83 Easy Riddles - Test Your Problem Solving Skills

When I am out, go to bed,

Seen in long tunnels, far ahead,

Space is measured by my speed,

Since I move faster than anything.

Seen in skyscrapers and kitchen cabinets,

Once destroyed, I am harmful,

Born from sand, heat, and breath,

Am I half empty or half full?

An octopus's defense,

Slang for a tattoo,

Used in pen or press,

When wet, an agreement is new.

With a stick as a spine,

A head with fibers fine,

Neat piles of filth, I prepare,

Flown by witches through the air.

Tropical treat meaning crazy,

Crescent snack for the lazy,

Born in bunches, in regions sunlit,

For a cold treat, I am split.

A silky cream or misty spray,

Allows you to stay outside and play,

Useful when there is no shady tree,

As I protect from harmful UV.

Mold me into what you wish,

Then heat and I won't move an inch,

A surface where tennis is played,

Material from which bricks are made.

Often great, sometimes a bust,

Marble that lasts or metal that rusts,

Famed figures forever frozen,

Silent sentinels set in stone.

Seen in soccer and in tennis,

Protect against mosquitoes menace,

If you can’t squeeze between my gaps,

Tiny fibers make deadly traps.

Passed before Olympic sports,

Often accompanied by pitchforks,

Passed when transferring responsibility,

Held by Lady Liberty.

Pouring down on dreary days,

Not fur, but can be shed,

Comforting when wiped away,

Appears in joy or dread.

A bond as old as human history,

Promises made, for all to see,

A union of hearts, under love's decree,

Two lives entwined in shared jubilee.

Green or purple,

Fermented or dried,

Hanging in clusters,

Gossip heard through my vines.

I am lost when overused,

In anger I may be raised,

Unique as a fingerprint,

Read this aloud for a hint.

Stowing a car away,

Or place to spend a sunny day,

A walk through me is easy,

Springtime visits make some sneezy!

Given haircuts every week,

Over fences, I am green,

To sit and watch me grow,

Truly makes a boring show!

When closed, opportunity has ceased,

When open, communication is free,

Stick your foot in me to get your shot,

Getting past me hinges on a knock.

It’s fair to say - opposites attract,

I create a pull unseen,

One end north, one end south,

Iron or nickel I seek.

Kept crossed when defensive,

Kept wide open when welcoming,

Kept at my length when being cautious,

Kept linked with others in unity.

Seen wherever flags are flown,

Far north or south in blistering cold,

Used to fish, used to ski,

Used to vault in a big leap.

Name used to mock the scared,

Can run some distance with no head,

Descended from a dinosaur,

The egg or I - which came before?

Contagious when genuine,

If hard enough, I’ll make tears roll,

The very best medicine,

Language known across the world.

Routinely, doctors give me a tap,

I have no head, but wear a cap,

Replaced after decades of impact,

If a joke is great, I am slapped.

Felt, but can’t be caught,

Whistles and howls, but does not talk,

When at your back, you have support,

Powers homes, moves ships for sport.

Silver slivers, slender shafts,

Pulled through ragged shirts and pants,

To relieve pain, stuck in backs,

Tough to find in a haystack.

Column of discs upwards stacked,

Central pillar cowards lack,

Encasing a precious cable,

Registering pain, keeping you stable.

Left after a tone,

Found in bottles at sea,

Whether signal, sound, or text,

Don’t shoot those who deliver me.

Describes a face after a sunny day,

During a poor performance, thrown onstage,

Used in salads and in juice,

Some say veggie, some say fruit.

Household tool, and element,

Pumped by those who seek strength,

Essential part of every diet,

Strike while I’m hot, it is said.

Of greatest importance to any bee,

One who behaves dramatically,

A common size of bed,

Through history, nations I've led.

Seen in surgical wing or gardening,

Or even a boxing ring,

To fit like me means to fit just right,

When I come off - in for a fight!

My hat is hard, but hands are soft

In chess, protect at any cost,

Take what’s mine by right of birth,

Not known for being down to earth.

Hit when adventures start,

Choices must be made when I part,

If I am long, trouble’s ahead,

Civilization’s fingerprint, veins across land.

I have no perfect rhyme,

Brought to sea for my C,

Color of the Dutch,

Don’t compare apples to me.

To anything said, I only ask ‘who?’,

Head turns backwards as I view,

In the night with my big eyes,

Solitary symbol of the wise.

Billions of bacteria make this treat,

Variations mastered by the Greeks,

Silky and smooth, sour and sweet,

Add fruits and oats and I’m complete!

A seat on which a child plays,

Moving as a pendulum sways,

With kicks, they take flight,

Held by chain or rope pulled tight.

Up I climb, before I dive,

Then your stomach turns, you feel alive,

I always end where I start,

Twists and turns, on tracks I dart.

Easy target for candy theft,

Gradual progress taking steps,

Easily falls into deep sleep,

No responsibility but still weeps!

I’m thrown in defeat,

My snug embrace a cozy treat,

Paper used once,

Cloth spread flat on a beach.

Born from oil, a modern creation,

Molded and shaped to any formation,

Polluting Earth - the downside’s clear,

But still in daily life ever near.

I may hang, I may arch,

Spanning treacherous parts,

Burned to ensure no return,

Terrain tether, holding firm.

Open me if you need a fresh coat,

Visions come to life with strokes,

With patient hands I am applied,

Eyes gloss over as I dry.

The peak of careers is to climb to my top,

Plant me firm, or you may drop,

Misfortune to those who go underneath,

With my help, great heights you reach.

After I settle, things become clear,

Enough of me, and a bunny appears,

A sign of neglect, when left to accrue,

Yet with a simple swipe, I'm bid adieu.

Sluggish with my armored case,

But still I can win the race,

I bring my home where I go,

Even though it may be slow.

Carried down on deep dives,

Or far up to the skies,

Produced by trees,

Spread by a breeze.

Clear demarcation of in or out,

Stained for chapels, tinted for clout,

A portal letting light hit the floors,

Transparent barrier to the outdoors.

Harmless resting snug and tight,

But unleashed I gleam and bite,

Weaker than a pen,

Relic of old used to defend.

Harmless resting snug and tight,

But unleashed I gleam and bite,

Weaker than a pen,

Relic of old used to defend.

It comes for all, from birth to rest,

An end of tales, at the last breath,

From its grip, no one can breach,

Where all life's journeys finally cease.

Soleful companions seen worldwide,

A trusted tool used in stride,

To understand how things may worsen,

Try on those of another person.

In a map, I help you plan,

In music, I’m a note's clan,

In your hand I open doors,

To help keep safe what is only yours.

Through my canal waves come,

And then strike against a drum,

So you may know what is near,

Keep you upright, but do not steer.

The earliest gets a treat,

Symbol of a life free,

Known to have the best view,

With one stone you may kill two.

To find me some look in the ground,

Others look towards the sky,

The essence of life,

But make many men die.

Serve to adorn or to cut,

Skilled hands give me faces,

In pressure born, initially rough,

Known to last for ages.

Keeps you cool or makes you dry,

Standing tall or hanging high,

Blades slicing too fast to see,

Aiming to create a breeze.

Red or white or shades between,

I can make your love be seen,

Head fragrant and soft to touch,

Body draws blood in your clutch.

Saddle and bell, chain and wheels,

Trusty steed pushed by your heels,

They say it’s like riding me,

If something’s remembered easily.

Easy to change - it is said,

An idea above one's head,

A few turns, a flick, then my sphere,

Radiates to show what's near.

A collection of intricate lies,

A highway used worldwide,

A deadly trap,

Snares a meal before it’s wrapped.

Arched or straight, thick or thin,

Two caterpillars make me whole,

Change my shape on a whim,

Framing windows to the soul,

In a cave of pearls I wait,

Until needed to communicate,

Or ensure what passes me is fresh,

Some may stick me out in jest.

I provide refuge, a comfort in gloom,

But left unattended, I may consume,

All around me, leaving shades of gray,

Even end life, to many’s dismay.

Flat, and full of color.

A surprise when pulled from under,

Always looked down on,

Constantly stepped on.

A ballet in a square ring,

Wearing gloves, two dancers swing,

Eyes locked, they bob and weave,

Looking for a shot to make the other heave.

To protect, I expand,

Rain or shine, take my stand,

Draw me in when not in need,

For a gust may set me free.

Tightened by the hungry,

Wraps you in snug embrace,

A prize given to fighters,

Keeps your attire in its place.

A silent battle, no sword in sight,

War where all is black and white,

Knights leap forth to serve their king,

Move in turn in minds great ring.

Reach for clouds, without having flown,

A giant asleep, of ice and of stone,

Step on my spine, if you dare,

Brave the cold, thin air.

Journey from a darkened space,

Where joy or tears may grace your face,

Countless stories seen by scene,

Shadows dancing on a screen.

I run swift but never tire,

To many men, a most valued supplier,

A silver ribbon spanning land,

Nurtured by rain, shaping the sand.

A silent invader, that eyes can't see,

May travel far, from sea to sea,

Borne in the air, or a touch, maybe,

That challenges health and humanity.

The blueprint, the unseen code,

Around the world, my secrets load,

Through generations, passed along,

Traits and features, weak or strong.

Upon a rounded hilltop, I expand,

A soft, fine forest, strand by strand,

In wind I dance, in rain I cling,

In age I change, and often thin.

A silent story, a memory's trace,

A fleeting moment held in place,

In colors bold or shades of gray,

Of love and life, I tell the play.

A tireless worker, midst green I dwell,

Journeying forth when buds do swell,

My craft is sweet, a golden prize,

But my sting is no disguise.

Stage for a wrestling match,

Or perhaps a yoga stance,

I greet guests at your door,

And clean shoes to save your floor.

A large section of Earth’s crust,

Or what holds your car’s ID,

Full when one is overcommitted,

Chef’s canvas from which you eat.

Venue for a household sale,

Green space to call your own,

A measurement in the USA,

Talked about in football plays.

A defect in computer systems,

Don't want me in your bed,

An informal term for virus,

Two antennae and six legs.

Schools - but no class,

Scales - but no key,

Shimmering unsurfaced,

Plenty in the sea.