💡 Lateral thinking riddles with answers
The obvious answer is almost never right here. Question every guess you make about the story.
A man pushes his car up to a hotel and tells the owner he's bankrupt. Why?
💡 Hint
It's a game.
Show the answer
He's playing Monopoly.
A cowboy rides into town on Friday, stays for three days, and leaves on Friday. How?
💡 Hint
Friday doesn't have to be a day.
Show the answer
His horse is named Friday.
A man was out walking in the rain with no umbrella and no hat, yet not a single hair on his head got wet. How?
💡 Hint
What if there was no hair to get wet?
Show the answer
He was bald.
Two girls were born on the same day, in the same month and year, to the same mother and father, but they are not twins. How?
💡 Hint
There could be more than two babies.
Show the answer
They are two of a set of triplets.
A man jumped out of a window of a 20-story building, but he didn't get hurt. How?
💡 Hint
Which window?
Show the answer
He jumped out of a ground-floor window.
How can you throw a ball as hard as you can and have it come right back to you, without it hitting anything?
💡 Hint
Gravity can help.
Show the answer
Throw it straight up in the air.
A boy fell off a 30-foot ladder, but he didn't get hurt at all. How?
💡 Hint
Which step was he on?
Show the answer
He fell off the bottom step.
What two things can you never eat for breakfast?
💡 Hint
Think about meals.
Show the answer
Lunch and dinner
A truck driver goes the wrong way down a one-way street. A police officer sees him but doesn't stop him. Why?
💡 Hint
Was he driving at the time?
Show the answer
The truck driver was walking.
"The day before yesterday I was 10, and next year I'll be 13." How is this possible?
💡 Hint
Think about a birthday at the very end of the year.
Show the answer
Today is January 1 and the speaker's birthday is December 31. Two days ago (Dec 30) they were 10, they turned 11 yesterday, will turn 12 this December, and 13 next year.
What can go up a chimney down, but can't go down a chimney up?
💡 Hint
Think about open and closed.
Show the answer
An umbrella
A man lives on the 10th floor. Every morning he rides the elevator down. Coming home, he rides to the 7th floor and walks the rest - unless it's raining. Why?
💡 Hint
What does he carry on rainy days?
Show the answer
He's short and can only reach the button for floor 7. On rainy days he presses 10 with his umbrella.
Quick answers
A man pushes his car up to a hotel and tells the owner he's bankrupt. Why?
He's playing Monopoly.
A cowboy rides into town on Friday, stays for three days, and leaves on Friday. How?
His horse is named Friday.
A man was out walking in the rain with no umbrella and no hat, yet not a single hair on his head got wet. How?
He was bald.
Two girls were born on the same day, in the same month and year, to the same mother and father, but they are not twins. How?
They are two of a set of triplets.
A man jumped out of a window of a 20-story building, but he didn't get hurt. How?
He jumped out of a ground-floor window.