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Here's a fun puzzle I came up with:

I cannot walk, but I can swim.

A liquid keeps me from being slim.

Only few people can see my wave.

I spend my nights in a kind of cave.

I don’t breathe, yet cannot drown.

When things get serious, I prefer upside-down.

What am I?

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  • $\begingroup$ As a bonus, when it's solved I'll also post a German version if anyone's interested. $\endgroup$
    – E. Villiger
    Nov 21, 2017 at 7:24
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    $\begingroup$ I don't think that'll work so well - we're an English-only site. $\endgroup$
    – Mithical
    Nov 21, 2017 at 9:01
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    $\begingroup$ I'm completely aware of that, I'm just offering it as a bonus in case there's a German speaker on here who wants to use the puzzle in German. $\endgroup$
    – E. Villiger
    Nov 21, 2017 at 9:43

3 Answers 3

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You are :

A fetus

I cannot walk, but I can swim.

fetus swimming in the womb.

A liquid keeps me from being slim.

The placenta brings blood for the baby, which keeps the fetus from being slim.

Only few people can see my wave.

Only obgyn doctors (using USG equipment) can see me, and hear my heart wave.

I spend my nights in a kind of cave.

The mother womb

I don’t breathe, yet cannot drown.

A fetus does not breathe!

When things get serious, I prefer upside-down.

Time to be born.

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  • $\begingroup$ Very good, your answer is correct! I edited the part A liquid keeps me from being slim to name the appropriate liquid. $\endgroup$
    – E. Villiger
    Nov 21, 2017 at 12:43
  • $\begingroup$ Does the Fetus really swim? It floats. $\endgroup$
    – DrD
    Nov 21, 2017 at 13:01
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    $\begingroup$ Actually, yes, as swimming is simply the act of moving in the water (floating doesn't technically constitute movement). It's also why babies are inherent "swimmers" when they're young, and can be taught to properly propel themselves in water soon after maturation. Lastly, +1 for referring to a fetus' "accommodations" as a cave....^_^ $\endgroup$
    – SliderBlackrose
    Nov 21, 2017 at 13:54
  • $\begingroup$ @SliderBlackrose There's little point in having people spoiler-tag their answer if you then reveal it in the comments ... $\endgroup$
    – Rubio ♦
    Nov 24, 2017 at 18:18
  • $\begingroup$ @Rubio The answer was submitted and accepted. Any reason to hide information later? $\endgroup$
    – SliderBlackrose
    Nov 28, 2017 at 20:35
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I think the answer is

Fish in an Aquarium

I cannot walk, but I can swim

The first line means that it is a living being which lives in water

A liquid keeps me from being slim

The liquid is water

Only few people can see my wave

Without tickets people can't enter the Aquarium.

I spend my nights in a kind of cave

Since the Aquarium is closed at night it is similar to a Cave

I don’t breathe, yet cannot drown

The fish can't drown

When things get serious, I prefer upside-down

If the fish is sick for example (Swim Bladder Disorder) it swims upside down to get attention

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    $\begingroup$ It's much easier to gauge answers when the original lines are quoted instead of references to them above. $\endgroup$
    – user1717828
    Nov 21, 2017 at 15:16
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    $\begingroup$ Will update the answer. Thanks for the suggestion $\endgroup$
    – Sandesh
    Nov 21, 2017 at 15:18
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I feel like an

"eye"

could also be a right answer.

I cannot walk, but I can swim.

Eye in the fluid in your eye socket.

A liquid keeps me from being slim.

Eye is kept big and round from liquid in the eye via osmosis

Only few people can see my wave.

REM sleep? The eye does literally go up and down so is it waving? People can see if they open your eye while you are asleep or by using some kind of a scanner. Also REM is often literally plotted as a "wave" (sine wave, etc) on a graph.

I spend my nights in a kind of cave.

You close your eye lids. Need I say more?

I don’t breathe, yet cannot drown.

Eyes don't breathe, and are in liquid.

When things get serious, I prefer upside-down.

The eye actually takes in light upside down and your brain corrects it. So if you take serious as being awake and seeing, then everytime your eye is open it is actually taking in everything upside down. Sounds pretty serious to me.

Conclusion:

I put forth the eye!

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  • $\begingroup$ I'm impressed - that's pretty creative and all accurate! These kinds of answers are what make posting riddles on here fun! $\endgroup$
    – E. Villiger
    Nov 22, 2017 at 6:48

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