# Riddles, enigmas and such **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [June 28, 2020, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539 "2020-06-28T16:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/21 "2020-07-06T06:43:47Z")
You did this once before. ---
**Author:** ![CardboardBoxx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardboardboxx/32/7079_2.png) [@CardboardBoxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CardboardBoxx)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/22 "2020-07-06T09:06:20Z")
never mind ---
**Author:** ![AlienBabble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alienbabble/32/3344_2.png) [@AlienBabble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlienBabble)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/23 "2020-07-06T09:10:08Z")
No. It’s not heat. Try again 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/24 "2020-07-06T12:10:07Z")
This surname has five consecutive consonants. Off the top of my head I can think of three unrelated famous people who have it—it’s not exotic. Hint: it could be broken into two ordinary English words. [/quote] Cardinal first-baseman Paul Goldschmidt has six. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/25 "2020-07-06T12:35:19Z")
Biotop, you did the nine-letter number one once before on the board. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/26 "2020-07-06T13:13:24Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Cardinal first-baseman Paul Goldschmidt has six. Well played. One of my all time favorites: > **[Bob Ctvrtlik](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ctvrtlik)** > > Robert Jan "Bob" Ctvrtlik (/stəˈvɜːrtlɪk/; > born July 8, 1963) is a retired American volleyball player who is a three-time Olympian, Olympic gold medalist, and a former member of the International Olympic Committee. He is a 1985 graduate of Pepperdine University. > In 2007, Ctvrtlik was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame. > Bob Ctvrtlik was born in Long Beach, California to Margaret and Josef Ctvrtlik. He attended Long Beach Wilson High School in Long Beach. C-T-V-R-T-L…? ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/27 "2020-07-06T16:42:38Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Biotop, you did the nine-letter number one once before on the board. Yes, I had forgotten. +++++ Where am I? — #2 The first letter is the same as the third letter. The second letter is the same as the last letter. The third letter is the same as the fifth letter. ---
**Author:** ![Bicycle\_Bill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bicycle_bill/32/6208_2.png) [@Bicycle\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bicycle_Bill)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/28 "2020-07-06T18:09:35Z")
I am thinking of a number. Spelled out it is nine letters long, one word, and 5 of the letters are vowels (a,e,i,o, or u). What is the number? eightyone … y is sometimes considered a vowel _ **-“BB”-** _ ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/29 "2020-07-06T18:23:01Z")
> [@Bicycle\_Bill](#): > > I am thinking of a number. Spelled out it is nine letters long, one word, and 5 of the letters are vowels (a,e,i,o, or u). What is the number? > > eightyone … y is sometimes considered a vowel No Y, no dash. One word. ---
**Author:** ![Bicycle\_Bill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bicycle_bill/32/6208_2.png) [@Bicycle\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bicycle_Bill)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/30 "2020-07-06T19:28:34Z")
It IS in English, correct? _ **-“BB”-** _ ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/31 "2020-07-06T19:38:01Z")
> [@Bicycle\_Bill](#): > > It IS in English, correct Yes. +++++ Where am I #3 The first letter is the same as the fifth letter. The second letter is the same as the seventh letter. The third letter is the same as the second to last letter. The fourth letter is “P”. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/32 "2020-07-08T02:44:38Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > > [@Bicycle\_Bill](#): > > > > I am thinking of a number. Spelled out it is nine letters long, one word, and 5 of the letters are vowels (a,e,i,o, or u). What is the number? > > > > eightyone … y is sometimes considered a vowel > > No Y, no dash. One word. If Y is not a vowel, then “eightythree” has seven non-vowels in a row, “Three-eighths” has four vowels in a row, then five consonants. “The eighth three” ’ “Three eighths three times” has CCCVVVVCCCCCCCCVV . . . ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/33 "2020-07-08T02:54:09Z")
eighteenths…too many letters and not a proper number in an of itself? one eighteenth, two eighteenths…? At only nine letters long, I wonder if the number isn’t a cardinal number to begin with. Consider: googleplex infinity plethora quorum majority Nine letters isn’t much to work with. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/34 "2020-07-08T03:11:36Z")
Can you think of any more ways to spell the sound “erd” in an English word? ard - wizard ared - sugared eard - heard erd - herd ered - entered erred - deterred ird - bird ired - elixired irred - stirred oard - cupboard ored - labored ord - word oured - laboured uard - blackguard uered - lacquered uored - liquored urd - curd ured - injured urred - spurred yred - zephyred yrrhed - myrrhed ---
**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:** [July 8, 2020, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/35 "2020-07-08T04:16:27Z")
> [@AlienBabble](#): > > I fly when it is sunny > I fly in the storm > When night is upon you > I come through the floor > > What am I? Insects? ---
**Author:** ![AlienBabble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alienbabble/32/3344_2.png) [@AlienBabble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlienBabble)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/36 "2020-07-08T04:30:03Z")
Nope. Try again! ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/37 "2020-07-08T09:54:07Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Can you think of any more ways to spell the sound “erd” in an English word? Those are all pronounced “erd” to you? Where are you from? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/38 "2020-07-08T11:09:25Z")
Some of those can be pronounced other ways but every one of them is frequently pronounced with the sound ‘erd’, as in each word in the list. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/39 "2020-07-08T11:15:02Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > > [@jtur88](#): > > > > Can you think of any more ways to spell the sound “erd” in an English word? > > Those are all pronounced “erd” to you? Where are you from? I’m from where 'injured" rhymes with “gingered”. That big terra incognita west of the Hudson. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2020, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539/40 "2020-07-09T03:57:34Z")
We give up. What comes up through the floor? Chimey? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/riddles-enigmas-and-such/913539.md?page=3)