck driver is going down a one way street the wrong way, and passes at least five cops. Why is he not caught?
Show answer
Because he is walking on the sidewalk, not driving.
When is 160 the same as 200?
Riddle: When is 160 the same as 200?
Show answer
When you’re putting the time into a microwave. Entering 200 into a microwave is 2:00 (2 minutes) and entering 160 is 1:60 which is also 2 minutes.
Two boys were born to the same mother on the same day, at the same time, in the same month and year and yet they’re not twins. How can this be?
Riddle: Two boys were born to the same mother on the same day, at the same time, in the same month and year and yet they’re not twins. How can this be?
Show answer
They are two of a set of triplets.
What kind of table doesn’t have legs?
Riddle: What kind of table doesn’t have legs?
Show answer
The Periodic Table or multiplication tables.
What wears a crown but is no prince, is good at standing but cannot sit, digs for years but leaves no pit, and wears its jewels inside of it?
Riddle: What wears a crown but is no prince, is good at standing but cannot sit, digs for years but leaves no pit, and wears its jewels inside of it?
Show answer
A tree.
Walk on the living and they don’t even mumble but walk on the dead and they mutter and grumble. What are they?
Riddle: Walk on the living and they don’t even mumble but walk on the dead and they mutter and grumble. What are they?
Show answer
Leaves.
What begins but has no end and ends all that begins?
Riddle: What begins but has no end and ends all that begins?
Show answer
Death.
We are sixteen men altogether, yet any one of us may become a knight but never a king.
Riddle: We are sixteen men altogether, yet any one of us may become a knight but never a king.
Show answer
Pawns in chess.
What has a head but no body, a bed but no sleep, a mouth but no voice?
Riddle: What has a head but no body, a bed but no sleep, a mouth but no voice?
Show answer
A river.
What type of drum are you not able to play?
Riddle: What type of drum are you not able to play?
Show answer
A conundrum.
What kind of running means walking?
Riddle: What kind of running means walking?
Show answer
Running out of gas.
What is round on the ends and high in the middle?
Riddle: What is round on the ends and high in the middle?
Show answer
Ohio.
A man and his boss have the same parents but they are not siblings. How is this possible?
Riddle: A man and his boss have the same parents but they are not siblings. How is this possible?
Show answer
He’s self-employed.
I’m everywhere a little but you can’t see, unless I’m colder than ice and dry as can be. If I find a little tree I might help it to grow, and if you look very close, you’ll see two Os.
Riddle: I’m everywhere a little but you can’t see, unless I’m colder than ice and dry as can be. If I find a little tree I might help it to grow, and if you look very close, you’ll see two Os.
Show answer
Carbon dioxide (CO2).
The person who makes it doesn’t need it. The person who buys it doesn’t use it. But the person who uses it doesn’t know it.
Riddle: The person who makes it doesn’t need it. The person who buys it doesn’t use it. But the person who uses it doesn’t know it.
Show answer
A coffin.
What breaks yet never falls and what falls yet never breaks?
Riddle: What breaks yet never falls and what falls yet never breaks?
Show answer
Day and night.
What is at the head of an elephant and the tail of a squirrel?
Riddle: What is at the head of an elephant and the tail of a squirrel?
Show answer
The letters ‘el’.
Three men enter a room but only two walk out. The room is empty. Where is the third man?
Riddle: Three men enter a room but only two walk out. The room is empty. Where is the third man?
Show answer
The fourth man is in a wheelchair so he rolls out rather than walks out.
You enter a bedroom with 34 people and you kill 30. How many people are in the bedroom?
Riddle: You enter a bedroom with 34 people and you kill 30. How many people are in the bedroom?
Show answer
35 people. The 30 you killed, the other 4 who are still alive, and you.
You are sleeping and you are hungry and you have butter cheese and juice in the fridge. What is the first thing you will open?
Riddle: You are sleeping and you are hungry and you have butter cheese and juice in the fridge. What is the first thing you will open?
Show answer
Your eyes.
What does the great depth devour to grant luck?
Riddle: What does the great depth devour to grant luck?
Show answer
Coins (it’s describing a wishing well).
What flies when it’s on and floats coming off?
Riddle: What flies when it’s on and floats coming off?
Show answer
A feather.
Poor people have it and rich people need it. If you eat it you die. What is it?
Riddle: Poor people have it and rich people need it. If you eat it you die. What is it?
Show answer
Nothing.
You’re in a cell with no windows, vents, or door. How do you escape?
Riddle: You’re in a cell with no windows, vents, or door. How do you escape?
Show answer
If there is no door, you can just walk out.
Imagine you’re in a room that is filling with water and there are no windows or doors. How do you get out?
Riddle: Imagine you’re in a room that is filling with water and there are no windows or doors. How do you get out?
Show answer
Stop imagining.
If you have three you have three and if you have two you have two. But if you have one you have none. What am I?
Riddle: If you have three you have three and if you have two you have two. But if you have one you have none. What am I?
Show answer
Choices.
Three men were in a boat when it capsized but only two got their hair wet. Why?
Riddle: Three men were in a boat when it capsized but only two got their hair wet. Why?
Show answer
One of the men was bald.
A girl who was born in 1962 just had her 18th birthday. How?
Riddle: A girl who was born in 1962 just had her 18th birthday. How?
Show answer
She was born in room 1962.
A cowboy rides into town on Friday and stays for three days but then leaves on Friday. How does he do it?
Riddle: A cowboy rides into town on Friday and stays for three days but then leaves on Friday. How does he do it?
Show answer
He leaves on his horse who is called ‘Friday’.
What has four eyes but cannot see?
Riddle: What has four eyes but cannot see?
Show answer
Mississippi.
What grows up while growing down?
Riddle: What grows up while growing down?
Show answer
A goose or duck.
What can be seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month?
Riddle: What can be seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month?
Show answer
The letter R.
What can’t talk but will reply when spoken to?
Riddle: What can’t talk but will reply when spoken to?
Show answer
An echo.
Two fathers and two sons are in a car yet there are only three people in the car. How?
Riddle: Two fathers and two sons are in a car yet there are only three people in the car. How?
Show answer
They are a grandfather, father and son.
What has six faces but does not wear makeup and has twenty-one eyes but cannot see?
Riddle: What has six faces but does not wear makeup and has twenty-one eyes but cannot see?
Show answer
A die (dice).
What loses its head in the morning but gets it back at night?
Riddle: What loses its head in the morning but gets it back at night?
Show answer
A pillow.
A man fell off a 20-foot ladder but he wasn’t hurt. How?
Riddle: A man fell off a 20-foot ladder but he wasn’t hurt. How?
Show answer
He fell off the bottom rung of the ladder.
What can be long or short or heavy or light but only one at a time?
Riddle: What can be long or short or heavy or light but only one at a time?
Show answer
Wait / weight.
You’re in a house with four walls facing south, you step outside and see a bear. What color is the bear?
You’re in a house with four walls facing south, you step outside and see a bear. What color is the bear?
Show answer
White. If all 4 walls are facing south then they’re at the North Pole.
What has cities but no houses, forests but no trees, and water but no fish?
Riddle: What has cities but no houses, forests but no trees, and water but no fish?
Show answer
A map.
I have no means to fly nor flee, so a fire is the end of me. When the fire is done and o’er, I get my old name back once more.
Riddle: I have no means to fly nor flee, so a fire is the end of me. When the fire is done and o’er, I get my old name back once more.
Show answer
Ash.
Gain a lot of me and you’ll be heavy. Earn a lot of me and you’ll be rich.
Riddle: Gain a lot of me and you’ll be heavy. Earn a lot of me and you’ll be rich.
Show answer
Pounds.