# Can you solve this riddle? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 3, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181 "2015-05-03T22:18:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/21 "2015-05-03T23:58:57Z")
Got it. … ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/22 "2015-05-04T00:26:37Z")
Good job all. What I said to my relatives was that if you think you have got it you probably have. I have two tough ones brought by my sister ( a professor at Appalachian State) that I have never seen posted on the SDMB that I will share later this week. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/23 "2015-05-04T00:51:02Z")
Yeah, eventually I got it. Required more thought than it should because I had to re-read to figure what should have been an oblivious answer. Hey OP, this has nothing to do with the answer, but how come you say “up to four special objects” and then list exactly 4 objects? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/24 "2015-05-04T01:07:16Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Yeah, eventually I got it. Required more thought than it should because I had to re-read to figure what should have been an oblivious answer. > > Hey OP, this has nothing to do with the answer, but how come you say > > “up to four special objects” and then list exactly 4 objects? Because I wish those who are solving to understand that they may not need ALL of the items. There could be red herrings. ---
**Author:** ![Saturn\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Saturn\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saturn_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/25 "2015-05-04T01:16:57Z")
The air freshener was a big hint. The items are, however, red herrings. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/26 "2015-05-04T01:26:01Z")
I got it almost immediately. Upon reflection, I believe I’ve heard it before. But since I didn’t recognize that I’d already heard it, it seemed fresh and my solving it feels genuine. If that makes any sense. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/27 "2015-05-04T01:28:16Z")
It didn’t click with me at first, but the answer jumped out at me as I was reading the riddle out loud to my wife. And she figured it out too. My book of choice would be a scratch 'n sniff book. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/28 "2015-05-04T01:31:47Z")
> [@Saturn\_Dreams](#): > > The air freshener was a big hint. The items are, however, red herrings. Or _should_ have been. [spoiler]I initially figured they wanted to make it into a movie-style flamethrower 🙂 But seriously, how much would something dead smell after that long if not sealed into an air-tight container? Probably not enough that an air fresher would make much difference.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/29 "2015-05-04T01:37:45Z")
I got the answer, but figured that it must have been the OP having a little brain fart, and went on trying to solve the riddle. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/30 "2015-05-04T01:41:38Z")
I think I got it…but… The lions starved to death nearly three years ago. Am I merely fighting the hypothetical? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/31 "2015-05-04T01:43:55Z")
[Sarcophagus Now](http://nerdist.com/thrilling-adventure-hour-80-beyond-belief-sarcophagus-now/), an episode of the Thrilling Adventure Hour podcast (a pretty funny pulp-action radio-story-style podcast, worth checking out), uses a similar gag, explaining how the intrepid adventurers survived the fiendish snake-pit trap in the Black Pyramid of Kathuset. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/32 "2015-05-04T01:51:13Z")
I assume I have it. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/33 "2015-05-04T01:55:50Z")
Didn’t have to think very long. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/34 "2015-05-04T02:01:17Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > I got the answer, but figured that it must have been the OP having a little brain fart, and went on trying to solve the riddle. :smack: Ditto here. > [@Trinopus](#): > > I think I got it…but… > > The lions starved to death nearly three years ago. My understanding as well. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/35 "2015-05-04T02:02:25Z")
I’ll take the squirt gun and the book. The baseball and the keys will not be necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/36 "2015-05-04T02:08:58Z")
[spoiler]The lions were kept alive on a liquid diet that had ‘everything the body needs’ and a solid exercise regimen. So you guys are cat snacks. On the other hand, ninjas don’t really exist anymore, so … I’m in a room with figments of my imagination - scary no doubt, but not really life-threatening. Also, back in the fire room, lighter fluid evaporates almost instantly, and my spray gun is filled with fire retardant. I spray myself down, keep low, breathing through my baseball fabric mask, and wait till the fire burns through the thatch roof, then use my OED (volumes 1-27) to make a staircase up over the wall and out. Shaboom. [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/37 "2015-05-04T02:13:26Z")
I’ll just take the baseball.Swing at baseball. Swing at baseball again. Swing at baseball again. I’m out. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/38 "2015-05-04T02:20:00Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’ll just take the baseball.Swing at baseball. > Swing at baseball again. > Swing at baseball again. > I’m out. Thank you. 🙂 I’ll just take a book. The Bible. I’m saved ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/39 "2015-05-04T02:20:25Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’ll just take the baseball.Swing at baseball. > Swing at baseball again. > Swing at baseball again. > I’m out. Clever! \ ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181/40 "2015-05-04T02:48:47Z")
Basted humans; They’re grrreat! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-solve-this-riddle/719181.md?page=3)