Questions tagged [knowledge]
A puzzle whose solution relies on external sources such as tables, dictionaries, Wikipedia, or specifics that may not be common knowledge.
2,942
questions
10
votes
3
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Cultural before-and-afters
Each answer to a clue will consist of the titles of two works or series put together, where the last word of the first title matches the first word of the second title.
Note that the word match does ...
24
votes
5
answers
4k
views
Prove your innocence
Inspired by A double-agent with a conundrum. DISCLAIMER: The people and events described here are entirely fictional. While the choice of countries is important for the puzzle to have a reasonable ...
8
votes
1
answer
990
views
What are the house numbers?
Following the last question " What is the corner house number?" here is possibly a more challenging version.
Fill in the missing house numbers on the map shown below. The area is occupied by math and ...
16
votes
15
answers
5k
views
Sun setting in East! [closed]
It was a bright and sunny day during April- May(can say, peak of summer) in a country in the northern hemisphere, near to the equator.
I was wandering(on foot) through this country's vast and open ...
15
votes
2
answers
766
views
A journey through letters and numbers
In the year 2407476658354979366708415043923125501315337890943021769230219230892355006879909214795402102204224, as cosmopolitanism is in the air and companies are more than ever bound to ...
21
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Bankers with rancor
Three colleagues at the bank are boasting to each other…
Colleague 1: “Ask anybody – I’m clearly the best.”
Colleague 2: “And how do you figure that?!”
Colleague 1: “Well, just ...
30
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Three Singles in Three Clubs
These three belong to three different clubs.
First one, very popular, is the singles-only club. It is closed for new
membership.
Second one, very useful, is for singles and couples. It is open for
...
7
votes
1
answer
349
views
What is an Independent Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it an Independent Word™.
Use ...
10
votes
1
answer
454
views
Room 11: Bits and pieces of Chinese history
Credit: Brandon X.
This is part of a larger riddle room puzzle. Other rooms:
Room 213
You have just woken up. You recall the night before, being driven from your home to a luxurious hotel by some ...
8
votes
1
answer
342
views
TechSupport Issue ID#812
User ID: 3Aq47h-20dpc8l
Language: English (UK)
Today I noticed a strange text file on my Windows 10 PC's Desktop called "README.txt". Curious, I opened it and it read
START → 2↑ → P 3→ ↑ P 4→ P →...
10
votes
1
answer
282
views
Foul Psychology Question
According to our psychology examination, Mr. X
Is afraid of heights as well as the cookie monster under his bed (1)
Prefers to work late into the night (2)
Has 20/20 vision with perfect ...
10
votes
2
answers
261
views
A Philosopher's Dream
I am heavier than most, but I still run faster than you.
Some mistake me for a fool, yet everyone else loves me.
Even as centuries pass and empires disappear too--
I stay by their sides, ...
15
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Eric Andre had a dream
Eric Andre had a dream.
What did he dream?
Hint $\downarrow$ (the answer does require knowledge, though I'd assume it's pretty common to know about it)
Not part of the puzzle. TL;DR
This is my 100th ...
12
votes
1
answer
635
views
What is a NaturaW Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it a NaturaW Word™.
Use the ...
14
votes
3
answers
924
views
Piece de Resistance - Five Flowers with One Missing
Five - Flowers with One Missing
This puzzle is part of the "Piece de Resistance" series. Go back to Part 1 (Ace) for the story.Ace Two Three Four Five ...
Removing the silver matter, you see ...
31
votes
2
answers
2k
views
A trip to the library
I try to go to the library at least once every month, so I've developed a pretty good relationship with the librarian, a nice old man who sometimes teases me about my broad set of interests. Yesterday,...
1
vote
1
answer
133
views
Where in the world is this astronomical convergence? [closed]
At this location on planet Earth, on April 8, 2024, you can observe a total solar eclipse. At the same location, at some time on June 29, 2024, the sun will be directly overhead. Where in the world is ...
14
votes
1
answer
429
views
I'm a really tiny critter. Come close
Come really close and take a look at me.
May be you will think I am sleepy
May be you will have a couple of questions:
Why is he far away at the end?
Why are there six in a row then ...
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Listen to this riddle carefully!
Hi all!
Here's a riddle. Please guess what thing is described below, and don't forget to explain each clue. :)
- - - Riddle starts - - -
Oh, my dear friend,
If you want to know who I am,
listen ...
16
votes
2
answers
523
views
Ordering a word list
I think I've alphabetized this word list correctly, but my friends keep telling me it's not in the right order. Can you help me spot the mistake?
divvy, dry, dues, Eden, elf, fear, knee, opt, pet, ...
10
votes
1
answer
436
views
What is a Human Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it a Human Word™.
Use the ...
25
votes
1
answer
564
views
It was a dark and stormy night
September 8: It’s raining, and Russian Emperor Czar Nicholas awakes, confused.
Someone enters, completely soaking. “It’s positively vile – I’d resist going outside.”
It’s Czarina Alexandra. “...
4
votes
1
answer
453
views
What is a Scott Word™?
In the spirit of the What is a Word™/Phrase™ series started by JLee, a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
After seeing so many of these puzzles, I thought that it would be fun to try and ...
10
votes
1
answer
332
views
On Doors and Passcodes, or Flying High
After going to sleep one night, you wake up in the middle of a dimly-lit cavern. You can feel the cool, damp surface of the stone beneath your fingers as you push yourself to a sitting position and ...
24
votes
1
answer
1k
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Properties: Left of the colon
Here are three short 'property' puzzles I wrote.
In each puzzle the words to the left of the colon all have a (non-trivial) property that the word to the right of the colon does not have. What is ...
12
votes
4
answers
387
views
Trapped in Time
A Greek trapped in time
by a Roman refine
Mother precedes
we'll never be freed
Circling around
waiting to be found
perhaps by my shipmates
if they've not met their fates
Who am I? And where can ...
10
votes
1
answer
609
views
Find the missing country
Below is a list of ten countries, with one missing. Find one attribute (for example, the population) of each country, so that if you take the first number or first letter of each country’s attribute, ...
16
votes
1
answer
745
views
A wiild aanimal, a cardinal direction, or a place by the water
I'm in the north. I can be accompanied by violent crimes, a relative direction, or a body of fresh water.
I'm in the east. I can be accompanied by a wiild aanimal, a cardinal direction, or a ...
11
votes
1
answer
372
views
What is a Mono Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it a Mono Word™.
Use the ...
4
votes
3
answers
454
views
Tricky Tropical Water Temperatures
Herman lives in a house on the Caribbean island of Kinja, where the weather is warm all year. Let’s assume all Kinjan houses are of similar construction, and no houses have a water heating system. ...
6
votes
5
answers
909
views
Violations of the law
I live in A but work at B. The two are 45 minutes apart and I could commute back and forth either by driving or by taking the bus. Every day, before going from A to B in the morning and before going ...
8
votes
1
answer
381
views
What is a Fade Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it a Fade Word™.
Use the ...
5
votes
1
answer
332
views
What is wrong about that person?
I once was in a relationship with Ms. Litson. Things were OK, I guess. But not before too long, I could see that I could not keep up with her. Things were slipping. I couldn't bear this, it ...
7
votes
1
answer
266
views
A Group of people: A simple word
This word describes a group of people
Take the last letter out: A person with some authority
Take the last two letters out: Same person
Take the last three letters out: Same person
...
8
votes
1
answer
205
views
What are the missing letters?
What letters are missing from the end of this list?
...
11
votes
2
answers
472
views
#, %O, and so on
I woke up this morning to find someone had added a new button to my basic calculator. Besides the $+$, $-$, $\times$ and $\div$ buttons, there's now also a $\#$ button. I figured, "Well, this probably ...
11
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What is a Union Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
After a long period of division, tends to unite; After a long period of ...
13
votes
1
answer
904
views
What is an Earth Word™?
This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
The Earth is composed with many various elements or objects.
But some of ...
5
votes
1
answer
269
views
My name, my name, it's a guessing game!
I needn't be late, that would be bad
As a man with a job, I must get to work
I must travel quickly now, so I go
I travel by the underground train
I have bills that I need to pay
I need that money to ...
8
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Is Grandpa Irrational? Another Grandpa Mystery
Grandpa likes iron skillets but not aluminum pans
He likes m&m but not just "m"
He likes Michigan but not Georgia
Why is that?
11
votes
1
answer
335
views
You could help me, couldn't you?
Introduction
I am an enthusiastic geometry student, preparing for my first quiz. Yet while revising I accidentally spilt my coffee onto my notes. Can you rescue me and draw me a diagram so that I ...
20
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Stella and the president's secret notes
Jason Trump, president of the Untitled Statues Association, has left a notebook containing presumably important information lying around on his desk. Stella, his nosy assistant, takes a look only to ...
12
votes
1
answer
338
views
Is it simple Math or something else?
Grandpa with his mischievous smile said:
"If zero belongs to One
And two belongs to Four
Twenty seven belongs to Seven
Then what belongs to Three?"
Hint
When I could not guess, I ...
9
votes
1
answer
298
views
Which family is it?
On the 20th of July '19 it's a large family of 175 members that keeps growing. Youngest is only 2 months. Only four of them are more than 10 years old.
What family is it?
16
votes
1
answer
1k
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Everyone but three
For the first time, a photo was taken with every person, living or dead, in frame. Everyone that is except for three. Who were those three?
23
votes
1
answer
3k
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What happens on Day 6?
My friend, who works in a Library, has recently learned about Puzzles, in general, and Puzzling Stack Exchange, in particular. He was excited and has sent me this puzzle to "test" the users ...
4
votes
1
answer
333
views
Here's a riddle, so listen up yo
I'm from Italy, yet I speak English
On top of that, my name is French
I hail back from the late nineties galore
Last in 2016 did I release lore
Until then it has been a decade
But we never truly ...
11
votes
1
answer
230
views
Measuring mystery distances
Some puzzling distances:
If 110 to 39 is 1046km
And 105 to 115 is 114km
Then how far is 97 to 38?
23
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Bob's unnecessary trip to the shops
Alice and Bob live in London, UK. On a Friday, as per usual, Bob leaves for work before Alice. At lunchtime he receives a WhatsApp message from his friend Charles:
Sorry to cancel on you last week (...
13
votes
2
answers
677
views
Back to the nineties!
I've left the world before the 90's,
But I'm still many a ninety.
Inside me there's an instant,
I've proposed many a constant.
My universe is not stable,
But I'm still there at the table.
...