Questions tagged [history]
For puzzles referencing or relating to historical events or knowledge. Use [puzzle-history] for the history of puzzles.
140
questions
13
votes
1answer
441 views
Don't close me, I'm dangerous
I haven't written a riddle in a while, and my New Year's resolution is "make more puzzles," so here is a quick little riddle for you!
Dragon or demon, locked in its pen,
But without even ...
9
votes
1answer
178 views
On a budget with my travel agent
An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #45: Flags
"Hey Pat, I got your latest tour brochure. It looks really fun; you know I love military history! But times are tough, and I did ask you for ...
10
votes
1answer
310 views
We got a nasty shock
Our polarity was mentioned but never revealed
Coulombs we made, but our fate was sealed
Repelling the dark, we refused to yield
They had a battery: We died in the field
Who are we and how many? (...
-1
votes
1answer
110 views
This day in history IX [closed]
Congratulations to Rand al'Thor who got the correct answer to This day in history VIII.
What historical event that happened on this day (12th November) is this riddle talking about? Can you explain ...
9
votes
1answer
446 views
History is written by the Connect Wall
This is an entry for Fortnightly Topic Challenge #42: Wordless Connecting Walls.
Election Day in the United States, and my daughter is taking Civics, so we're watching the returns. It occurred to me ...
7
votes
2answers
924 views
Sophie's Puzzle
My smart and beautiful daughter Sophie gave me this puzzle the other day... What do each of these letters and numbers stand for and why?
-4 + R = AOTC
-4 + PA = SR
11 + P = OA
17 + DOTM = CES
18 +...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Where does my friend live? 3
Other questions in this series can be found here.
One of my friends in America has sent me some codes to show where he lives.
ROY, LYS, INI, RAC, NIL, ROE, RAM, YES, CIT, DOH, SAM, IHS
Can you ...
3
votes
2answers
165 views
My name is simple, nothing tricky here
My nationality is English.
I am born at 1859
I am bald, but I've never been bothered by it.
I have always been on the round side, and people don't hesitate to point that out.
Throughout my years I'...
12
votes
1answer
362 views
The King and the Oracle
There was a king that wanted to go to war. But before that, he decided to go see the Oracle of the nearest temple, in order to estimate his chances and to have a clearer vision of his destiny.
However,...
8
votes
1answer
316 views
History function
Can you tell the next element of this history function?
It is meant and important that mathematics tag isn't here!
I save you the time to search on OEIS, you won't ...
5
votes
1answer
316 views
Kaboom-y numbers!
Here is a new type of puzzle poem I made. Enjoy!
Note: The title is named like that for a reason.
I have a number in mind, it is super cool,
But there's something you need to know, or you will find ...
9
votes
1answer
292 views
I never reached nine
When I was one, I hid my species.
When I was two, I was still light.
When I was three, I gained weight.
When I was four, I was many.
When I was five, I was a kitty.
When I was six, I was a bigger cat.
...
2
votes
2answers
214 views
3
votes
3answers
258 views
Some say I killed my brother
I was godless yet I warred with God.
Some say I killed my brother,
Inside he bled a lot. [see hint 2]
Generally I had a tough reputation.
Yet to modern ears I can sound quite sweet!
Who was I and can ...
asked Jul 21 '20 at 20:22
chasly - supports Monica
7,5041 gold badge19 silver badges61 bronze badges
13
votes
1answer
340 views
Fun with ^#**#!@ flags
(h/t to @sarsaparilla and that user's Fun with Flags series of puzzles earlier this year)
"Hi Pat."
"Hey, did you get my note about our next trip?"
"If by 'note', you mean '...
16
votes
2answers
4k views
I found a puzzle that no-one can solve
I found a puzzle that no-one can solve.
I created a law but I was not a lawyer.
I lived in a hostile world but found refuge in a hut.
Who was I, and can you explain my story?
Clue 1
Clue 2
5
votes
6answers
1k views
12
votes
2answers
776 views
Can anyone help poor Fblthp?
my name is Fblthp, and I am completely lost.
I don't know the location of my home planet, and given the barriers in language and culture, I can't tell you its name in any meaningful manner either.
The ...
6
votes
2answers
458 views
Connect Wall: Americana
In honor of Flag Day here in the United States, I hope you're up for another connect wall! The set of sixteen words below can be partitioned into groups of four words that have something in common. ...
1
vote
1answer
96 views
This day in history VIII
What historical event happened on this day (11th May). Can you explain the clues? Also, well done to El-Guest who got the answer to This day in history VII.
A man of great mind
Bested by the first ...
1
vote
1answer
51 views
This day in history VII
This day in history was solved first by Glorfindel with Yuzuriha Inori giving a more detailed answer. Today (9th May), a number of years ago, some sort of event happened. What was it and what do the ...
3
votes
2answers
188 views
This day in history VI
It was defectedWBC who got the last one. Well done! On this day (8th May) an event happened. Can you tell me the event, explain the clues and tell me what year it happened.
A sickly-sweet syrup-like ...
3
votes
1answer
61 views
This day in history V
Well done to Beastly Gerbil who got the answer to This day in history IV. Something happened on 4th May a certain number of years ago. Can you tell me what it was and how many years ago it happened?
...
5
votes
1answer
81 views
This day in history IV
I haven't done one of these for almost a year and I'm planning to continue this. The correct answer to This day in history III was found by Mordechai (who just beat Tahel to it).
On this date (03/05/...
9
votes
1answer
259 views
Opération Gutenberg
Paris, 5 January 1858
Gutenberg is dead.
For five years I have been on this fanatic's trail. Five years of stalking his accomplices, intercepting his correspondence, tracking him down to his lairs ...
17
votes
2answers
898 views
Colouring the map of Canada
A previous question asked whether the map of the USA needs four colors.
Now, what about Canada? If you want to assign a colour to each province and territory, so that no two neighbours have the same ...
6
votes
1answer
121 views
Historical Figure Identification
The computer at the history museum is on the fritz! When asked about a famous general, all it spit out was
Clean. 2,000 lbs.
Who did it mean?
11
votes
1answer
249 views
Many have become me, many more desire to be me
For the past centuries, many have been me. Many more desire to become me. Some are forgotten, others are remembered.
At first I became a whole city; later on I've been a neighbor, a teddy bear, a ...
6
votes
2answers
396 views
What is the (apparently) next number in the sequence?
$42, 62, 67, 14, 27, 45, 4, 14\dots$
This is the number sequence which does not appear in OEIS and actually has little to do with maths. To find the next number, please look at the title and the tags!...
7
votes
1answer
227 views
What is this saying?
<=19
B: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, ...
P: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X ...
AB: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -...
25
votes
5answers
4k views
Well-known American figure with Roman numerals
Which well-known American figure has an 8-letter name, with 6 consonants and all of them are Roman numerals?
18
votes
2answers
761 views
Enjoying a rest from the long commute!
You ask me where I used to work before I was retired?
Perhaps you’ll know if I tell tales of workers that I’ve fired...
The first who came and worked with me was fresh from Ivy League,
But ...
9
votes
3answers
379 views
The Marching Tune
And a one, and a two, and a three four five six!
Or a one, and a two, and a three four five!
From my home right here,
To the end way down there!
And then I have a choice
Of a one, a two, or a ...
5
votes
1answer
223 views
A Remote Location
Here be a simple problem
For the keen directmate eye
White to move and win
In seven moves, Black shall die
However, I remember now a relative
Long ago did he begin to live
About a two decades or ...
8
votes
1answer
369 views
What do Teignmouth, Paris, Ulm, Auxerre, Brunswick, Beaumont-en-Auge, and Ryazan have in common?
In the book Real World Haskell, there's a non-programming-related puzzle in a footnote at the bottom of page 15, in the middle of a simple text-processing problem:
...
Find or create a text ...
3
votes
2answers
828 views
This day in history III
The correct answer to This day in history II was found by Jan Ivan with credit to Tahel.
A certain amount of years ago on this day (29/07), something happened. What is it and how many years ago did ...
6
votes
1answer
404 views
This day in history II
This day in history I was correctly answered by PotatoLatte. I will describe an event from a certain number of years ago that happened today (28/07). I would like you to tell me both he event and the ...
3
votes
1answer
221 views
This day in history I
THIS DAY IN HISTORY is a series of puzzles I intend to create in which I choose an event a certain amount of years ago. I need you to figure the event and tell me how many years ago it happened
From ...
12
votes
1answer
438 views
Where shall we go next?
The following nonogram is about $92\%$ solvable. Also, the grid is not really like it should be.
All this feels somewhat annoying, but honestly, not that much, because this is most likely the last ...
5
votes
2answers
375 views
Historical puzzle
We have three facts.
In reality, there are 13. But in Germany, there are 12.
One is Russian, one is French.
The thing they've created is spread all around the world.
What is it?
Edit: One more hint....
15
votes
1answer
976 views
One night in Baker Street
The raindrops ran down the windows of 221B Baker Street while Sherlock Holmes played a sad melody upon his violin. The weather and the music reflected his mood, for it had been a trying and vexatious ...
9
votes
1answer
219 views
Cross-Numbers (not words)!
Can you solve this Crossword (Cross-numbers) with numbers from the given pictures ?
ACROSS
DOWN
6
votes
1answer
349 views
Head of a Reich takes a seat
A fabric is used for a pretty silk dress,
an empire eventually broke under stress,
a language once used one's ideas to express,
a man, head of Reich long before the SS.
What am I?
2
votes
1answer
76 views
It was often searched for. What is it?
Maybe it's wooden.
Maybe it's golden.
It could be made out of greenish glass.
Most likely it has not that much mass.
-
Some think it is already found,
Most think it could still be somewhere ...
15
votes
5answers
853 views
Never shall we die…!
Here now the accounts of the nine pirate lords
And one impostor amidst them all
Here now their voice and story
And which impostor to die
The first of all is the chief of all
Hidden by ...
77
votes
4answers
7k views
The mother of all age-of-the-captain riddles
A few days ago, as I was delving into the mess in my grand parents' attic, I found an impressive ancient book that was written in a language that I had never seen before.
"This book is a collection ...
5
votes
2answers
295 views
Who is richer? A two-way lie-fest
The richest person in ancient Greece had to pay a special tax. The rulers rode to Alexander, a very rich man, and asked for the tax. Alexander, who liked his fortune, told them that they had the wrong ...
13
votes
1answer
369 views
The thousand-year enigma
Three two and five versus one five and three twos,
sellable merchandise made out of these clues,
latter being northern the first's in the east,
country's name one thousand years back at least.
...
7
votes
2answers
273 views
Time To Fix The Machine
Yesterday, I received a call from Mr. X who asked for my assistance in fixing his time machine, which he suspected had been damaged during one of his adventures. Since an initial inspection revealed ...
6
votes
3answers
181 views
Songsmiths and dictators
Russian to infamous Soviet dictator.
Spanish to liquefied timepiece creator.
English to songsmith with capital name.
French to one whose end in Waterloo came.
What are we listing?
