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Mayukh Saha
Mayukh Saha
May 8, 2024 ·  4 min read

Exercise Your Brain With These Clever Riddles

Are you under a lot of stress? I think it’s safe to say that most of us are stressed out most of the time. But when you figure out a puzzle, dopamine levels go up, which makes you feel better. It’s possible that you’ll feel much better. On the Internet, you can find brain exercises that are dull and boring. The same thing can be done with riddles, but they are still fun. These five puzzles are just the beginning of something that will keep you busy and sharp. The answers are shown below. Please know that you can’t get rid of them once you see them.

1. I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?

Mouth
Image Credits: Unsplash

Answer: An echo. That’s right! The answer to the riddle is an echo. Let’s break down the clues:

  • Speaks without a mouth and hears without ears: An echo doesn’t have its own voice, but it repeats sounds it “hears” from another source, like a person shouting.
  • Has nobody: An echo isn’t a physical object. It’s the bouncing back of sound waves.
  • Comes alive with the wind: Wind can carry sound further, making echoes travel longer distances and seem louder.

So, an echo perfectly fits the description of something that can speak without a mouth, hear without ears, and has no body of its own, but is influenced by the wind.

Read More: Daytime Naps Boost Your Heart and Brain Health, Reduce Stress and Much More

2. The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?

Footprints
Image Credits: Unsplash

Answer: Footsteps. That’s exactly right! The riddle refers to footsteps.

  • The more you take steps (i.e., walk), the more footprints you leave behind.
  • You are literally taking something (steps) and leaving a physical impression (footsteps) with each step.

3. I am taken from a mine, and shut up in a wooden case, from which I am never released, and yet I am used by almost every person. What am I?

Pencils
Image Credits: Unsplash

Answer: Pencil lead (graphite). This riddle hinges on two key ideas: the origin and use of the object.

  • Taken from a mine: Graphite, the core component of pencil lead, is a mineral mined from the earth.
  • Shut up in a wooden case, never released: The graphite is encased in a wooden barrel to form a pencil. While we sharpen the pencil, technically releasing some graphite, the majority remains trapped within the wood.

Almost everyone uses pencils at some point in their lives for writing, drawing, or other purposes. So, despite being confined to the wooden case, the pencil lead is still widely used.

Read More: 15+ Items That Are Puzzling The Internet

4. What has keys but can’t open locks?

Keys
Image Credits: Unsplash

Answer: A piano. The answer to the riddle is indeed a piano, but there are other possibilities as well. Let’s break down why both a piano and the answer you provided work:

For Piano:

  • Pianos have keys: These are the long, flat pieces pressed down to create musical notes.
  • Pianos can’t open locks: Pianos are instruments and don’t have the functionality to manipulate physical locks.

Other possibilities:

  • Keyboard: Similar to a piano, a computer keyboard has many keys for typing but cannot open locks.
  • Map: A map might have keys (legends) explaining symbols, but it obviously cannot open locks.
  • Calculator: Similar to a keypad, a calculator has buttons that could be considered “keys” but aren’t used for opening locks.

So, while the most common answer is a piano, the riddle is designed to play on the different meanings of the word “key.”

5. I am not alive, but I can grow; I don’t have lungs, but I need air; I don’t have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I?

Fire
Image Credits: Unsplash

Answer: Fire. That’s right! The answer to the riddle is fire. Let’s break down why fire fits the clues:

  • Not alive, but can grow: Fire isn’t a living organism, but it can certainly grow larger and spread as it consumes fuel.
  • Needs air, but doesn’t have lungs: Fire needs oxygen in the air to sustain itself. Without oxygen, it will die down.
  • Doesn’t have a mouth, but water kills it: Fire doesn’t have a physical body, but water effectively extinguishes it by depriving it of oxygen and cooling it down.

Read More: If You Can Spot The Second Horse, You Have a High IQ

This content has, in part, been generated with the aid of an artificial intelligence language model. While we strive for accuracy and quality, please note that the information provided may not be entirely error-free or up-to-date. We recommend independently verifying the content and consulting with professionals for specific advice or information. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the use or interpretation of this content.