We explain what a riddle is, its origin, characteristics and various examples. Also, how is it different from a riddle.
What is a riddle?
A puzzle is a certain type of mental challenge, game, or pastime, in which someone is offered a riddle, formulated in a timely and specific way, so that they can try to find its solution. This usually requires reasoning, intuition and imagination, often in unconventional ways (such as lateral thinking).
The word riddle comes from Latin certum (“certain”, “certainty”) and the prefix to- (“toward”). These mental puzzles, in their different forms and appearances, have a very ancient presence in human history, either as a form of entertainment, or as a challenge imposed by deities to mythological heroes.
In fact, one of the most famous and ancient riddles known comes from Greek Antiquity specifically from the myth of Oedipus, who on his way to Thebes encountered a sphinx guarding the access to the city. The creature imposed a riddle on all passersby, and devoured all those who failed to solve it. The riddle was the following:
“What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three at night?”
To which Oedipus replied: “Man, well, crawls in his childhood, walks throughout his life and when he reaches old age he relies on a cane to walk.” The myth says that, upon being defeated, the sphinx became so enraged that it threw itself off a cliff, and the city of Thebes was liberated, crowning Oedipus as its king.
On the other hand, riddles can be of many types, from mathematical and logical, to linguistic and verbal, and can be expressed in many different ways. Some of them, rhymed and with a simple answer, constitute riddles.
Examples of riddles
Some examples of riddles with answers are the following:
- How many apricots can a single person eat on an empty stomach?
Answer: Only one, since from the first the person will no longer be fasting. - A man and his young son are in a traffic accident. Upon arriving at the hospital, the doctor in charge of operating on the little boy says: “I can't do it, this is my son.” How is that possible?
Answer: The doctor is a woman and it is the child's mother. - An explorer gets four chests, one of which contains treasure. Upon inspection, you notice that on the lid of each chest there is an inscription:
Chest 1: The treasure is not here.
Chest 2: Chest 1 tells the truth.
Chest 3: The treasure is not in chest 2.
Chest 4: Chest 3 is empty.
Only two of the inscriptions tell the truth. Where is the treasure?
Answer: The treasure is in chest 1. - The neighbor on the eighth floor takes the elevator to his room every day and takes the rest of the way up the stairs, except on days when it rains or when he shares the elevator. Because?
Answer: The neighbor is very short and can't reach the eighth floor button, except with the tip of the umbrella. - In a photo you can see three women in swimsuits: one cries, but is happy. The other two are sad, but they smile. Because?
Answer: This is a beauty contest. The winner cries with emotion, while the others smile to hide their disappointment.
Difference between riddles and riddles
Although riddles are a type of riddle, they generally riddles are enigmas posed in verse through word games and resorting to lyrics.
They are considered, therefore, a form of popular poetry very common in basic and initial education, and in family or folk oral tradition. Riddles, on the other hand, are a much broader category, which includes formal problems (logical and mathematical), philosophical enigmas, etc., posed in a narrative manner.
References
- “Logical riddle” on Wikipedia.
- “Riddle” in the Dictionary of the language of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- “Three mathematical riddles and why it's great (and fun) for you to solve them” on BBC Mundo.
- “Information about the word Riddle” in Etymologies of Chile.net.
