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I can stand, but I don't have legs
I can eat without a mouth,
I can smell without a nose
I can see without eyes
But I can't do what I'm not allowed to
What am I?

Hint:

There are no more of me now.

Hint 2:

The answer is five letters long.

Hint 3:

I can speak, without a mouth.

Hint 4:

They can use things, but don't have anything.

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  • $\begingroup$ This riddle has been lingering around in my head for a while now so I thought I would post it. $\endgroup$
    – Duck
    Jan 2, 2020 at 23:33
  • $\begingroup$ Is that an Aeroplane ..!! $\endgroup$
    – Subhash_Reddy
    Jan 3, 2020 at 7:52
  • $\begingroup$ @Subhash_Reddy Airplanes have noses. $\endgroup$
    – generalcrispy
    Jan 3, 2020 at 14:05
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    $\begingroup$ I have a couple of answers -- train, water -- but the first hint blocks them. $\endgroup$
    – Ébe Isaac
    Jan 13, 2020 at 8:35
  • 13
    $\begingroup$ After seeing the intended answer, I think this is a rather poorly conceived riddle $\endgroup$
    – tmpearce
    Jan 21, 2020 at 17:59

6 Answers 6

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I'm gonna say

SLAVE

Reasoning:

He can see, smell, but his eyes, nose and so on don't belong to him. Can't do what his master won't let him. 5 letters. There are no more. Can use things but can't have them.

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  • 13
    $\begingroup$ (@Duck) If my employer provides me with a company issued and owned laptop and cellphone and badge, and these items are in my possession, I most certainly have them even if I don’t own them. Without even reaching the question of ownership here (which is frankly distasteful), it seems the various assertions of not having legs, or being without eyes or mouth etc., are demonstrably false if this is the intended answer. $\endgroup$
    – Rubio ♦
    Jan 21, 2020 at 17:02
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    $\begingroup$ ^ I agree with Rubio, also this still exists in many, many forms! $\endgroup$
    – hexomino
    Jan 21, 2020 at 17:36
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    $\begingroup$ I'm also in agreement with @Rubio. I'm not a fan of the unsavory implications of this being the correct answer, not to mention the accuracy of the clues. $\endgroup$
    – Tonkleton
    Jan 21, 2020 at 18:52
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    $\begingroup$ I think there still are modern-day slaves in some parts of the world. $\endgroup$
    – IMP1
    Jan 22, 2020 at 11:56
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    $\begingroup$ Good job on figuring out the intended answer! I'm afraid I'll need to reverse my upvote for the question now though. $\endgroup$
    – Bass
    Jan 22, 2020 at 20:08
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Are you

ENIAC (first general-purpose computer)?

I can stand, but I don't have legs

It was a large computer consisted of multiple boxes which literally stood on the floor (ENIAC occupied a large hall) without having any legs.

I can eat without a mouth,

Card reader "ate" the punch cards to read information.

I can smell without a nose

Tube burnouts etc. was common upon operation, so I believe it actually smelt of something.

I can see without eyes

Again, card reader "saw" the information punched on the cards.

But I can't do what I'm not allowed to

Of course, like every computer, ENIAC performed only the commands which have been ordered.

Hint 1

ENIAC is now disassembled, so it's no more of it now.

Hint 2

Obviously, "ENIAC" is 5 letters long.

Hint 3

Card punch for outputting information allowed it to "speak".

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  • 1
    $\begingroup$ The intended answer is pretty close to this, but it is a living thing. +1 :) $\endgroup$
    – Duck
    Jan 9, 2020 at 14:49
  • $\begingroup$ This is a whole lot acceptable than the accepted answer +1 $\endgroup$
    – Ébe Isaac
    Jan 23, 2020 at 15:10
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Now, let's see..

I can stand, but I don't have legs

Flowers stand up from the ground

I can eat without a mouth,

Plants extract nutrients from the ground

I can smell without a nose

Flowers often smell quite pleasant

I can see without eyes

Plants use light to effect photosynthesis, this could count as seeing without eyes

But I can't do what I'm not allowed to

Plants have no brain, and thus no memory in the first place, so..

What am I?

Are you a Forget-me-not?

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  • $\begingroup$ Sorry, but not correct. The "But I can't do what I'm not allowed to" line is really important. +1 :) $\endgroup$
    – Duck
    Jan 3, 2020 at 16:59
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    $\begingroup$ @Duck I thought that was the part of my answer that fits particularly well, but ok :-) $\endgroup$
    – Bass
    Jan 3, 2020 at 17:03
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I am not sure this is the right answer but it seems to fit most clues

Sponges (barely considered animals)
They reside in the oceans and usually stuck to the floor
They have no legs-- but they appear to stand structurally speaking
Thay do not have mouth but can eat bacteria (see Wikipedia)
All sponges smell! Stink also. Yet no nose
Some sponges-- according to 42evolution.org -- called Glass sponges,
have the ability to process light. No eyes.
http://www.42evolution.org/can-sponges-see/
And finally per Wikipedia, sponges are defined as sessile metazoans or
multi celled immobile animals. They are not supposed to be mobile and
they are generally not.

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2
  • $\begingroup$ Sorry, but that is not correct. Great answer though so +1 :) $\endgroup$
    – Duck
    Jan 3, 2020 at 16:57
  • $\begingroup$ @VassilisParassidis 5 letters $\endgroup$
    – HQSantos
    Jan 21, 2020 at 16:08
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It could be

Earth

I can stand, but I don't have legs

Earth stands out from the planets because of its high water content. Reference

I can eat without a mouth,

The Earth have known to swallow many. They need no mouth to devour.

I can smell without a nose

Different parts of the Earth can smell pleasant or bad.

I can see without eyes

The Earth sees it way around its orbit without the need for eyes.

But I can't do what I'm not allowed to What am I?

It is not allowed to deviate from its orbit around the Sun.

Hint 1

There can be only one Earth; no more

Hint 2

Earth is five letters long

Hint 3

The Earth can speak through nature, in the form of winds, waves, and eruptions.

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1
  • $\begingroup$ Hint one means that it does not exist anymore, not that there is only one. :) +1 $\endgroup$
    – Duck
    Jan 13, 2020 at 14:51
2
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I think it’s a

Biologically engineered organism

I can stand, but I don't have legs I can eat without a mouth, I can smell without a nose I can see without eyes

Biologists can actively engineer for these traits, in fact, most engineered organisms are very simple.

But I can't do what I'm not allowed to

Bio-engineering is restricted by a number of ethical and moral questions, due to which many conditions are placed on the functioning of such organisms.

Hint:

There are no more of me now. Your production has been stopped due to aforementioned concerns.

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2
  • $\begingroup$ This doesn't abide by Hint 2 $\endgroup$
    – hexomino
    Jan 21, 2020 at 9:54
  • $\begingroup$ @hexomino I know, I’m just suggesting a class of organisms, it could be any one of them. $\endgroup$
    – Krad Cigol
    Jan 21, 2020 at 12:42

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