Gold and Spears

Thousands lay up gold within this house,
but no man made it.

Spears past counting guard this house,
but no man wards it.

Hem of the Skirt

I am the yellow hem
of the sea's blue skirt.

OK Everybody, Line Up

In a rectangular array of people, who will be taller: the tallest of the shortest people in each column, or the shortest of the tallest people in each row?

Do Swords Kiss?

A hoard of rings am I,
but no fit gift for a bride;
I await a sword's kiss.

The Pen is Mightier than the Pig

How can you build pig pens so you can put nine pigs in four pens such that each pen has an odd number of pigs?

Stronger than a Stone

Still, I am like a mirror,
Fast, I am stronger than stone.
Wet, I can burn you,
Dry, I can keep you warm.
Life, I can be in the desert,
Death, I can be on the riverbank.
What am I?

Clothing Mix Up... How Embarrassing

Four gentlemen (Adam, Bill, Chuck, and Dan) went to an expensive restaurant to dine. They checked their coats, hats, gloves, and canes at the door (each of the gentlemen had one of each). But when they checked out, there was a mix up, and each of the men ended up with exactly one article of clothing (a pair of gloves is considered a single article of clothing) belonging to each one of the four. Adam and Bill ended up with their own coats, Chuck ended up with his own hat, and Dan ended up with his own gloves. Adam did not end up with Chuck's cane. State whose coat, hat, gloves, and cane each of the gentlemen ended up with.

Cut the Deck

A card-shuffling machine always rearranges cards in the same way relative to the original order of the cards. All of the hearts, arranged in order from ace to king, were put into the machine. The cards were shuffled and then put into the machine again. After this second shuffling, the cards were in the following order: 10, 9, Q, 8, K, 3, 4, A, 5, J, 6, 2, 7. What order were the cards in after the first shuffle?

An Apple a Day Keeps the Riddles Away

There are 20 people in an empty, square room. Each person has full sight of the entire room and everyone in it without turning his head or body, or moving in any way other than the eyes. Where can you place an apple so that all but one person can see it?

Friday Factorial

Can you think of a reason why 30414093201713378043612608166064768844377641568960512078291027000 cannot possibly be the value of 50 factorial, without actually performing the calculation?

If Only Stamps Cost Ten Cents

I'm going to buy one-cent, two-cent, three-cent, five-cent, and ten-cent stamps. I'm going to buy four of each of two sorts, and three of each of the rest, and I have exactly enough to buy them -- just this handful of dimes. How many of each type am I going to buy?

Maybe We Should Try Some Goats Instead

Grass grows in a field at some rate r, where r is the units of grass grown per day. It is known that if 10 sheep are turned out in the field, the grass will be gone in 20 days. On the other hand, if 15 sheep are turned out in the field, the grass will be gone in 10 days. If 25 sheep are turned out in the field, when will the grass be gone?

Cat Jokes

After yesterday's headache, I could use a simple laugh.

1. How does a cat go shopping?

2. Why do cats make the best pets?

3. What is a cat's favorite desert?

Monday Mornings

What's a word that begins with the letters "HE" and also ends with "HE"?

Another Swift Riddle

Because I am by nature blind,
I wisely choose to walk behind;
However, to avoid disgrace,
I let no creature see my face.
My words are few, but spoke with sense;
And yet my speaking gives offence:
Or, if to whisper I presume,
The company will fly the room.
By all the world I am opprest:
And my oppression gives them rest.







BTW, do us all a favor and keep your answers clean.

Another Poetry Riddle

All-ruling tyrant of the Earth,
To vilest slaves I owe my birth.
How is the greatest monarch blest,
When in my gaudy livery drest!
No haughty nymph has power to run
From me, or my embraces shun.
Stabb'd to the heart, condemn'd to flame,
My constancy is still the same.
The favourite messenger of Jove,
And Lemnian god, consulting strove
To make me glorious to the sight
Of mortals, and the gods' delight.
Soon would their altars' flame expire,
If I refus'd to lend them fire.



Bonus points if you know the author!

Rock But Not Stone

It is in the rock, but not in the stone; It is in the marrow, but not in the bone;
It is in the bolster, but not in the bed; It is not in the living, nor yet in the dead.

What is it?

Poetry Riddle

From Heaven I fall, though from earth I begin.
No lady alive can show such a skin.
I'm bright as an angel, and light as a feather,
But heavy and dark, when you squeeze me together.

Though candor and truth in my aspect I bear,
Yet many poor creatures I help to insnare.
Though so much of Heaven appears in my make,
The foulest impressions I easily take.

Break Me If You Will

If you break me,
I do not stop working.
If you touch me,
I may be snared.
If you lose me,
Nothing will matter.
What am I?