Exploring English Riddles | 英文谜语趣谈

Introduction to English Riddles

English riddles have a long history, similar to Chinese riddles. The most famous is perhaps the riddle of the Sphinx.

Descriptive Riddles

Descriptive riddles depict the characteristics of the answer.

• The Sphinx's Riddle: "What goes on four feet, on two feet, and three, but the more feet it goes on, the weaker it will be?" Answer: Man (crawls, walks, uses a cane).
• Samson's Riddle (from the Bible): "Out of the eater came something to eat; / Out of the strong came something sweet." Answer: Honey from a lion.
• Example: "My fatherland is Arabia... And drink me at their leisure." Answer: Coffee.

Charades (Word Riddles)

Charades play on letters, syllables, or whole words.

• Example 1: "The beginning of eternity, The end of time and space..." Answer: The letter 'E'.
• Example 2: "What starts with T, ends with T and is full of T?" Answer: A teapot (full of tea).
• Example 3: "The longest word in the world." Answer: Smiles (a 'mile' between the first and last letter).

Conundrums (Witty Questions)

Conundrums are clever, pun-based riddles similar to brain teasers.

• From Shakespeare's Hamlet: "What is he that builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright or the carpenter?" Answer: The gallows-maker (the gallows outlives its tenants).
• Example 1: "What is the difference between a presidential candidate and an overworked secretary?" Answer: One can't wait to get into office and the other can't wait to get out of the office.
• Example 2: "What is the cheapest way to see the world?" Answer: Buy an atlas (a map).
• Example 3: "Why should you never marry a tennis player?" Answer: Because love means nothing to them ('love' means zero in tennis).

Riddles Based on Proverbs

These require knowledge of common sayings.

• Example 1: "Why shouldn't you cry if a cow slips on the ice?" Answer: Because it's no use crying over spilt milk.
• Example 2: "What's a sculptor's motto?" Answer: All work and no clay makes Jack a dull boy (a play on 'All work and no play...').

Practice Riddles

I. Charades

1. There is a thing that is the first to pity and the last to help. (Answer: The letter P)
2. I am the beginning of sorrow... yet I am never out of darkness. (Answer: The letter S)
3. My first is nothing but a name... It has no name at all. (Answer: Nameless)
4. If the English alphabet goes from A to Z, what goes from Z to A? (Answer: Zebra)

II. Descriptive Riddles

1. At night they come Without being fetched, And by day they are lost Without being stolen. (Answer: Stars)
2. As round as an apple, As deep as a pail; It never cries out, Till it's caught by the tail. (Answer: A bell)
3. My sides are firmly laced about, Yet nothing is within; You'll think my head is strange indeed, Being nothing else but skin. (Answer: A drum)
4. Over the water, And under the water, And never touch the water. (Answer: A girl crossing a bridge with a pail of water on her head)
5. I never was, am always to be... To live and breathe on this terrestrial ball. (Answer: Tomorrow)

III. Conundrums

1. Why are Saturdays and Sundays so strong? (Answer: Because the rest are weekdays [weak days].)
2. Where do smart dogs refuse to shop? (Answer: At flea markets.)
3. Would you rather an elephant kill you, or a gorilla? (Answer: I'd rather he kill the gorilla.)
4. When do elephants have sixteen feet? (Answer: When there are four of them.)
5. Which is faster, heat or cold? (Answer: Heat. You can catch cold.)
6. What's every baby's motto? (Answer: If at first you don't succeed, cry, cry again.)