26
$\begingroup$

here is another riddle I came up with.

In the olden days, I was feared, for my name meant certain death.

Nowadays I describe the gentle wind's cold breath.

when you are young, you hate me, for I always mean more work,

when you are older, you appreciate me, the craftsman's handiwork.

I am quite the riddle, for I am both wet and dry.

So tell me, puzzle solvers: What am I?

Good luck to everyone except @QuantumTwinkie.

EDIT

I have added the wordplay tag as a bit of a hint, I should have had that before.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Hmmm, getting stumped, yet still trying! $\endgroup$
    – Goose
    Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 18:02
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ "Good luck to everyone except @QuantumTwinkie."= the meaning of life $\endgroup$
    – Duck
    Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 18:03

7 Answers 7

Reset to default
32
$\begingroup$

Are you...

A Draft?

In the olden days, I was feared, for my name meant certain death.

Being drafted into a war is certainly dangerous to say the least

Nowadays I describe the gentle wind's cold breath.

A draft is another word for a gentle breeze

when you are young, you hate me, for I always mean more work,

Young people don't like creating rough drafts before starting a project

when you are older, you appreciate me, the craftsman's handiwork.

However, older people may appreciate the effort that went into planning ahead

I am quite the riddle, for I am both wet and dry.

Not too sure about this one. Wet could mean a draft beer?

So tell me, puzzle solvers: What am I?

This is the first time I've actually figured one of these out first. Pretty sure about this one, anyway.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
6
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Well done! Both the craftsman's handiwork and the wet and dry refer to a draft beer. Nicely done, and thanks for stealing the win away from my nemesis $\endgroup$
    – Cubemaster
    Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 19:15
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Well, certain death might be stretching it, most people survived it. $\endgroup$
    – vsz
    Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 6:07
  • 8
    $\begingroup$ Works for Americans; UK English has different spellings of <that word> $\endgroup$
    – Mawg
    Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 6:46
  • $\begingroup$ @Cubemaster - What on earth is a dry beer? Or do you rate beer the same way as you rate wine, on a dry-sweet scale? $\endgroup$
    – AndyT
    Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 10:18
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ @AndyT According to dictionary.com, a dry beer is "beer brewed to have a higher alcohol content and a less bitter aftertaste than normal". $\endgroup$
    – nick012000
    Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 11:32
11
$\begingroup$

You are

Chills, specifically referring to a sickness.

In the olden days, I was feared, for my name meant certain death.

If you got sick with chills, you died.

Nowadays I describe the gentle wind's cold breath.

Winter chill.

when you are young, you hate me, for I always mean more work,

You get sick with chills, stay home from school, and are forced to make up the work when you get back.

when you are older, you appreciate me, the craftsman's handiwork

When people get chills, it can represent being moved emotionally by something, rather than being sick.

I am quite the riddle, for I am both wet and dry.

You have chills, which cause sweating. And then you have emotional chills, which stand your hair up on end and is dry.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
6
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Not what I had in mind, but I like this answer too! For the right answer, think wordplay ;) $\endgroup$
    – Cubemaster
    Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 18:35
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I don't really like any of the answers on this page, because I think it's too vague at best and too inaccurate at worst, but I'm struggling to come up with how this answer is any less about "wordplay" than the accepted one? $\endgroup$
    – moopet
    Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 14:44
  • $\begingroup$ Well, I thought it fit well, as well. :) $\endgroup$
    – Joe-You-Know
    Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 14:46
  • $\begingroup$ Nm the OP. This is the correct answer. $\endgroup$
    – Jamie Clinton
    Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 18:41
  • $\begingroup$ Is it now? Huh, I didn't realize that $\endgroup$
    – Cubemaster
    Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 21:37
5
$\begingroup$

Are you

Snow/ice/cold?

In the olden days, I was feared, for my name meant certain death.

They did not have very good warm clothes

Nowadays I describe the gentle wind's cold breath.

Cold breeze/ what happens in a blizzard?

when you are young, you hate me, for I always mean more work,

Collecting fire wood or indoor chores?

when you are older, you appreciate me, the craftsman's handiwork.

Igloos? snowflakes

I am quite the riddle, for I am both wet and dry.

It is hard solid water but it melts!

So tell me, puzzle solvers: What am I?

I am not 100% sure.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Haha this is what I had originally thought too..... $\endgroup$
    – El-Guest
    Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 18:12
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Muahahahah. Try again with the new "hint", if you could call it that $\endgroup$
    – Cubemaster
    Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 18:32
4
$\begingroup$

For a broad approach,

The weather

In the olden days, I was feared, for my name meant certain death.

bad weather of any kind can kill- hypothermia from rain, thunder strikes, any natural disaster, etc.

Nowadays I describe the gentle wind's cold breath.

Usually "how's the weather?" produces a mediocre answer- gentle, you'd say.

when you are young, you hate me, for I always mean more work,

If the weather is good, you have no reason to not work outside (earn those allowances off of lawns, kids!).

when you are older, you appreciate me, the craftsman's handiwork.

You've lived through some bad weather, so when it is good, you appreciate it as is. Rain is good because it waters your plants, and you don't have to pay for water or get the hose yourself.

I am quite the riddle, for I am both wet and dry.

weather could be wet, and it can be hot and dry.

So tell me, puzzle solvers: What am I?

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Or perhaps... it is a specific type, like mentioned above? $\endgroup$
    – iiiidk
    Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 18:11
3
$\begingroup$

Are you a cold? I the olden days it meant certain death (medicines weren't very developed). Colds are now referring it's cold outside. Colds mean you can be absent from school and the work will pile up. When you grow up you will know how to treat colds better.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ I though this but I read the line that "when you are older, you appreciate me, the craftsman's handiwork." :D +1 $\endgroup$
    – Goose
    Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 18:18
1
$\begingroup$

Are you a lecture? Teachers were rough in the olden days, with whips. When you are young you obviously hate them, when you grow old you love saying them.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
0
$\begingroup$

In the olden days, I was feared, for my name meant certain death.

Brick. Getting stoned was a common method of execution.

Nowadays I describe the gentle wind's cold breath.

"It's brick!" is a common way to describe a cool atmosphere.

when you are young, you hate me, for I always mean more work,

Bricks are used to lay the foundation. Education is laying a foundation. Thus more schoolwork!

when you are older, you appreciate me, the craftsman's handiwork.

The craftsman uses bricks.

I am quite the riddle, for I am both wet and dry.

Bricks can be wet or dry.

So tell me, puzzle solvers: What am I?

A bit of a stretch but !

BRICK

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.