# I need a riddle **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 21, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831 "2005-05-21T01:17:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/1 "2005-05-21T01:17:39Z")
I’m looking for some riddles that might be appropriate for an eleven year old. (We’re wrapping a gift for a boy who newly likes riddles, and want to incorporate a riddle.) Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/2 "2005-05-21T02:06:06Z")
What is it that, the more you cut it the longer it grows? (Hint: “long” refers to length, not time.) ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/3 "2005-05-21T02:16:01Z")
is it hair? mine is What is black when you get it, red (not read) when you are using it, and white when you are done with it? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/4 "2005-05-21T02:27:05Z")
No. Cutting hair doesn’t make it longer. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/5 "2005-05-21T02:29:32Z")
> [@feppytweed](#): > > What is black when you get it, red (not read) when you are using it, and white when you are done with it? If the first color were green instead of black, then “a watermelon” might work. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/6 "2005-05-21T02:32:27Z")
What’s the difference between a jeweler and a jailer? One sells watches, the other watches cells. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/7 "2005-05-21T02:35:36Z")
Why is cream so much more expensive than milk? Because cows really hate squatting over the little tiny bottles. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/8 "2005-05-21T02:40:41Z")
Thanks for the suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![dbygawdcapn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dbygawdcapn/32/3995_2.png) [@dbygawdcapn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbygawdcapn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/9 "2005-05-21T02:46:42Z")
There are four boys and four apples in a basket. Every boy takes an apple, yet one apple remains in the basket. How is this possible? The answer is that one boy took the basket. He took the last apple while it was in the basket. ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/10 "2005-05-21T02:54:30Z")
> [@feppytweed](#): > > What is black when you get it, red (not read) when you are using it, and white when you are done with it? The answer is charcoal. Here’s a riddle: a lady had two kids and a homicidal maniac tells her he’s gonna kill one of them! Who does she choose to die? family guy ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/11 "2005-05-21T03:09:20Z")
Speaking of riddles, I read one time in like this homework notebook thingy (the kind you used to buy at the school bookstore, remember, with all the extra info in it?) that some smart guy, a philosopher like Plato or Socrates or Confucius (don’t think it was Confucius) was stumped by a certain riddle for the rest of his life (for Socrates, wouldn’t be too long 😉 ). The riddle went something like: _Those of these you catch, you throw away; those you do not catch, you keep for a lifetime._ They claimed it was the riddle that stumped this guy, but it seems to me like maybe the answer was fishing nets? Like, catching them on rocks ruins them. What else could it be? Catch a cold? Catch your breath? Don’t see too many possibilities. And these idioms probably weren’t around in this dude’s day, while fishing certainly was around in greco/roman culture! Either that, or my notebook just made the thing up! I haven’t been able to find it by searching on Google. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/12 "2005-05-21T03:09:35Z")
Remember that these are for the amusement of an eleven-year-old, so riddles involving “homicidal maniacs” are out. ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/13 "2005-05-21T03:13:51Z")
Besides, the answer is: The ugly one! Heehee! Well, it was a Peter Griffin joke, so I only mention it… er… ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/14 "2005-05-21T04:13:42Z")
It’s higher than god, more evil than satan, the rich need it, the poor have it, and if you eat it, you’ll die. What is it? ---
**Author:** ![La\_Llorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@La\_Llorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/La_Llorona)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/15 "2005-05-21T04:22:06Z")
> [@Silver Fire](#): > > It’s higher than god, more evil than satan, the rich need it, the poor have it, and if you eat it, you’ll die. > > What is it? Nothing! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/16 "2005-05-21T04:32:13Z")
Ooh, I like riddles. One year, for my very large family, I made everyone answer a riddle in order to collect their presents. They had to figure out the clue, go find the receipt, and bring it to me. I am cruel. But you’re not looking for that sort of riddle. Let’s see. What clothes does a house wear? Address How do you catch a rare rabbit? Unique up on it What gets wetter the more it dries? A towel And an even easier one: What’s round on the ends and hi in the middle? O-hi-o ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/17 "2005-05-21T04:42:39Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Ooh, I like riddles. One year, for my very large family, I made everyone answer a riddle in order to collect their presents. They had to figure out the clue, go find the receipt, and bring it to me. I am cruel. > > But you’re not looking for that sort of riddle. Actually, that is exactly the sort of thing that we’re trying to do. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/18 "2005-05-21T05:49:41Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > How do you catch a rare rabbit? > > Unique up on it And how do you catch a tame rabbit? Tame way! ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/19 "2005-05-21T08:28:18Z")
He who makes it does not want it; He who buys it does not need it; He who uses it can neither see nor feel it. A coffin ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2005, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831/20 "2005-05-21T13:33:59Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > Actually, that is exactly the sort of thing that we’re trying to do. Ooh, cool. What I did was to think of things around my parents’ house and then just write a little poem about them. For example: Lush and green but without plants, It has pockets, but no pants. Answer: The receipt was hidden in a pocket of the pool table. A little harder, for my brother. There used to be a grocery chain called Big Bear around here. Ursa major, but not the stores is where you have to look for yours. Answer: The receipt was pinned to the back of a big teddy bear. Then for my sister who is into crossword puzzles, I did something harder: When there’s a little nip in the weather Sinister digits are covered in leather. Answer: The receipt was hidden in a leather glove, the left hand. These are pretty specific, but does it help give you an idea? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-riddle/304831.md?page=2)