Problem of the Week

A riddle problem is a question or statement intentionally phrased so as to require ingenuity in ascertaining its answer or meaning, typically presented as a game. Below is a list of the past problem of the week riddles in descending chronological order.

Rounds Of Golf

POW: 01-15-2024

Robert and David played several golf matches against each other in a week. They played for a pizza at each match, but no pizzas were purchased until the end of the week. If at any time Robert and David had the same number of wins, those pizzas were canceled. Robert won four matches (but no pizzas), and David won three pizzas. How many rounds of golf were played?

Answer: Eleven, David won 7 matches, 4 to cancel out Robert's 4 wins, and 3 more to win the pizzas.

When Asked How Old She Was Suzie Replied In Two Years

POW: 01-08-2024

When asked how old she was, Suzie replied, "In two years I will be twice as old as I was five years ago." How old is she?

Answer: She's 12!

Math Equation Riddle

POW: 01-01-2024

81 x 9 = 801. What must you do to make the this equation true?

Answer: Turn it upside down. 108 = 6 x 18.

Make The Equation True

POW: 12-18-2023

How can you make the following equation true by drawing only one straight line: 5+5+5=550? Can you figure it out?

Answer: Draw a line on the first plus sign that turns it into a 4! The equation then becomes true: 545+5=550. You could also change the equal symbol to a crossed out equal symbol which means "not equal to".

Strange Subtraction

POW: 12-04-2023

How can you take 2 from 5 and leave 4?

Answer: F I V E Remove the 2 letters F and E from five and you have IV which is the Roman numeral for four.

What Is The Next Number In The Series 7,645

POW: 11-27-2023

What is the next number in the series? 7,645 5,764 4,576...

Answer: 6,457. The last digit is moved to the front to make the next number.

Handshaking

POW: 11-20-2023

If seven people meet each other and each shakes hands only once with each of the others, how many handshakes will there have been?

Answer: Twenty one. Most people would think there were 42 handshakes. The first person shakes the hand of 6 others, the second person shakes the hand of 5 remaining people, the third person shakes the hand of 4 remaining people, the fourth person shakes the hand of 3 remaining people, the 5th person shakes the hand of 2 remaining people and the sixth person shakes the hand of 1 remaining person. 6+5+4+3+2+1=21

Tell Us The Day!

POW: 11-13-2023

A group of campers have been on vacation so long, that they've forgotten the day of the week. The following conversation ensues. Darryl: What's the day? I don't think it is Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Tracy: Well that doesn't narrow it down much. Yesterday was Sunday. Melissa: Yesterday wasn't Sunday, tomorrow is Sunday. Ben: The day after tomorrow is Saturday. Adrienne: The day before yesterday was Thursday. Susie: Tomorrow is Saturday. David: I know that the day after tomorrow is not Friday. If only one person's statement is true, what day of the week is it?

Answer: It is Wednesday. If it was any other day of the week, more than one statement would be true. To solve the riddle, evaluate each person's statement and write down what day it could be according to the statement. David's statement indicates it could be any day of the week except for Wednesday. When you list the days that it could be according to everyone's statement, it turns out Wednesday is the day mentioned only one time. Darryl: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday Tracy: Monday Melissa: Saturday Ben: Thursday Adrienne: Saturday Susie: Friday David: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday