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The Riddling thread of fiendishly cunning riddles

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Original post by Harley
I thought of that, but then it also doesn't use the letters M, V, X or Z :confused:

Isn't e meant to be the most common letter though?
Original post by incipientT
This is a most unusual paragraph. How quickly can you find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so ordinary you'd think nothing was wrong with it - and in fact, nothing is wrong with it. It is unusual though. Why? Study it, think about it, and you may find out. Try to do it without coaching. If you work at it for a bit it will dawn on you. So jump to it and try your skill at figuring it out. Good luck - don't blow your cool!


"It" changes meaning and refers to several things in the paragraph, despite being a pronoun which is used to refer to something already mentioned? First "it" is the paragraph itself, then it becomes a different type of pronoun, "do it", then "work at it" is something else, then "it will dawn on you" is again a different pronoun. "Jump to it" and "figuring it out" are also referring to a noun that hasn't been explicitly mentioned.

So in summary it's an unusual paragraph that used multiple pronouns that seem to be referring to the original subject of the text, the paragraph, but are in fact referring to completely different things. I suppose it's a sort of literary illusion.

Am I right?
Original post by manic_fuzz
It doesn't use the letter E?



Original post by Cryl
Along with the letter E point made by Manic, should be "This is THE most unusual paragraph" rather than "is A most unusual". I'm no English expert so don't scream at me if I'm wrong

That would require an e, though:smile:


Original post by Harley
I thought of that, but then it also doesn't use the letters M, V, X or Z :confused:


Original post by Sherlockedd
Isn't e meant to be the most common letter though?

:yep:

Original post by MrFlash1994
"It" changes meaning and refers to several things in the paragraph, despite being a pronoun which is used to refer to something already mentioned? First "it" is the paragraph itself, then it becomes a different type of pronoun, "do it", then "work at it" is something else, then "it will dawn on you" is again a different pronoun. "Jump to it" and "figuring it out" are also referring to a noun that hasn't been explicitly mentioned.

So in summary it's an unusual paragraph that used multiple pronouns that seem to be referring to the original subject of the text, the paragraph, but are in fact referring to completely different things. I suppose it's a sort of literary illusion.

Am I right?

I think that makes it a confusing paragraph, which isn't unusual.

The answer I was looking for was that it doesn't have the letter e, which is supposed to be the most common letter. I think all the other unusual things are a consequence of trying to write a sentence with no e in it.
Original post by incipientT


I think that makes it a confusing paragraph, which isn't unusual.

The answer I was looking for was that it doesn't have the letter e, which is supposed to be the most common letter. I think all the other unusual things are a consequence of trying to write a sentence with no e in it.


Oh right, I guess I thought about it a little too much! I really thought I had that one though.
My maker doesn't want me
My buyer doesn't use me
My user doesn't know they're using me

What am I?

(pretty easy, I know, but I do love this riddle)
Original post by Sherlockedd
My maker doesn't want me
My buyer doesn't use me
My user doesn't know they're using me

What am I?

(pretty easy, I know, but I do love this riddle)


money?
Original post by Sherlockedd
My maker doesn't want me
My buyer doesn't use me
My user doesn't know they're using me

What am I?

(pretty easy, I know, but I do love this riddle)



Original post by hannahchan
money?


I believe it's counterfeit money, more specifically?
Original post by hannahchan
money?


Original post by Theflyingbarney
I believe it's counterfeit money, more specifically?

Not the answer I was looking for but that works too I guess :L

The answer is a coffin
A road runs 10 km long from Town A to B. Beside it lies a wall all the way along it. A group of wall painters is asked to paint the wall blue starting from town A. The first km is painted in 4 hours by 2 people. The 6th km took 25 hours by 6 people. The eight took 60 hours by 30 people. Why?

I fall off a ladder but didn't get hurt. Why/how?

What comes twice in a week but I only once in a year.
Original post by TheKingOfTSR
A road runs 10 km long from Town A to B. Beside it lies a wall all the way along it. A group of wall painters is asked to paint the wall blue starting from town A. The first km is painted in 4 hours by 2 people. The 6th km took 25 hours by 6 people. The eight took 60 hours by 30 people. Why?

I fall off a ladder but didn't get hurt. Why/how?

What comes twice in a week but I only once in a year.

Still thinking about this one.

It was on the ground?

the letter e
Original post by TheKingOfTSR
A road runs 10 km long from Town A to B. Beside it lies a wall all the way along it. A group of wall painters is asked to paint the wall blue starting from town A. The first km is painted in 4 hours by 2 people. The 6th km took 25 hours by 6 people. The eight took 60 hours by 30 people. Why?

I fall off a ladder but didn't get hurt. Why/how?

What comes twice in a week but I only once in a year.


The top one is quite mathematical, I'm guessing it's got something to do with the fact that the wall has two sides, and each side must be painted. For the 1st km 1 half of the wall is painted in two hours, the other painter does the same on the other side which totals 4 hours. And I cba working the rest out!

Because the ladder was laying flat on the floor? Or something of the sort.

Already answered above, the letter e.
Original post by incipientT
Still thinking about this one.

It was on the ground?

the letter e


Original post by MrFlash1994
The top one is quite mathematical, I'm guessing it's got something to do with the fact that the wall has two sides, and each side must be painted. For the 1st km 1 half of the wall is painted in two hours, the other painter does the same on the other side which totals 4 hours. And I cba working the rest out!

Because the ladder was laying flat on the floor? Or something of the sort.

Already answered above, the letter e.

Yes it is the letter e and the ladder was on the ground.
For the first one HINT: it is not mathematical...
Original post by TheKingOfTSR
Yes it is the letter e and the ladder was on the ground.
For the first one HINT: it is not mathematical...

Maybe because the further from town you go the further they have to walk and the more tired they get and the slower they paint?
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by incipientT
Maybe because the further from town you go the further they have to walk and the more tired they get and the slower they paint?


Or they run out of paint and have to get more!
You come to a fork in the road. One path leads to the village of the truth tellers and the other, the village of compulsive liars. You aspire to reach the village of truth tellers by sundown and daylight is dwindling, so you can only explore one of the possible routes.

A man is standing at the fork. You are certain that he belongs to one of the two villages, but you cannot discern which. What single question can you ask to ensure you take the correct path?
Original post by Hippysnake
You come to a fork in the road. One path leads to the village of the truth tellers and the other, the village of compulsive liars. You aspire to reach the village of truth tellers by sundown and daylight is dwindling, so you can only explore one of the possible routes.

A man is standing at the fork. You are certain that he belongs to one of the two villages, but you cannot discern which. What single question can you ask to ensure you take the correct path?


Which road/village are you not from? And their answer would be the one which has liars in :K:
Original post by kevin6767
Don't know if this one has been done on here yet so here we go. A beggar had a brother who lived in Spain but that brother had no brother, explain. A fairly easy one.


The beggar is female?
Original post by manic_fuzz
Which road/village are you not from? And their answer would be the one which has liars in :K:


Bit of a confusing question. I can accept it, but you can think of something much simpler. There are loads of acceptable answers.
Original post by Hippysnake
Bit of a confusing question. I can accept it, but you can think of something much simpler. There are loads of acceptable answers.


No matter, the fact that it works is good enough for me
Three men board a ship. A week into there journey, they sail into a storm and lose all of their rations and supplies. Their engine fails and the boat is horribly damaged.

A month later, the ship wreck washes ashore on a popular holiday beach resort. Two men get off and run for the nearest cafe. They both order an albatross burger. The first man takes a bite and an overwhelming feeling of relief washes over him. The second man takes a bite and begins crying uncontrollably.

What happened?

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